Are you moving to Brisbane and wanting to scope out the best suburbs to buy in? There are numerous factors that make the best suburbs in Brisbane a cut above the rest. Here I outline top 10 suburb features that anyone buying a home in Brisbane should consider. If you’re keen to find out some examples of Brisbane’s greatest suburbs this article outlines the ones that should be on your radar and why.
Location, location, location
Proximity to the city is a significant factor in contributing to a suburb’s appeal. Suburbs that offer a short commute to the city for work, cultural attractions, the best shopping, dining, and entertainment options are always desirable areas to live. Buying into these areas offers home buyers are great lifestyle. People will always pay top dollar to live in these suburbs. Red Hill and Paddington are suburbs that are located on the fringe of Brisbane city and offer quick and convenient access to the CBD and all it has to offer.
Amenities, infrastructure, and walkability
The best suburbs in Brisbane are those that have excellent amenities such as well-regarded schools, universities, hospitals, shopping centres, public transport options, and recreational facilities. Access to these amenities adds convenience and liveability and is what sets a great suburb apart from a not so great one.
Being able to walk to quality shops and boutiques can add significant value to an area. Hospitals, GP clinics and other medical facilities are necessary at all life stages, so having these in your suburb are of huge benefit.
Wilston, New Farm, and Paddington are prime examples of Brisbane suburbs that have access to their own village where residents can walk to shops and dine out as well. Residents can also walk easily to public transport and are nearby a host of well-regarded public and private schools. These Brisbane suburbs tick so many boxes when it comes having easy access to amenities, infrastructure, and walkability. James St boutiques shown below are just a short walk away for New Farm residents.
Transport and connectivity
The best suburbs in Brisbane have reliable public transport. When it comes to public transport, regular and rapid bus services and train services are what places a great suburb above others. Suburbs that benefit from Brisbane’s new Cross River Rail and Brisbane Metro services are suburbs to watch. Herston, St Lucia, West End, Kelvin Grove, and Red Hill are suburbs that will benefit from upgrades to Brisbane’s transport system. Living near reliable public transport will always be in demand and add value to a home.
As Brisbane residents rely heavily on their cars to get around, having good access to major arterial roads and tunnels which cut travel times, is essential. Suburbs that are conveniently located near the Inner-City Bypass, the Clem 7 and Legacy Way connections make for the most desirable suburbs to buy into.
Lifestyle, recreation and community
Suburbs that offer a lifestyle with access to hiking trails, the Brisbane River, biking paths, walking paths and other outdoor activities are suburbs that will always have broad buyer appeal. Recreation is a key factor in many people’s lives, so ready access to good-quality sporting grounds and recreational areas is important to consider when buying a home. Access to green spaces can lift the value of a suburb.
For example, Victoria Park us undergoing a massive upgrade and when completed will be Brisbane’s biggest new park in 50 years offering local residents 45 hectares of public parkland space. St Lucia and Herston are suburbs that will benefit having easy access to all this green space.
Suburbs with a vibrant café and restaurant scene and strong community ties are suburbs that I recommend home buyers get into if their budget permits. Ross Elliott, chairman of the Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Better Suburbs Initiative believes inner-city neighbourhoods have been on the rise due to their easy access to a “third place”. He describes the third place as being a bar, a library, restaurants, and other places where people can socialise. A third place is a place for people to belong – the first being home and the second work.
New Farm, Bulimba, Paddington, and West End are suburbs that offer vibrant lifestyles with plenty of “third places” for residents to enjoy. These suburbs are in high demand with home buyers and home values in these areas are some of Brisbane’s highest for good reason.
High performing schools and the best school catchments
The best suburbs in Brisbane are those that are in a catchment area for a high-performing school. Buying a home in these suburbs is smart buying as families will always flock to these suburbs and pay a premium to own a home in these sought after areas. West End is a case in point. It is in the catchment for Brisbane State High, Brisbane’s most highly regarded and sought after public high school. Property in West End is pricey for this reason. Great educational facilities in a suburb will have an impact on making that suburb great.
