NSW What's your experience with Wagga Wagga?

I also owned an IP in Tolland.
Tenants requested steel bars on front windows of the Unit so they could trade through the window.
Another tenant punched holes in the doors.
Glad I sold it .
It was in Joyes Place , Tolland.

 

Hi @spoon - I noticed on another thread that you bought some WW properties in the 90's. Can you give me some more info here? Like, even though you would've done better comparing one capital city property to one Wagga property, you had a few - so would the capital gains overall have been comparable?
Would love to know why you bought there and then why you decided to sell.

 

surely they didnt say that !!!!

I too would to know, out of curitosty

 

Well, I bought in Estella, Lake Albert and Glenfield. These were newly developed areas in those days. If you want to buy in wagga for both CG and rental return, choose only central. My friend bought near the lagoon in the esplanade and when he sold recently, he managed to buy a 5 acres. All the other suburb, except maybe turvey park is not good according to my standard. But then I am strict on both CG and return so you may think differently. Also, rent to the raaf and army, that helps to sleep well at night !

 

I bought there because I worked there. I sold because I left wagga although I didn't sell immediately, I sold because I'm paying the house off on my tenants behalf when CG was nonexistent. I then bought in Melbourne, now Perth

 

Just reading this article in the local paper Wattleldo and thought I'd post a link to it.It highlights some of the social problems in Ashmont (in this case) but of course they are not confined to that area.Little bit of irony in there as well as this person seems to have a solution to the problems, although to me at least,seems to be a part of it.Anyway,here it is for your interest.Regards Terry.
Barred renter commits to ‘fix’ Ashmont

 

Happy New Year.
Yes, a little ironic. Makes you wonder about the rental scene when someone who has been banned from houso rents privately. The landlord was either desperate or didn't do checks or both. Or else took pity, I suppose.
She might've turned a new leaf and one good thing could lead to another. It might be the beginning of her moving out of poverty and actually having a positive effect.
I know we focus more on Ashmont etc than other people because we're investors, but this problem area does cast quite a dark cloud over Wagga Wagga, doesn't it. These people don't stay confined to their area. I mean, they'd be better off getting out of there but it doesn't do much for the image of WW.

 

Domaille’s campaign – The Lotus Project – “exists to keep a record and give a voice to anyone who has had enough of violence, vandalism and anti-social behaviour in Wagga's public housing

Scratching my head....
What is the point of the project and what can it achieve

Edit: I think thst photo is going to give me nightmares for a while

 

I didn't think it was actually possible to be banned from public housing......

They must have ran over the decision makers dog or son

 

The scheme of putting "houso's" in private suburbs has failed.
They done this years ago in Waitara and Wahroonga .

You can always tell the housing dept houses in these suburbs, cars out the front on bricks, overgrown grass,old curtains , usually a new shiny mag wheeled car in the driveway.

 

Hi @WattleIdo,
Following on from your comment in the other thread, here's a link to my thread about the reno I did in Turvey Park. Theres a lot of waffle, but maybe something useful in there if you dig through it enough!

First Reno - be gentle with me!

Turvey will double in value over night, but our place is paying for itself and hopefully will do okay long term. Nothing like any coastal places at the moment though.

 

Thanks, love reno threads and TP is my cup of tea.
Edit: just finished reading it. Knew I'd read it the first time - I even posted. You got a nice little place for a very good price. Well done.
Doing a long distance reno is hard. Doing a reno while you live there with your nice clothes, bed, furnishings, animals and kids is really slow. The best way is to go there and get really dirty and sleep on the floor or in a hotel or caravan or something I think, or a nearby house.
Anyway, great thread.

 

Thanks @WattleIdo,

lol, I didnt realise you posted in that thread!

 

OK I have finally found a house to lease in Turvey Park nice and close to where I'll be working. It's too large and too expensive but it's a very competitive market for renters there!
One place I really loved had 20 registered at the open and they'd already chosen an applicant anyway. I spent the rest of the day looking at fairly expensive crap. One was freshly painted but was so damaged by termites that if you closed the window too hard, you might have the whole thing fall down around you. The paint was holding it together, no exaggeration. They had an old toilet in the yard, open, uncleaned, etc. The neighbour had a whole lot of tip ready stuff along the side of the house too. Honestly, they wanted $250 a week for this. Sure it was central but you'd be better off in a tent.
A lot of places had tacky lino floors and no air-con.
Some were reasonable but had white carpet and bare backyards with insufficient fences for animals. Fair enough, they said animals must be kept outside but the yards were not always suitable. In general, the area is pet friendly. Very, actually.
The place I am leasing also has insufficient fencing but it's so big and lovely that I'll be able to work with it. Also, the yard is a garden rather than a lawn. There are lots of places to sit in the shade or dappled sunlight, even under the house.
Very difficult to find a quiet street that's also close to town.
I found that a lot of PM's didn't pass on my applications to the landlords but instead, used my application as a motivator to get other applications finalised. They basically wasted my time.
Finally, luckily, I found a decent, hard-working, new PM (an ex-journo who gained quals in 4 days, she told me) and got the property I wanted because it had just come onto re.com and there were no other applicants.
I need to find out more about the 'less desirable' areas. I'm sure there are some Wagga secrets to discover.I hope the town is as friendly as I hear. I won't judge the whole town by the treatment I received at some of the real estate agencies, not that they know anything about people while they treat them like that! I'll probably join the running club and a yoga class, which I'm looking forward to.
I doubt it's as friendly and down-to-earth as Parkes though. I'm glad I bought in Parkes.

