VIC Inner city ring Melbourne

Just want to pick your brain, what are the areas of Melb, inner ring, that are desirable/charming, have great atmosphere. What suburbs would you look at and why?

I am trying to work our what makes these areas tick, and am looking at perhaps moving in very near future? Perhap a period home that needs a complete Reno. Forget price range for the moment, just narrowing areas that may suit, I like vibrant areas, ie cafes, restaurants, parks, markets

My pick so far and still looking

Prahran
North Fitzroy
Hawthorn
Clifton Hill

 

Abbotsford - convent and Yarra
Richmond - Yarra Cafes food
Prahran - same
Albert Park - food lake beach
Middle Park - families beach parks
St Kilda - quirky food beach
South Melbourne - city

 

Northern Suburbs - East Brunswick, Carlton North, North Melbourne

 

In terms of units/apartments what would you target for growth?

Seems to be many larger apartments

mtr

 

Thanks for your posts MTR - I'm learning a lot from reading them.

Not sure if this item is still current for you, but here are a few more ideas that might help:

Fitzroy: Cafe central, edgy, old warehouses madly being infilled
Northcote: Hipster capital of Australia. Similar to Fitzroy but blocks (and setbacks) are bigger
East Brunswick: Family version of Northcote. Further from cafes, but still pretty hip
Footscray: One to watch. Traditionally working class/migrant area, but with hipsters moving in.

For a family home / reno I'd be buying a 1950's boring brick veneer on a large block near the creek in East Brunswick.

BTW: I'm a long-term inner Melb resident and have been watching the shifts for 20+ years. Happy to answer any questions.

 

Thanks for sharing, am always looking

Do you see any suburb representing good value at the moment???

 

Thornbury has a great vibe,lots of cool cafes,bars and shops on high street.gone up heaps in value the last few years.brunswick east is cool,it has the ceres environmental park which is wonderful.i also like northcote,Collingwood and north Fitzroy although the last two are very dense and there lots of traffic.abbotsford and Clifton hill are nice too

 

Prahran：it is a very hipster area, I think it is more suitable for young professionals and couples with no kids. If you go to Coles/woolies in Prahran on a week day around 6pm you will see A LOT of very hot 20-30 yo in active wear.
Footscray/Seddon/Yarraville: these are three consecutive suburbs on the Williamstown line. Each have its unique characteristics. Footscray has lots of great Vietnamese restaurants and is becoming more hipster. Seddon is highly residential but have lots of cafes which are filled with young families in the weekend. Yarraville is very bohemian and has larger village with lots of Italian restaurants.

Why don't you stay in an Airbnb in one of the suburbs you are interested for a few days to experience it first hand?

 

Suburbs I daydream about renting in when our kids finish school and we can rent out our PPOR and move to the city:

Prahan
South Yarra
Clifton Hill
St Kilda

 

To be honest I see good value in a lot of inner city stuff, although all are way out of my budget, in comparison to what’s happening in the outer suburbs, it represents good value to me when you see normal family homes in Pakenham pushing 800k, western suburbs 700-1mil, city looks good!

 

I like Richmond too just for the food, and the quirkiness without being as out there as Brunswick. I love Asian food. My husband hates Richmond and would never live there though. It has very pretty terrace housing stock in the back streets and very cool warehouse style stock too.

 

I must say South Yarra is at the top of my list, ticks every box
Don't get much for your money in this suburb.

 

someone of your stature should be staying in Albert park, Middle park or port Melbourne. Cottages close to the beach and less traffic.

South yarra is great - though certain hours is quite hard to get out due to traffic congestion.

 

well depends how much you like pho or banh mi

 

Hmm I’d never noticed that but had never looked. We are off to HCM for the first time next year so I now actually know what Ben Tanh is lol

 

I dont actually get why people Love Port Melbourne, it seems to lack atmosphere, or perhaps I am missing something ?? in the wrong pocket don't know??