Downsizing - where to buy in Melbourne?

[Tillie]

I would appreciate help to find a new PPOR for the hubbie, me and our 3 dogs. Or at least suggestions for the suitable surburbs.

We have a huge dilemma: We are planning to downsize and do not need a mansion with a swimming pool and a tennis court. But we need about an acre of land, renovated house and a lot of car accommodation for hubbie's ever increasing car collection The location has to be south side of Yarra and commuting distance to CBD, the closer the better naturally

We have been looking at houses in Templestowe, Warrandyte and Park Orchards but every house that we come across is enormous with either a tennis court or swimming pool or more often than not, both. Not particularly interested to pay for all these capital improvements as a form of the higher house price when we really do not need (read: want them) Is there any other areas that we should be extending our house hunting efforts? Or is the task mission impossible?

 

[zapoix.]

The areas you mentioned may already have large houses on them
Look. @ the dandenongs area may have the land size you are after
And still able to commute to CBC and not have a 50 square house on it

 

[The Y-man]

Hop on a vline

http://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-garfield-114098771?rsf=emailalert-propdetails

The Y-man

 

[Melbournian]

all comes down to how much u willing to spend

 

[oc1]

Ringwood North and Croydon Hills comes to mind. Just a little further than Templestowe and Warrandyte with all those bells and whistles.

Oscar

 

[Tillie]

Thanks for the hints. The budget is below $1.5m. It is 'healthy' for the areas that we are looking at, but as said not particularly interested to pay for the house with 6 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms with the pool and the tennis court. What has happened on the house sizes? Looks like that all houses are mansions.

Dandenongs' area sounds interesting. I do not know anything about the area. What suburbs should I look at? Worried about commuting. How long does it take to get to the city from Dandenongs?

Also v-line is not going to work for us, because one of us has to commute to Camberwell every day. But really good 'outside of box' suggestion

 

[Fifth]

Thanks for the hints. The budget is below $1.5m. It is 'healthy' for the areas that we are looking at, but as said not particularly interested to pay for the house with 6 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms with the pool and the tennis court. What has happened on the house sizes? Looks like that all houses are mansions.

It might seem like all houses are mansions because of your price range (1.5 mill is wayyy above average) and the areas that you're looking at (not exactly premium).

For perspective, 1.5 million would get you 6 ordinary houses in a entry level suburb or one ordinary house in a premium suburb.

 

[Tillie]

It might seem like all houses are mansions because of your price range (1.5 mill is wayyy above average) and the areas that you're looking at (not exactly premium).

For perspective, 1.5 million would get you 6 ordinary houses in a entry level suburb or one ordinary house in a premium suburb.

Naturally we are looking everything under $1.5m with an acre block in these suburbs. However at least it feels like that every house on the land size over an acre is a mansion. All these surbubs has houses on the smaller more normal surburban blocks but they do not suit for our purpose.

 

[The Y-man]

Dandenongs' area sounds interesting. I do not know anything about the area. What suburbs should I look at? Worried about commuting. How long does it take to get to the city from Dandenongs?

Somewhere within drive to the Blegrave line - Belgrave, Upwey, Tecoma. Be careful though - some of the acreages in the area are measured on the vertical face of a cliff Burwood highway runs from Camberwell to Belgrave too.

The Y-man

 

[strongy1986]

Now where near the areas suggested here but Langwarrin would have a number of old houses on 1 - 5 acre blocks
It did last time I checked

Might just have to go there and test the drive though

 

[strongy1986]

Now where near the areas suggested here but Langwarrin would have a number of old houses on 1 - 5 acre blocks
It did last time I checked

Might just have to go there and test the drive though

Forgot to mention Bangholme.

You can getv5 - 10 acres with an old house for between 6 - 900 k

Much closer to Melbourne and only 5 minutes from edithvale beach

 

[LoneWolf]

Narre Warren North would be my choice if I had that budget to suit your criteria

Jump on the monash, will take you around 1 hour to CBD (only if thats your thing)

 

[Jake Milne]

Tried Mount Martha?

I just bought a beautiful home there for a client. $1.6mil on an acre.

50 min drive to the city.

 

[strongy1986]

Tried Mount Martha?

I just bought a beautiful home there for a client. $1.6mil on an acre.

50 min drive to the city.

Great spot

But I think 50 mins might be stretching it. Maybe in the middle of the night

 

[Melbournian]

50 minutes no way from mt martha.

used to stay in mt eliza, it takes close to an hour from frankston to the city with the train and also the same from mt eliza driving - unless all speed limits are 150km per hour. highly unlikely with current traffic conditions.

 

[Jake Milne]

It took me 50 minutes from Elwood on a Saturday morning... I'd imagine it'd take longer during rush hour

 

[jclegg]

What about ringwood? Great train line, express services from Box Hill to Camberwell so about 20 mins from Heathmont (parking avail)
Not quite an acre but close -
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-ringwood+east-113328603

 

[Tillie]

Your suggestions made us thinking about the different options keep them coming... Peninsula or dandenongs way might be good options. Does anyone know about the peak hour traffic commuting times to CBD either by car or by public transport? Also planning to go to check Ringwood. We somehow thought that Ringwood is a little bit further away than Park Orchards and commuting (by car) takes that little bit longer. But it would not be the first time that I am wrong

 

[chrispy]

What about Research or Kangaroo Ground ... the only problem is you may get more land than you want for your money

Chris

 

[Tillie]

Hi Chrispy, both Research and Kangaroo Ground are both absolutely lovely, beautiful areas , but unfortunately 'wrong' side of the river for our purpose. We have to commute daily to eastern suburbs and CBD. Also still mansions, swimming pools, tennis courts on every large block.

Has anyone actually seen people playing tennis on these private tennis courts?