Further examples are Bardon, which is the catchment for Rainworth State School – Brisbane’s number one primary school and Ashgrove, which is the catchment for Ashgrove State School – Brisbane’s number two primary school.
There are plenty of other suburbs in Brisbane that have high performing public and private schools. Knowing which schools are performing well is key. If you need to better understand more about schools in Brisbane please contact us.
Strong capital growth potential
Suburbs that have historically shown strong capital growth or are predicted to experience future growth due to planned infrastructure projects, urban renewal initiatives, or gentrification are suburbs that home buyers should be considering. These offer home buyers long term investment potential.
Brisbane suburbs that have experienced significant rises in their median house prices over the past 5 years include: Chelmer (80%), Toowong (72%), Bardon (67%), Indooroopilly (63%) Red Hill (62%), Grange (62%), Hamilton (59%), Paddington (58%), Ashgrove (57%), The Gap (55%) and Norman Park (54%).
Examples of Brisbane suburbs that are predicted to experience future growth due to infrastructure projects that are underway include: Woolloongabba, Kelvin Grove, Herston, St Lucia, Kangaroo Point, and West End.
Housing mix and charm
Brisbane suburbs that have a good mix of housing types make for some of the greatest areas to live in and buy into. Suburbs with all the one type of architecture have less personality and less appeal and are therefore not as desirable as areas that offer a diverse range of houses. Suburbs with unique heritage buildings, character homes, or a distinct architectural style are what give a suburb personality and charm.
The beautiful, historical and character homes of Chelmer, Ascot, Hamilton, Clayfield, New Farm and Teneriffe are magnificent and will always command premium prices. These suburbs also offer new architectural homes as well as older style units and new apartments, making for an interesting and diverse suburb that attracts a mix of residents.
City views
There are quite a few suburbs in Brisbane that have spectacular views of the city. Kangaroo Point, Ascot, South Brisbane, New Farm, and Highgate Hill to name a few. Of course, homes that include city views are priced accordingly. Expect to pay at least 10% more on the value of a home if you want a home with a city view. Buying a home with a view is always going to be a smart move.
Access to the Brisbane River
Proximity to water is always a drawcard for property buyers – no matter what city or country you live in. In Brisbane we have our river and although its view is not as spectacular as Sydney Harbour or Bondi Beach, it does have its own unique appeal and homes located on or near the Brisbane River will come with a higher price tag – as long as they are not flood-affected! You won’t go wrong if you buy in these riverside suburbs: West End, Teneriffe, New Farm, Hamilton, Hawthorne, Bulimba, St Lucia, Toowong, and Indooroopilly.
Streetscape & green space
Never underestimate the importance of street appeal. Streetscape really adds to the ‘feel’ of a street or suburb and while it’s hard to measure, it is very important. A Brisbane suburb with beautiful streetscapes is Chelmer – in particular Laurel Avenue. The streetscape in this avenue is so desirable that it has pushed the prices of the homes up to sky rocketing prices.
Greenspace is also extremely important. Homes that are located nearby parkland or have a green outlook are great places to buy into. Ashgrove, The Gap and Alderley are examples of Brisbane suburbs that are surrounded by parkland and for this reason (and many others) they are perfect places for families to lay down roots.
The suburbs that surround Kedron Brook and Enoggera Creek such as are Grange, Wooloowin, Kalinga, Newmarket and Windsor are also examples of great areas to consider when buying property in Brisbane.
There are so many factors that make a suburb great and there are so many fantastic suburbs in Brisbane. If you consider some of these factors when house hunting, you will be on the right track to buying a home in an area that will be a great place to live as well as being a smart financial decision.
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Thinking of buying in any of these areas after reading this article? As a specialist Brisbane buyer’s agent, we’ve got you covered.
Please contact us if you have any questions about Brisbane suburbs and which one might be the best one for you. If you loved this article, you can find out more reading our detailed Brisbane suburb profiles.