Your First Family Home - Where to Buy & What to Consider

Best Places for Young Families in Australia: Where to Choose?

You’ve finally met the love of your life and you’re preparing to start a family together.

Things are going to change over the next few years. Hopefully, you’ll welcome children into the world at some point soon. You’ll take on all sorts of new responsibilities but you’ll also experience the joy of seeing your kids grow up.

But that’s not the only things that’s going to change. You’re also going to have to find a home that’s suitable for raising children. Your small apartment isn’t going to cut it anymore. Plus, you have to ensure you’re close to all of the things your family will need to enjoy life.

That means you’re going to have to decide where to live before you can start your family.

Here, we look at some of the best locations for family homes in Australia. But before doing that, let’s look at a few of the things that you need to consider before buying a family home.

The Things to Consider

There are plenty of things to keep in mind when scoping out locations and properties for a family home.

Here are a few of them:

• Proximity to Schools. Your little ones will eventually have to go to school every morning. Ideally, your new home needs to be close enough to at least one school that you can handle the commute every morning.
• Bedrooms. This is a particularly important consideration for families who intend to have several children. In an ideal world, your new home needs enough bedrooms to provide one to each child. If the kids do have to share, the bedroom needs to be big enough to provide them with ample space.
• Your Plans for the Future. You may have no plans to expand your family. As a result, you don’t have to worry about what the future holds. But those planning on having more kids and those who aren’t sure yet have to think ahead. You’ll need some extra room in your new home to ensure you don’t find yourself moving again in a few years’ time.
• Local Amenities. Is there enough for you and your family to do in a particular region? Are there playgrounds, leisure centres, and kid-friendly entertainment options near the property? These are all questions to consider when looking at a location.
• The Neighbours. Most kids are social creatures, so they’ll want plenty of people their own age to play with. Ideally, your new home is in a family neighbourhood where there are other families who have kids. The joy of this is that you get to make friends with the parents while your kids are off enjoying life.
• Local Crime Statistics. It’s not the most pleasant thing to think about, but crime is an issue when choosing a new home. The crime stats are particularly important when you have children. Try to avoid any locations that have a problem with crime.

Each of these factors play a part in your decision. Now, let’s take a look at some of the best locations for a family home in Australia.

Location #1 – Wagga Wagga, New South Wales

This gorgeous location is an excellent choice for active families. Better yet, it’s one of the more affordable cities in the country. In fact, back in 2016 it ranked at #14 according to the Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey. As of 2018, it costs an average of $410,000 to buy a house in the city. Renters will spend about $350 per week.

Of course, the city offers plenty of entertainment for families. The gorgeous Lake Albert is a popular spot both for tourists and residents to enjoy some entertainment. Wagga also hosts some interesting museums and it’s the home of the Willans Hill Miniature Railway. There’s plenty to see and do to keep the kids entertained.

On a more practical level, Wagga Wagga also plays host to seven schools. This means you won’t have to struggle to get your kids into a good school if you live in the city. The residents also believe it to be one of the safest cities to walk around in at night.

Location #2 – Kingston, Tasmania

Located just south of Tasmania’s capital city of Hobart, Kingston often features on lists of family-friendly locations. Its increasing popularity has enabled the local government to expand the services that the location offers.

Plus, it’s an excellent choice for those who want to ensure their children have good educations. The location only offers one primary and one secondary school. But both achieve stellar rankings for both maths and literacy.

Kingston is also right next door to the suburb of Kingston Beach, which means the coast is never too far away. Plus, the location plays host to a number of well-maintained parks that you can feel comfortable allowing the kids to play in.

Many small families call the suburb home because of how easy it is to get into Hobart for work. Plus, affordability isn’t a major issue. The average property costs $486,500. Renters should expect to pay in the region of $430 per week.

The only downside is that all of these great features have resulted in increased market demand. You may find yourself having to bid a little above the average to secure a nice family home.

Location #3 – Toowoomba City, Queensland

Often referred to as the Garden City, Toowoomba is a wonderful place to raise children. It’s quiet and leafy streets leave you feeling safe and secure. The city also has a number of good schools, with a few private schools for parents who are so inclined.

Those who appreciate plants and nice gardens will absolutely adore the city. Each year, it plays host to the Carnival of Flowers. During the spring, the city explodes in gorgeous colours for everybody to enjoy. Even when the carnival isn’t in town, you’ll love the attractive colonial cottages and the many manicured gardens that line the streets. The lush parks only add to its appeal as the Garden City.

It’s also an exceptionally affordable city. Expect a house to cost about $340,000, with renters paying about $300 per week. Plus, those with a future focus will appreciate its close proximity to the University of Southern Queensland. You can ship the kids off to college without them having to spend tons of money to move away from home.

Finally, the city enjoys low unemployment rates and a bustling mining industry. It also plays host to a number of shopping centres, so everything that you might need is in easy reach.

Location #4 – Cockatoo, Victoria

This is another great choice for nature lovers who have visions of spending their days off playing with the kids among the trees. Cockatoo is a peaceful suburb in Victoria that also offers great affordability. The average property costs just shy of $600,000, with renters paying a little over $350 per week.

The suburb has some highly-regarded schools and also offers plenty of childcare options. That makes it particularly attractive for young families, especially those that want to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. It’s also known for being a bit of a den for foodies as you won’t struggle to find good restaurants. The large number of shops also mean that you can get everything that the kids might need.

The location also hosts the Cockatoo Country Market once per month. This is a great place to take the kids. Plus, it means you’ll always have a source of fresh fruit and veg for meal times.

Its close proximity to the Emerald Lake is another major plus point, as are the many wooded areas. Both Glen Harrow and Wright Forest offer plenty of places to explore for the little ones. Plus, you’ll enjoy the nice hiking trails that don’t present a huge challenge to small legs.

Location #5 – Aberfoyle Park, South Australia

Aberfoyle Park makes its way onto this list because much of the population comprises young families. As mentioned above, that’s something to look out for when buying a family home. Your kids will have plenty of other kids to play with if you move to this location.

The suburb offers a number of good schools, which means you get a decent choice when the little ones get older. They’re all fairly close to the main hubs of the suburb too. In fact, you’ll find that you’re never too much more than a few minutes from a school, no matter where you move to.

Houses generally tend to come with large land blocks. As a result, you should find that it’s not too difficult to find a property with plenty of garden space. They’re also affordable, with the average house selling for about $423,000. Renters can expect to pay $370. Plus, there’s not an overwhelming demand for properties, so you shouldn’t find yourself getting bid up too often.

Aberfoyle Park is also located near a number of national parks, each of which offers some beautiful sights to take in. Active families will appreciate the number of walking trails that they’ll find in these parks too.

As important is the large shopping centre. Not only does it host all of the shops you might need, but it also hosts a number of amenities for the kids.

The Final Word

Each of the locations on this list combines a number of features that make them great for young families. Affordability has played a large role in the choices. First-time buyers will appreciate the affordability that most of these locations offer. Most should allow you to access the First Home Owner Grant.

Each location also offers plenty of good schools for you to choose from. Better yet, none are so far from a major city that your kids will struggle to stay at home if they decide to go to college.

Furthermore, each of these locations offers a bit of peace and quiet. You’re away from the busy city and in a location that’s safe and enjoyable. Each offers plenty of natural scenery for the kids to enjoy too.

This is by no means a definitive list of good locations for young families. However, they each check off the main criteria for being great places to find a nice home in which to raise a family.