VIC Melb - train station, important?

No - depends on the suburb. Southern Cross Station - at least 4-5 of them ard bourke st and collins st entrance though they're harmless. Parliament station - Spring street off collins St in CBD South Melbourne they're always next to the Coles and Safeway. Caufiled and Clayton (always few lurking around & quite aggressive). Don't see any in Box hill, Toorak, Armadale, stations which is close to non-existant. (These are the stations i have been in last 6 months).

 

Also, many of these beggars are (I think, based on past experiences in the inner-north suburb where I lived) temporary. There used to be a guy in my former inner-north station who apparently (according to neighbors) also dealt drugs. One day I realized I hadn't seen him for a while - an arrest maybe? I'd think residents are aware of these issues; townhouses opposite/near this station always did well with the DINK crowd (of whom I was one)

 

So even houses like 5, 6km away from train station can still do well with price growth?...

 

@ATANG i think u are trying to associate in Asian countries like Singapore And Malaysia where prices are high if near to a station. There are no fixed rules to a suburb in terms of station vs capital growth. It may apply to some areas and some not.

An example is mount Eliza which is next to Frankston suburb and it doesn't even have a station. It 's nearest train station is Frankston yet many house prices there can be 1.5-2.5 million. You can compare that to Frankston and see how many houses are in that price range.

 

Understanding the market you're targeting is important.

 

If talking specifically about Melbourne, I've always thought that the corridor from Wantirna to Rowville has suffered on valuations because of a lack of a train line.

 

Myth: We can’t have Rowville trains because there’s no room - Public Transport Users Association (Victoria, Australia)

Train station for Rowville. Don't know whether it will happen or not in next 5-10 years

 

Personally, I couldn't imagine buying somewhere that wasnt walking distance to PT, preferably a train station. Having said that, i know lots of people in melb who have to drive to work even if they have local PT. anyone who doesnt work in the CBD or very close to home, probably has to drive to work because its so hard to travel across the city without going through the middle. So i think for a lot of people its not a huge priority.

I think the issue about beggars has been exagerated. I dont remember ever seeing one at my local train stations. beggars can be anywhere;outside coles, libraries, reataurants. The only place ive ever encountered pushy or intimidating beggers was around victoria st in richmond. Ive also never heard anyone say if would impact their decion on where to live.

 

@Esel I think with the beggars it has to do with pros and cons getting a place as ip or ppor close to the station, nothing wrong getting a place close to a station

if u do come to CBD the same beggars in the southern cross station are in the same spots Doing their thing for the last 2 years at least.

 

Have u guys moved to Medibank building I shud drop by for a visit

 

But i do realise any houses, villas, townhouses, units close to happening train stations are at least 50k - 100k more than those further away.

 

@melbournian I think i understand, im just doubtful that beggars are worth worrying about or that anyone does, when buying a property. I think most of them are harmless. Its not something that worries me when im moving around on my own or with kids.

My partner uses southern cross about once a week. Ive just asked him and he cant recall particular beggars. I dont remember any from when i was there last month. I think, unfortunately, it might be the case that we just don't notice or remember. This would be a total non-issue for us and im a bit surprised others are so concerned.

 

I work in the city and between Parlament station and the office there are quite many beggars, most of them are same ones every day. One day I had a friend of mine (prison guard) with me and he recognised everyone of them to be his 'ex- customers'. After that I have felt uneasy around them.

 

I like Melbournian's comments about train stations and their respective value.

General rule of thumb for me is that suburbs with train stations will be more desirable in the future than those that aren't due to population increase and future road congestion. Trams and buses take too long to get into the city if you're more than say ~5 - 7 km out.

For some insight; my client's that commute usually want properties within 1.5km (but not too close) to the station. Although I've no stats to support this I'd assume that most commuters would be in the same mindset. Parking a car at a train station all day is feasible in some suburbs so keep this in mind too.

If you look at the REIV's median unit price map you'll see that the statement "suburbs with train stations are more valuable." is not black and white. There are many other factors that drive growth.

Therefore , access to train stations should be only one of many criteria in your selection process..

Also, consider:

Distance to CBD (2km to 12km is advised in Melbourne; closer if you're in the West);
Schooling
Universities
Retail
Local Businesses / Employment
Parks
Pools / Beach
Quiet Neighbourhood / Tree-Lined Streets
Other lifestyle attractions​

TLDR (Too long didn't read):

Train stations are a good selection criteria but only one of many. Consider the demographic of an area, who buys properties there; their lifestyle and the property that would best suit them.​

 

Pretty important. Trams and trains generally quite important for me.

 

As melbournian stated, Mt Eliza is a good example of strong price growth despite the suburb not having a train station. While there is no real station, Mt Eliza does have a tourist train line which still runs. In fact, the train line from Frankston actually once went to Mornington as well. Nonetheless, the Mornington Peninsula has seen the second highest property price growth of any area in Australia within the past year. So it is clear that the train stations do not determine the level of property price growth in Melbourne.