Baulkham Hills/Castle Hill

H

Highlygeared

Hi

we're flirting with the idea of moving to a more family friendly area - with a budget of around $500K, the East, Inner West and North Shore are now beyond our reach - thanks to looking after my investment portfolio before tyring to solve the family home problem.

We were thinking perhaps Shire/Hills - but leaning towards Hills - aesthetically prettier/greener. In particular I was focssing on the Crestwood/Roxborough pockets in Baulkham Hills. Can anyone help in validating that these are smart areas to buy in for cap growth and community - considering NW train link if it goes ahead... think these areas are closer to the planned stations. Also, whats living in the Hills like for anyone who's grown up closer to Syd?

Thanks
 
Power lines??

As for commute - agree at the moment, it is a nightmare, but hedging on bet that the train line will be built within the next 10 yrs. I think the govt recognises the need to improve infrastruc from the new estates - Rouse H etc. If im wrong, it will be a costly one, not so much money, but time. And I dont envisage working in Parra either so CBD commute will be necessry.
 
I've been looking around West Pennant Hills, etc a bit, and some streets have lovely houses but these GIGANTIC power lines hangling everywhere. Very unsightly.
Alex
 
I love the Hills area. I live in Rouse Hill and all the new developments are very exciting! Great restaurants, shopping, Norwest Industrial Park, great places for kids, easy access to more rural places like Windor and the Blue Mountains, easy access north to Central Coast.

We can get from Rouse Hill to the aiport in less than 40 minutes early on a Sunday morning!

Baulkham Hills has become very densley populated with villa's and units everywhere.

Crestwood is quieter.

I would prefer Castle Hill, Kellyville or Rouse Hill.

Public transport is pretty good with the new bus system running through Rouse Hill that goes into town. Not that I have to catch it... my niece does to her school in Parramatta though.
 
Commute from Sutherland area is not too bad, you can get an express train from Sutherland which takes about 35 minutes. I used to live in Caringbah and it took around 50 minutes to get the the CBD via train. I don't think the Hills is greener either.... But depends where abouts in Sutherland, there are plenty of "Leafy" parts..

Personally the train and beach would seal the deal for me :)

Buses are hopeless. It takes me just as long to get a bus from Maroubra to the City as it did to get a train from Sutherland to the City. Can't imagine what a bus is like from 30km away.
 
Buses are hopeless. It takes me just as long to get a bus from Maroubra to the City as it did to get a train from Sutherland to the City. Can't imagine what a bus is like from 30km away.



i can identify with the bus from Maroubra but should be better now with the dedicated bus lanes on Anzac??

I have a property in Kingsford but its in the middle of unit central. anyone turn out ok growing up surrounded by uni students and transients, let me know pls and make the decision easy:)??

i like the concept of living in the hills but the daily reality / practicality may be totally diff.
 
Hills area is all quite nice but commuting does take its toll on people. In regards to NW rail link it is more about your faith of the current government to actually build the line itself. If the government does I am pretty sure the Hills property prices would increase faster than rest of Sydney because it is all so new and nice. But of course if/when they build the rail link then I expect a LOT MORE units/townhouses built within the 10 minutes walk to the station ......

Yes avoid giant powerlines at all costs. It would seriously hit your resale value, and the time it takes to sell.
 
Highlygeared said:
Buses are hopeless. It takes me just as long to get a bus from Maroubra to the City as it did to get a train from Sutherland to the City. Can't imagine what a bus is like from 30km away.



i can identify with the bus from Maroubra but should be better now with the dedicated bus lanes on Anzac??
Click to expand...

Its better but it still takes forever for a 8km trip. No amount of bus lanes will ever make a bus as good as a train. Not to mention the stupid things stops every 30 metres... I've done both and I'll never move to another suburb without a train line. (I'm not kidding)

Not everyone works in the CBD so may not be an issue, only you can decide this. Why not try taking a bus from the Hills and see how it goes.. I only know the Eastern Suburbs buses.
 
