Seaford Beachside = Very Relaxing, but..

[darkage]

How is driving from Aspendale to the CBD convenient compared to the Monash Freeway?

I would think Warrigul Rd then detour left to Upper part of Neapen Hwy better?. ( Dunno about conditions of Nepean Hwy or Beach rd up there in the mornings.. )

In the mornings from Mulgrave I take the Monash Freeway only up to Warrigul Rd and take Dandy Rd from there.. Upwards towards city link its slower in the mornings than Dandy Rd.. Dandy Rd is more free flowing unless theres a major accident somewhere.

 

[toony]

How is driving from Aspendale to the CBD convenient compared to the Monash Freeway?

I never said convenient. Much more scenic and more pleasant on the eye. One eye on traffic and bikes, the other eye on the beach, joggers and great houses on the right hand side on the way to the city. One of the best drives to work in the world. When in the CBD i train it in. When i drive i park at the Casino for $12 and drive via Beach Rd, through Sth Melb to enter Casino via Kings Way.

 

[Wunderbar]

I don't think anyone disputes that but I think most people would rather see concrete and get into the city in 30 minutes as opposed to viewing the ocean and taking almost 2 hours

 

[newbyinvestor]

I don't think anyone disputes that but I think most people would rather see concrete and get into the city in 30 minutes as opposed to viewing the ocean and taking almost 2 hours

I think most people would rather sea the ocean and not bother with the city!

 

[Wunderbar]

Well I'd rather see the ocean and not go to work but that's not going to happen atm

 

[newbyinvestor]

Well I'd rather see the ocean and not go to work but that's not going to happen atm

No cents of humor!

 

[dog]

I work for a company currently doing an extension/refurbishment of Franga S/C. I guess with every upgrade there's a new attraction. As to whether there's a price hike to go with it cannot be quantified.

Can't be a bad thing though....
I also have a mate who backs onto the Korroroit creek at the rear of a block on Nepean Highway. I'll have to ask him how high the water came last friday/saturday when I see him next.....

 

[The Donners]

I rent in Mulgrave, not home owner just yet..

Mulgrave is in a more central location with direct access to SouthEastern Freeway and Eastlink. Chadstone shopping centre is just a little under 10 mins freeway drive away, Dandenong/Glen Waverley centres about 10 to 15 mins non-freeway drive away.

Run into the city is about 40 mins Just feels like things are closer here and not so far away.

You say Seaford is 15mins to Mulgrave yet it takes a further 30mins to get to the city from Seaford? Doesn't make any sense to me.

Mulgrave doesn't have a train station. The closest stations are Dandenong and Glen Waverley which are both 15mins away.

I've never lived in Seaford but I lived in the area of Wheelers Hill which was rezoned from Mulgrave, IIRC in the early 90s, for 25 years. The only reason I wouldn't put Seaford ahead of Mulgrave is because I remember the stigma of the area.

 

[Nick]

Seaford is one of the most liveable suburbs in Melbourne. This is probably more due to having Frankston on the door step than its proximity to trains and freeways. (Frankston was recently voted in the top five most liveable suburbs of Melbourne)

Seaford is roughly a 45 - 50 min train to Flinders St or a 35 - 45 min drive via eastlink to Kingsway.
Back to Frankston - this place has all the amenities of a large regional city and more, including cinema, uni, tafe, hospital as well as the brilliant Bayside Shopping Centre, Power Centre, a growing coffee and restaurant culture and great weather always 2 degs cooler than the cbd.

In terms of flooding last week, Kananook Ck didn't flood nor did any parts of Seaford. This is because the weather is generally very mild due to its geographic location on the edge of the bay - thus missing hail storms, heavy rain and extreme heat.

Having lived in cities, towns and suburbs from SE QLD to Tassie and inner eastern Melbourne i can say Seaford is by far the most liveable. Most of the people living here cant believe the prices still havent skyrocketed!

As a homeowner in Seaford, i am saving up for an IP in Frankston or Seaford in the next few years.

 

[ashalim]

Hey Nick,

What do you think about Carrum/Patterson Lakes?

 

[The Y-man]

Got to keep in mind too the "drive to CBD" factor:

I find on a 40 minute drive, 15-20minutes of it seem to be taken up on the last 2km! (unless of course if you enter the Hoddle St black hole, you may reappear in a parallel universe....)


The Y-man

 

[marg4000]

Hey Nick,

What do you think about Carrum/Patterson Lakes?

Our son lived at Carrum before relocating last year.

He and his wife loved it, kept the house in case the move didn't work out. They were very close to the Patterson River, less than 400m to the bay, train station and local shops. They could walk down to the beach for a swim in summer. Everything else they needed was nearby at Frankston.