 

I didnt find the Real Estate agents all that friendly in Wagga
Hore & Davies were ok though

Join Fitness First too

 

Yes, I have to say that Hore and Davies were excellent and efficient and fair (Samantha) and so were Kitson (Jodi). Ray White is quite small there (boutique) and the PM sounded good when I spoke to her but didn't get around to applying for anything with them. Eldridges were also good.
I will stay clear of John Mooney (termites, rubbish, time-wasters) and Fitzpatricks (don't play fair and one of the girls at the front very haughty - but not much you can do). I stayed clear of WWPM from the start because they told me I wouldn't get anything with my pets before I even started looking.
I suppose they have to deal with a lot of people and situations but you want to be remembered for being fair, don't you.

 

Hello Wattleldo,I'm familiar with all the agents you have mentioned and I'm sure you're right about one of the girls been a bit haughty towards you. I've found quite a few that way when they all (about 3 vehicles full usually with Fitzpatricks) arrive on site to inspect and appraise a house we are working on for my brother (he sells through them as they control alot of the sub-divisions here on behalf of the Catholic church,and you have to sell back through them to continue to get blocks from them) Anyway,they turn up in their black evening gear (close to it anyway) and look down their noses at us in our rough old work clothes,until Chris Fitzpatrick introduces everyone and then of course we are best friends for the next ten minutes or so.ha,ha.Then they promptly forget us until the next time we unfortunately run into them.Glad you found yourself a place in a good area Wattleldo (which Turvey Park is) you shouldn't have many worries in that area I don't think.I can probably give you a couple of leads as far as local amenities go,and just ask if you are having trouble finding what you are looking for.As far as the running club goes I know a few people involved in one club but they are pretty serious and quite a few of them compete in long distance runs that are held around the district if that is your go.They often go up to Bright (around three hours from here) on practice runs as it is in the high country and a beautiful town to visit as well.I'm sure some of your workmates will also know these things but mentioned it just in case.Yes,the town won't be as friendly as Parkes as it has become too big to maintain that small town "feel" now, and I can go downtown now not even run into anyone I know, and I've lived here all my life even though spending quite a bit of time working all over the place.Anyway Wattleldo,I look forward to hearing your opinion about the place and hope you enjoy your stay here.Regards Terry.

 

Thanks for the warm welcome, Terry, and all the useful info.
Now that I've got a place, I'm really looking forward to living there. My boss seems really nice - I bet she's a local.
Would love to be a good enough runner to do those longer runs in Bright etc but if I can just get myself into the slow lane once or twice a week I'll be doing really well! Maybe I'll get really fit and then I can tag along with the best of them.
Interesting what you say about that real estate agency, I can just imagine that happening. I wonder how they get away with it.
I can see that the Catholic Church has and has had some beautiful sites in the city. Around Copeland Street are some well-placed solid buildings with beautiful grounds e.g. the Catholic College. Must've been magnificent in its hey-day.

 

Just thought I'd mention that

I think you might mean Coleman St (not Copeland?)Yes,the Catholic church has alot of real estate in the town,including the Cathedral down at the Wagga Beach area which you should find interesting if you go inside and have a good look as it is worth it I think.They own alot of rural land and have gradually developed it into sub divisions as the demand warranted it.The Fitzpatricks are an old Wagga Catholic family who have had a real estate agency in the town for a long time.They are part of the "ruling class" Catholics not the Irish working class Catholics such as us.ha,ha,just kidding.(I think.)My wife and a couple of her friends went down to the Council Chambers to check out the latest art exhibition last week and said the quality of some of the exhibits is excellent if you are interested in art.(I am myself but just do graphite drawings so far)Regards Terry.

 

There I go again.
Well, I didn't know about the ruling class catholics though I suppose I went to school with them as a kid. Chalk and cheese.
Sounds like there's plenty to do. No excuses for sitting around doing nothing - my favourite activity.