Best Illawarra suburbs to buy in

Are you new to the Illawarra and not sure where to start when buying your new property? Or perhaps you are an Illawarra local selling your home and looking for the best Illawarra suburbs to buy in. Whatever the case, the Illawarra has many beautiful areas and emerging cultures, meaning everyone will like different suburbs for different reasons.

All buyers are different with a variety of requirements for certain suburbs. They may like the utilities on offer such as schools, shops, churches, or beaches, or perhaps family and friends draw them to an area.

Learn more in this video, where Joanne Danckwardt explains why she believes all Illawarra suburbs hold a strong position, offer great proximity to Sydney, and provide envious lifestyle opportunities.

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What are the best Illawarra suburbs to buy in for you?

From Helensburgh to Kiama, the Illawarra is an expansive, beautiful area that has the ocean on one side and the mountains on the other, with a great community feel. Following is an overview of suburbs in the North, and the South for your consideration when looking to buy.

Thirroul

One of the main transport hubs, due to it being a stop on the express train to Sydney CBD, Thirroul is a beachside suburb, offering a village lifestyle and an extensive mix of quality house options. Diversity is aplenty, with a mix of younger and older couples, growing families and retirees, along with professionals who commute to and from Sydney for work. Eateries and boutiques inject life and energy to an area where the neighbours know each other’s names. The median price for houses is $1,519,000 and $900,000 for units. Houses rent for $780 per week, while units rent for $530 per week.

Fairy Meadow

Fairy Meadow is set only a few minutes from the Wollongong CBD and provides a hub of shopping, cafes and restaurants. The area offers a great variety of housing accommodation from houses to units, townhouses, villas, and self-contained cabins at the Wollongong Surf Leisure Resort. Living in Fairy Meadow provides easy accessibility to the innovation campus and university and connection to Mount Ousley for travel to Sydney. Fairy Meadow Beach is a popular spot, providing beautiful views south to Wollongong, including the Wollongong lighthouse and Wollongong harbour. The median price for houses is $1,000,000 and $512,500 for units. Houses rent for $550 per week, while units rent for $400 per week.

Balgownie

Could Balgownie be one of the best Illawarra suburbs to buy in for you? Balgownie provides a small, friendly village lifestyle. It is mostly residential, with a small shopping centre known as the Balgownie Village. Settled amongst the foothills of the scenic Illawarra escarpment, Balgownie is about family and community, while still being a short driver from Wollongong and major transport routes. The median price for houses is $1,092,500 and $750,000 for units. Houses rent for $550 per week, while units rent for $513 per week.

Figtree

Figtree is an inner west suburb of Wollongong, Illawarra. A large residential suburb, popular with families, it offers affordable housing with a great range of property types from older homes that are ready for some renovations, or new modern homes perfect to move straight in. Peaceful and quiet, you can still access the Wollongong CBD and Illawarra beaches with ease, and it provides a shopping mall - Figtree Grove. The suburb was named after the giant fig tree that once stood on the eastern side of the highway near O’Briens Road. The median price for houses is $880,000 and $585,000 for units. Houses rent for $560 per week, while units rent for $340 per week.

Port Kembla

Port Kembla is a suburb that is quickly changing, and being seen as among the best Illawarra areas to buy in. With many taking the opportunity to knock down and build their dream home in the beachside suburb, it is fast becoming a trendy hub for families. Port Kembla is known as having one of the Illawarra’s most impressive beaches. The area includes a seaport, industrial centre, harbour foreshore, and a small shopping area, as well a member run arts co-op Red Point Art. The median price for houses is $742,500 and $408,500 for units. Houses rent for $460 per week, while units rent for $330 per week.

Calderwood

If you are interested in building a new home, the new suburb of Calderwood is a good option. The suburb is new and currently undergoing development. The masterplan for the suburb includes a village and town centre, primary and high school, community centre, and recreation precinct and park, with the development set to be one of the largest planned communities in the Illawarra. The new suburb is bringing in lots of young families and is a great way to develop a close-knit neighbourhood. The median house price in Calderwood is $717,500.

Shell Cove

A little more established than Calderwood, Shell Cove is one of the newer Illawarra areas to live with much development still underway. It is a major coastal master-planned residential, commercial and tourist development located within the Shellharbour local government area. A  300-berth Shell Cove Marina offers an inshore boat harbour, with the suburb providing community parks and playgrounds, cycleways, and a range of excellent commercial, retail, and tourist facilities.  Residents of Shell Cove are just minutes from natural attractions that Shellharbour City has to offer, and have easy access to the large Stocklands Shellharbour shopping precinct. The median price for houses is $1,005,000 and $749,000 for units. Houses rent for $650 per week, while units rent for $525 per week.

If you are looking for a property to buy, request to be added to our open home alert 

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I hope that helps with your search on finding the best Illawarra suburbs to buy in and live in. There are many wonderful suburbs in the Illawarra and it is a matter of finding the best one to suit your needs to allow you to buy in the right location for you, meaning you will be able to make the most of what the Illawarra has to offer. We encourage you to take the time to speak with your bank or mortgage broker about a pre-approval before buying, and ensure you know what your borrowing capacity is, and any legislation changes that may impact on your home loan. If you have any questions, we would love to talk to you and can be contacted on 0426 264 771. We are here to help.