Another thought, have you considered Upper North Shore? Just as nice as Sutherland and the Hills. Good train line, good shopping centre and good schools. Hornsby, Asquith, Mount Colah etc..
 
I live in Baulkham Hills, in the old Crestwood area - walking distance to Crestwood shops on one side (great convenient little shopping centre with a bakery , newsagent , chemist, convenience store, liquer store and hairdresser) and walking distance to Jasper road school on the other side (popular amd well respected primary).
You could probably pick up an older unrenovated 3 bed home on over 900 sqm for around 500k here if you looked hard enough.
As far as Roxb park area , try to find between the pool and excelsior school if you can - but the blocks there are only 700 sqm.
 
FrankGrimes said:
Buses are hopeless. It takes me just as long to get a bus from Maroubra to the City as it did to get a train from Sutherland to the City. Can't imagine what a bus is like from 30km away.
Click to expand...

FrankG,
It's not the same thing, these are dedicated bus lanes and the busses won't stop at every corner.
Cheers
 
Highlygeared said:
probably a little too far but beggars cant be choosers. its all very hard.
Click to expand...
HG

It also depends on how much you are willing to spend.
It's nice to live close to work but it comes at a cost and you won't necessarily be better off.
Being close to good schools and shops IMO is more important.

IMO we live in uncertain times so try to keep your PPOR loan low.

If you have school age kids and you want to save money
find a suburb with good public schools, the money you will save by not sending your kids to private schools could enable you to afford to buy a PPOR in the area.

Additionally, you could buy something that needs a bit of work so you save there too.
Our first PPOR needed a lot of work, it was probably the cheapest house
in the suburb but we moved in and slowly fixed it all up.

Cheers
 
H.geared,

We Just bought at Kellyville Ridge for $482,000. rents for $450

not far from Castle Hill and BaulkhM Hills. Area has 85% owners.

CHISEL;)
 
Thats a very tidy yield CHISEL, well played. Thought the most you'd get is mid to high $300s per week. You must've bargained well for a new place to get that kind of rent out there. The older style homes closer in like C/Hill and Baulko will only get you 4% gross yield at best. And its not without work with these kind of homes.

If you work in town and value family time, I'd suggest the Hills is probably going to be a bit too far. Tough trade off. Re trains, not going to happen in our lifetime. And if you were to drive, factor in the tolls. And Epping Rd is about to change to 1 car lane too in the morning. Absolute rort! Return trip to city will cost you $17 in tolls, add another $4.50 from the airport. I have seen the models used to project revenues from these tolls and lets just say I'd be buying infrastructure shares as a hedge for my tolls!

Hills is a great place to live for families but unfortunately its mortgage belt and I believe is under the most stress due to high debt levels, next to the outer western suburbs. This will put a lid on cap growth but when the rest of Syd goes up, I'm sure it will too.
 
Prefer Crestwood over Roxborough Park for PPOR. You will probably pay a little more for Crestwood being close to bella vista. Swiming pool and TAFE are handy at Roxie. Lots of reno's around.

Previously did the commute for many years. It was a nightmare, but got round it by sleeping, reading or daydreaming. About $12 return a day.
 
thanks all

very helpful as usual. yes the commute does worry me. have some friends at work who live in the hills and all say that driving is better than the bus etc...but with the tolls, gee very expensive. maybe we should just rent in the area we want to live - and pump excess cash into more investments. but its a tough emotional call renting forever with a family.
 
CHISEL - that is a good score. I know some bargains come up in KR occasionally. I have been keeping an eye out for them.

Is that a 4 bed place - average size block? Single story or double?

Is that an average rent at the moment? Did you find it hard to get tenants?
 
re Kellyville ridge

Hi Green Tree Frog,

Double story 4x 3bath /new house & land 450m2 turn key.

tenants long term residex has a 13% pa growth prediction. have to wait + $8000. for A.C.

CHISEL:eek:
 
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