Visiting them was great- just like going on holidays!!
Marg

 

[Nick]

Hey Nick,

What do you think about Carrum/Patterson Lakes?

I love them both - although have something against the name "Carrum" just doesn't sound nice to me...

I think with St Kilda FC moving to Seaford, the clean up of Frankston, a cleaner beach and native foreshore Seaford will overtake Carrum. I also feel 'Seaford" has a more beachy village feel to its name than Carrum and that this could effect demand. Would be interested to hear other people opinions on this.

Im not alone in thinking Patterson Lakes is a great spot. Some very expensive property there with lots of development going on. New Coles, boat launching facility (biggest in Australia), library and cafes.

Went for a cycle tonight along Nepean to Mornington - saw lots of fit people enjoying the bay lifestyle - particularly around Frankston. It really is amazing you can pick up a decent property within walking distance to the beach for less than $500k

 

[ashalim]

Thanks guys

Didn't know about the new Coles, I heard about the new Aldi near the train station.

Going to organise finance for an IP in Carrum, more towards the Patterson Lakes side 1km from the marina

 

[Fifth]

I'm not sure that Seaford is undervalued. Now, it does have a beach. This is most important. People like beaches. However, there are a lot of drawbacks to Seaford. I've listed some below. These aren't necessarily my opinions, just some factors which may (or may not) hold prices back.

Too far from the CBD: For those working in the city, whether driving or catching the train, the journey is tedious. For those not from the area, possibly too far away from family/friends. Even little things like socialising in the city can be a pain (especially on Friday/Saturday nights - late night trains can be a perturbing experience, too far for a taxi).

Lack of quality architecture: Original properties are generally unattractive. Renovations often look cheap and tacky. Newer properties built poorly (but such is the case with new builds in any area). Too many units and subdivisions.

Lack of quality schools: Some of the local schools are considered better than others but none are particularly well-regarded.

Unfashionable: Despite glowing reviews of the area's 'coffee and restaurant culture', the vibe is distinctly suburban and nearby Frankston is mostly chain/franchise orientated.

Stigma: Not worth repeating.

Risk of flooding: This will deter buyers. Whether or not flooding is a real or imagined risk is irrelevant.

Swampiness: Both a drawcard and a deterrent, I guess. Some love it, some hate it.

 

[Blair]

What do people think of Mt Eliza and the Peninsula? If I were to move so far from the city I don't think I'd mind going out that little bit further. It's a little more expensive but I think it has a much nicer atmosphere and you can find really big blocks and stunning views that you wouldn't get elsewhere.

I think they have some good schools in the area and Monash University has a campus there.

 

[Ms Jade]

Blair, the Monash campus is more Frankston Sth but still handy. I am biased about Mt Eliza but come down & take a look. Young families have been moving here for the lifestyle, fresh air, 45 mins to the CBD (1 hr or just over in peak), sea, country atmosphere and good schools including Toorak College & the Peninsula School. There certainly are some beautiful properties with bay views but also with multi million dollar pricetags.

 

[Fifth]

What do people think of Mt Eliza and the Peninsula? If I were to move so far from the city I don't think I'd mind going out that little bit further. It's a little more expensive but I think it has a much nicer atmosphere and you can find really big blocks and stunning views that you wouldn't get elsewhere.

I think they have some good schools in the area and Monash University has a campus there.

As an investment, I'd be cautious. If Melbourne's property market were to go pear-shaped, Mt Eliza and surrounds would suffer greatly (glut of holiday homes on the market as sellers attempt to offload).

As a place to live, if you can afford a decent place and don't mind the distance, go for it.

 

[Ms Jade]

As far as investing, Mt Eliza isn't a great rental market IMO. But Mt Eliza/Frankston/Mornington have not been holiday home territory for a long time. Even Safety Beach wouldn't have a high percentage of holiday homes any more; it's all OO territory, now. If you're talking south of that, perhaps. Bayview would know how many holiday homes there are in Dromana.

 

[Fifth]

As far as investing, Mt Eliza isn't a great rental market IMO. But Mt Eliza/Frankston/Mornington have not been holiday home territory for a long time. Even Safety Beach wouldn't have a high percentage of holiday homes any more; it's all OO territory, now. If you're talking south of that, perhaps. Bayview would know how many holiday homes there are in Dromana.

Thanks for pulling me up on that. I wasn't aware that there are few holiday homes in the area these days.

I was referring to CG when I said 'investment' (in the sense that most people view their PPOR as an investment). I'm curious, as a local what do you see happening in the short to midterm in the area?