Family home - Duplex or House?

Hi am going nuts trying to decide on what to do.

I need to buy a family home for myself, wife and 18yo son and I don't want to spend over $1m in Sydney area. The less I spend the better.

I'm worried that a duplex (half of a pair) is over priced for what it is. It's half a house but they seem to be priced at 50% more than what they should be. Good for the builder. They seem to be at a premium price and have reached their maximum growth already. Am I right in saying this or am I wrong?

Also if I want to sell in 10 years time I will be selling a 10 year old Duplex and competing with sales of brand new duplexes at the time. Are my concerns legitimate? I feel that a Duplex won't grow in value much at all compared to a house in a cheaper area further from the city.

Duplexes (half of the pair) under $900k seem to be very cheaply made. Very cheap finishes, fittings etc. So if I buy a Duplex it has to be just over $1m or $1.1m But my problem is that for around $850k - $900k I can buy a house out west in Sydney.. Moorebank, Liverpool, Hoxton Park..Not that far out. I'm directly trying to compare a duplex in a area closer to the city to a house further from the city.

In the long run am I better off with the house or the duplex? I think I half answered my own question but wouldn't mind opinions. Should I stay away from Duplexes?

The only reason I am even considering a Duplex is because the family don't want that extra 15min drive to get home


Thank you in advance..


-Frank

 

I would go for the duplex.... extra commute time could drive everybody batty. There are plenty of large sized duplexes, lower amount of garden maintenance, better quality of life and better location....
Happy wife, happy life.

 

I have lived in a duplex, is not half a house, it had a lot of floor area, also usually get a decent amount of land but low maintenance many of them.

Only think I would do is buy torrens, not strata.

 

I would buy a house.

Especially since I like a garden. And not to be right next to neighbours.

The 18 year old won t be there forever so I think their opinion carries less weight.

Your spouse's opinion is crucial however...