Best pockets in Sunshine (MEL) looking for forumites views!

[investwest]

Sunshine.

Sunshine will boom, it is booming. I am originally from Tasmania, so I dont have the prejudices that native Melbournians do, so I am able to assess a suburb in a objective way.My husband was born and brought up in Williamstown, he cant, so thats why he lets me make our property investment choices. Years ago I said to him Sunshine will boom, he just laughed and said no way, "not Scumshine". Now he believes me when I tell him housing commision Laverton will boom. Think out side the square, drop the sheep mentality. Demographics change, and they change fast, especially with the sheep attitude in Melbourne, just look at Yarraville, and Williamstown.

 

[frogwah]

I'm so glad I bought in Scumshine 8 years ago. A $30K deposit on one of those 'cheap houses' will return me around $300K when I sell later this year.

I have nothing to prove to anyone with where I choose to live or buy - money talks.

 

[investwest]

I Like Sunshine/Braybrook

Ok well, I actually live in the general Sunshine area, and reading these posts you now have me quite scared!!!!

Seriously, I think it's easy to form impressions from an 'outside' point of view, but from where I stand, your impressions - and certainly those generally held by the public - tend to be a bit over the top.

Yes, Sunshine has it's share of crime - but quite honestly, I feel more vulnerable and ill-at-ease walking around Footscray than Sunshine! I have lived here for nearly five years and have not (touch wood!) been mugged/attacked or had anything similar happen to me in that time, nor do I know of anyone who has. I think the media tend to jump on anything that happens here because it helps support the perception that people already have about the place.

Let me give you some positives about the area - and there are many. As the OP pointed out, we have fantastic access to the city via the Ringroad. Central Sunshine has a mega movie complex, lots of shopping, huge library and surprising to some I'm sure, but some fantastic schools & kindergartens (and I'm talking waiting lists where people are turned away because the demand is so strong). There is a new indoor swimming complex under construction as we speak (and pssst I believe an announcement is forthcoming this Thursday re a 25metre outdoor pool). There are cafes opening left right and centre - some great places including Mambos and The Granary http://www.thegranary.com.au/. Best of all, there is a fanastic community spirit in the area, with lots of young families moving into pockets like Albion, Ardeer & West Sunshine - doing up houses and setting up parents groups, playgroups and the like.

All this stuff isn't reported in the media, but trust me, it's happening. Let's keep it our little secret, shall we?

PS: Although our daughter will be going to a private school in another area where we hope to move so we are closer to her school, we will be holding onto our Sunshine property!!

There seem to be some lovelly parts of Sunshine, the shopping strips, period style homes and leafy areas, I think it has huge potential, but my husband grew up in the Western suburbs and doesnt agree, but from an outsiders point of view, I think its great.

 

[Peter Parker]

Sunshine makes it to No 1 for car thefts: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23615370-661,00.html

But with swank Williamstown in No 3, it probably doesn't matter much!

 

[PrimeCommercial]

Sunshine makes it to No 1 for car thefts:

Does that mean that there are cars worth stealing there?
If your going to steal a car you may as well make it a good one.
I wouldn't want to live in a suburb where the cars aren't worth stealing!

 

[units4me]

Sunshine will go through the roof. It has all the right factors other than stigma. Melbournians are such suburb snobbs. If demographics and stigma are the only issue, to me that is sheep behaviour. Nobody wanted to live in Yarraville fifteen years ago, now look at it. I think 30-40% capital growth in one year, isnt too bad, dont you think?

Hey if investing in the west is what works for you, then great. Good luck to you.
But, reality check. There are reasons why people live where they do.
Some suburbs are far less desirable than others.

Simple as that.

Suburb prices are determined by what people are prepared to pay.

It is exactly why people can and do pay about double to live in the the equivalent house on the other side of town.
People value things like being close to higher employment levels and incomes, good schools, safer streets, greener landscape, higher socio economic areas, less crime etc.

Believe it or not, most people don't like living in a lower socio economic areas with less employment prospects in an unattractive landscape.

Ok, so maybe Sunshine or Footscray is a bit like Dandenong or Frankston, has it's good and bad parts and if you like those areas to invest or live, then good for you.

But don't write off non-westies as suburb snobs. People aren't stupid, if they can afford it, they will move to better their family's lifestyle.

Maybe it's you that has a touch of postcode envy.

 

[peastman]

Sunshine makes it to No 1 for car thefts: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23615370-661,00.html

But with swank Williamstown in No 3, it probably doesn't matter much!

Maybe they are stealing an old car in Sunshine where they live, driving to Williamstown and stealing a nicer car to come home in.

I have actually suggested the Sunshine area for a first IP to a friend. She has very limited finances but in this area she can afford a reasonable 1 bedder. So even if other places may give better CG, she can make a start now and grow from there.