Acreage properties -Opinions

2 cleaners every week! That sounds expensive but totally believable. Can't have a postcard look mansion covered in filth

 

We aren't really thinking of managing a farm as I work in the CBD and don't plan on retiring anytime soon. But your points are totally valid about land type and other climatic changes between infill land and bayside.

 

I love small acreage properties for lifestyle reasons. Love the trees, lots of area for kids to play, country feel, great for family events etc. You can get a ride on mower for the grass. In Perth, you can get properties like this within 20km of Perth. However there is sometimes controversy over possible land rezoning which can be divisive in small communities.

 

5 acres on the outskirts of Sydney is probably one of the best property investments out there

 

Does that thought apply to Melbourne too? Or specifically Sydney's Western region where the new Airport is in works.

 

Yeah, that lifestyle is definitely desirable but I wanted to do a reality check before signing up for spending every spare minute with power tools. Looks like, it is not that bad if it's only an acre.

 

Urban growth is happening there too

 

I would say that it's probably as much work to look after 1 acre as it is 10 acres. I have 10 acres and 9 of it needs minor maintenance (ie spray for weeds, slash/mow probably 7 times a year) the other acre has the house and some nice grass and garden beds. I'm not much of a gardener so my plants were chosen with that in mind. Ours is quite pasture-like but if it was bushland then pretty much zero maintenance besides annual firebreak.

The nice grass (Soft leaf buffalo) needs mowing all the time much more than the 9 acres and you can't use the ride on mower so it's done by reel mower. It probably needs mowing 15 times a year.

 

Thank Y-man for the comprehensive list. As it will be a PPOR, we aren't focusing on buying in the corridors to play the CG game, though it probably is a smarter move but the area I am exploring is your neck of the woods - low density leafy areas next to great schools etc.

 

@Car tart would have some great suggestions for this thread
(from a near future development point of view)

 

Everyone’s dream is buying a luxury home like mine for $5 million on 14 acres 45 mins drive from the Opera House and selling for $22 million within 10 years.
Or buying 256 Garfield Road East, Rouse Hill, NSW 2155
https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-acreage+semi-rural-nsw-rouse+hill-134819626
For $1.65 million and selling 12 years later for $9.95 million.

Of course if you live in it in Sydney it is the best of
lifestyles, the best of schools, not too far from anything your children grow up with less airs and graces than if you had raised them in a similar valued property anywhere else in Sydney.

It’s where many of the secretly rich people live Gerry Harvey, dozens of builders and developers. the place where a gathering becomes a party and growing up is the best years of your life.

Looking after acreage is easier than most 900 square metre blocks as you leave it natural and it blends in with the landscape.

It encourages children to have there own fun, not to seek pleasure away from home and to introduce boyfriends to their parents. All our children could sing (loudly) play instruments and were not wallflowers. all their friends loved visiting us so it was a party house which built their confidence. The difficulty is that most people with that kind of money prefer the cookie cutter perfect show home rather than a more obscure home on acreage.
Profit wise your land portion is of much higher value than the house portion so increases rapidly. Especially if you buy in an area earmarked for future development as I have done for the last 25 years. Until the kids were old enough to leave home, it was the only way to live and as an investment, I still own 4 such properties after last weeks sale.
The downside is that as an investment the land tax is a killer.

 

Have owned hobby farm just 20km outside a regional city for a few years now and next year will build the dream home there, all going well. I have a small business in that city.
Motivation is not subdivision, purely lifestyle. But it's kind of my super. There will be steady growth over time time no doubt but hope to develop it for personal enjoyment plus some income potential.
There is a method to my madness. In SEQ these types of properties are immensely popular with retired farmers who sell their major holdings out west and come to the city to downsize / retire.

 

We have lived 1, 5 and 30 acre properties over the years. All honesty it was much more work to maintain 1 acre property with the manicured garden surrounded by the other mansions in the suburban type of environment than 30 acre hobby farm surrounded by the other hobby farms with the native plants garden and bush type of setting. Generally houses are quite large on the acrage properties, so there could be a lot of house cleaning required. Also the pool needs some maintenance, but a lot of it can be automated with the automatic chlorinators and a robot cleaner.

If you are looking at one acre properties you might want to check out North East. Templestowe, Donvale, Park Orchards, Warrandyte, North Warrandyte, Research and Eltham area. All are in commuting distance to Melbourne CBD.

If you are looking 5+ acres Wonga Park, Warrandyte South, Research, Kangaroo Ground, Yarrambat are also possibilities.

 

An acre of manicures gardens will be a lot of work but most properties will just have nice gardens around the house and the rest of the block will be natural-ish. I have an acre as an investment property and aside from the occasional slash that needs doing it’s fine.

 

We've just sold and moved off our 12 acre hobby farm, after previously "downsizing" from 27 acres, and I miss it ... but hubby is due to retire and, being a beach bum from way back, living an hour from the coast was too far (will be 2 blocks from the beach early next year)

I'll agree with most on here that say 1 acre is a pain of a size. You'd really need to maintain the entire property as if a suburb block whereas, if you go larger, you simply carve 4-800sqm out as the home site and put the rest to paddock (can always agist if you don't want stock) or leave it natural or use it for some form of boutique cropping.

And all the fun toys you then get to play with ... zero turn rider on mower, tractor with attachments, pumps and irrigation and big bonfires etc. There is maintenance but it's also very relaxing being so in touch with nature ... and a miss watching the horses larking in the paddock while enjoying a cold one on the back deck

Personally I wanted to start a flower farm (giant red kangaroo paw) but the call of the waves was stronger.

Just be aware that you'll clock up the miles on your car ... with my corolla now at a touch under 300,000 after 10 years ... and the car becomes a work utility (carting hay and garlic and dogs through paddocks) but the lifestyle rewards are totally worth it

 

I've never lived on one but many colleagues do/did.
There seems to be a middle ground whereby the property becomes too big to mow, but small to make any money off.
They would speak of anything upto 5 acres being ideal.... but that of course thay depends on the area (land geography).

 

What a great post Car Tart! I love living on this type of property and agree with everything you mention. I've not found the maintenance burdensome and there is no worrying about upsetting the neighbors with general activities etc. If you are close to a city then growth is going be good as well.

 

In addition to @Car tart comments on land tax, council rates is another.

I know two people who had their land rezoned, the developers came knocking, but one held out, each year the rates skyrocketed as his surroundings were built out, in the end he had to sell !

Also selling to a developer is fraught with hazards, in the cases of both the above the contracts had a deposit amount, 1st stage payment at land handover, 2nd at first sod turned, 3rd at completion of development and a 4th and final after all lots sold !

One of these, several hundred acres sold over 2 years ago, it is becoming apparent that the first sod won't be turned for at least 2 more years, with stage 1 (of 4 stages) not limely to be completed for a further 2-4 years, as the council have only rezoned to the main road frontage at this point it could be 20 years before this 70yo see's the deal finished

Large sums of tax were also payable due to the sale which ate up a lot of the first payment (we tried to tell him to fully retire and put it all into Superanuation as it had been an operating concern/farm for the tax deduction , but he wanted to keep his teaching role )

 

Also OP, if as you mentioned happy with the 1 acre blocks & commutable you can get closer in around the green wedge in the SE.
If main reason is not looking for subdivision potential & more for lifestyle / schools etc then
think areas like Lysterfield, Harkaway, Narre Warren North although price will of course be higher than acre blocks further out.

PT not likely as much a consideration if you are looking at acreage properties, but be aware most will likely require car as your primary transport option.