NSW Around 1.3m where to buy for good pri and sec school

We are looking at these areas at the mo and being from brizzie its heartbreakingly expensive for us but it is what it is ... Thinking a 3 bed startup in BH with Reno potential for around $1.1 if poss but would sadly need to sell lovely big ppor house in brisbane 1st - would you wait till end next year for brizzie to go up & this area to soften further or just get in? Feels like we are at the casino playing Russian roulette trying to get the timing on this one right

 

Hi Jenny

There is no wrong or right answer here. Only you can decide what is right for you and your specific situation. I cannot comment on Brissy as it's not my geographical area of expertise (though I do own properties there and have lived there previously so know it somewhat) but you can currently buy a decent 3-4 bed house in BH for your $1.1m budget. We've bought for many clients here over the last 11 years, know it intimately and have watched it boom, along with the majority of other suburbs in Sydney.

One of our recent (excellent buying) purchases in BH was a 3+study 2 bath SLUG home on a very decent block, in a quiet street with granny flat potential well within your $1.1m budget. There have been several recent sales this year of sub $1m homes- you just need to be very active in the market, in regular contact with the key agents and ready to buy when the right property presents itself. You will find something - best of luck!

 

Thanks, that sounds good. Although there are some really nice streets and not so nice streets (like most suburbs I guess), it also just seems very well located in terms of rail (exist and coming), main access roads, shops and good schools so don't think we can really go wrong long term here. Was the purchase you refer to on the open market or was it a off market sale and if so are those common here in Sydney ? Might have to give you a ring when financially purchase ready !

 

@rooster123 James Ruse Agriculture High has been voted the best school multiple times now so any area close to it. A friend of mine is selling his duplex he just built in Dundas through one of the local agents for around 1.2m I think. Not sure if he's sold it. If not it should still be on realestate.com.au

 

The only way anybody will get into James Ruse is if they do really well in the entrance exam. You can't get into the school otherwise. So there's no point buying to be near it if your kids don't qualify... if they nearly make it but just miss out then they'll end up somewhere like Baulkham Hills high school or some other second tier selective....

 

Baulkham Hills High is up there as well on the list so wouldnt be that far away. Baulkham hills is also a pretty good place to live in and close to M2.

Top High Schools in NSW - 2015

 

Ps. Dundas gets a huge thumbs down for schools. I know this because I grew up there. Kids would go to Marsden, Cumberland or Macarthur Girls for High School... they are not schools with good reputations.

 

You can't get into the school unless you perform well academically though..... you have to be offered the place.

 

Give the kids a chance. Youve written them off already lol

 

Sorry but I believe you don't have an idea... sure you can buy near the schools but the kids won't get in if unless they are top students. And even if one child gets in, siblings also have to get in on merit. The way selective schools work is that parents nominate schools they want their kids to get into, the kids sit exams (i'll describe it as Maths/logic and Comprehension), the school takes the best performers from the exams.

These kids that are accepted often travel distances to get to school. I catch a bus every day to get to work and James Ruse, Cumberland, Kings school kids catch it to get to school but I note that the James Ruse kids tend to get on at Epping Station which tends to indicate they maybe catching multiple modes of transport to get to school.

If the child gets accepted, sure, the family can move close to school. But note the nearest non selective to James Ruse is Cumberland, and you don't really want your kids to go there (it changes each year but generally speaking, there are better comprehensive schools around).

Throwing around ideas like suggesting to live in certain areas so their kids can go to James Ruse or Baulkham Hills High school is simply reckless. If you are somebody who is trying to be credible, don't throw those ideas around. This should not be treated as a joke thread - the OP is looking to spend up to 1.3mill for a place to live. Sure the OP should do their own due diligence but putting out ideas that you can buy near the best schools and get in is wrong.
And if you really think they can get into these schools just by living near them, I suggest you need to learn a LOT more. You really don't know enough about this topic.

Now if you are studying school catchments, local non selectives definitely have them. Near me Cheltenham Girls high is extremely well sought after. I believe they may close in their boundaries as they get more parents moving into the area and more demand.

I would suggest parents should really look at moving into areas of catchments of solid comprehensive high schools. (Can be boys or girls highs too - the thing of main importance is that its non selective).

You wont need to qualify and there will be no large school fees for residents. A near free education in a good school is a very desired thing in Sydney - note that it that drives up property prices too, as parents seek to live in the catchments....

 

Agree..I ended up convincing my hubby not to buy in BH. Getting into a selective school is not a gurantee if you live next door

 

I was going to say stay where you are and invest the money in the right place. You make a choice when they hit secondary school.
But if you both work that area then no harm in moving. It will save you heaps of time. Something you won't have enough of.

 

Very good advice... you cant rely on the expectation that your kids will get into selective, and need a strong option b

 

Agree with @Gockie selective school entry is based on academic testing and merit. Living next door to Cheltenham Girls (based on catchment) does not guarantee your daughter a place. This is made clear on the school's website.

 

Well... Cheltenham... if there's no space there's no space but if you are year 6 going into year 7 and you live right near the school you should get in. But to get in for other years its dependant on waiting list....

 

It's okay. We are not going there.

 

Dayumm. More shade in here today than at sunglass hut.

 

I agree. You pretty much need to be tutored from Kindy to get into the selective schools in Sydney. Im also finding the local catholic schools in my area have a waiting list of over 500 for each year and rising once they hit close to the top 100 schools. Its hugely competitive.
Myschool.com.au is the place to look for naplan results of each school and also google top 100 high schools as well to find out how they ranked from last year
and go from there.

 

There are kids who got into selective without tuition.

 

They must be very clever. The selective school near me is very hard to get into. I have heard anyway. My kids are not anywhere near that level but even their top of the class friends didn't get in.