What is behind Balga's stigma?

It really isn't a very nice area. When you drive through you can see the bad tenanted houses, government housing, grafiti, teenagers street drinking in the middle of the day and bad attitude abounds. I'd stay away if I were you!

Hi Sallyannie,

Thanks for your feedback what suburbs would you recommend close to the city (10-15kms) we are looking for a townhouse or villa 2-3 bedrooms but don't want to spend more than $450k. Another suburb we were looking at was Osbourne Park, what is this suburb like?

Cheers,

The Clays

I currently live in Osborne Park and I love it. It's close to everything - it takes us 15 minutes by car from door to door (I work in central CBD) peak hour traffic, 15 minutes to the beach, lots of great shops around and it's quiet and leafy too. Plus lots of people associate it with factories and warehouses when in reality these have all recently been knocked down (or will be soon) and loads of new houses are being built. City of Stirling are also doing infrastruatcure and planning upgrades all through there too so all new tarmacked roads and median strips :) Hope that helps!

hi just wanted to know is hamersly a safe place to live .

Like Hamersley, Warwick is equally safe,has two shopping centres nearby (Warwick & Greenwood), cinema, bowling alley, parks, train and is a 7 minute drive to the beach and around 25 minutes to the domestic airport. Karrinyup, the closest major shopping complex is only 10 minutes away also.

10-15 mins to the city is a bit hard to find for $450, but if you are not set on north of the river, look at anywhere arouind Maylands, Bayswater, Belmont, Redcliffe. Lots of new development, surrounded by quality, high end houses in Ascot and 10 mins to the city, safe, lots of parks, river nearby, villas in your price range because there is a lot or redevelopment. When you compare these areas with Balga there is a completely different level of living when you factor in distance to the city. I lived a few suburbs away from Balga, but had to drive through on the way to different places.

I agree Hammersly and Warwick are quite nice with lots of amenities.

Mt Hawthorn, Mt Lawley, Yokine, Tuart Hill, Joondanna

For a start, there is very little shopping variety, and since the demolition of the Princess Road Tavern there are no social outlets. Where people can socialise and have a drink with what little public transport there is.