JDN

When I moved home from a decade living in the US and Europe I wanted access to the same facilities and quality of life that I had in the US, but for no money (yeah OK, I'm a public practice tax and SMSF accountant).

My wife wouldn't let us continue renting until the Australian residential real estate bubble burst, so with my had forced I looked for whatever value and downside protection I could find in Brisbane. There isn't much to be had but Banyo / Nudgee ticked the boxes, to the extent that's still possible.

Things I like about Banyo/Nudgee:

- Cheaper on a relative basis: Spending a pile of money on your non-deductible personal residence is financially brain-dead for most people.

- Zoning/town plan: Take a look at the zoning for Banyo/Nudgee on BCC's website. Apartment complexes are not allowed here outside of the Banyo town centre. Minimum lot size allowed is 405m2. I won't wake up tomorrow and find some developer erecting a three story multi-pack on my fenceline.

- Large lots: The old-school lots range from 607m2 to approx 1,500m2. So, if you're willing to write a cheque for $100-200k for a soup-to-nuts raise and refurb of the house then you'll end up with an as-new all singing-dancing 5BR, 3BA house on a large lot for approx $550-600k in a quiet and safe neighbourhood with access to facilities and close to the city. For a growing young family that's pretty attractive.

- Close to the bay: When I get off the train from the city the first thing I notice is the sea breeze, the drop in temperature, and the slight smell of sea air. Love it.

- Trains: I live approx 200m from the Nudgee train stop. It amazes me that I can buy a decent detached single family home on a larger lot that is 3mins walk from a train stop that is 25 mins from the city for less than $400k. In many other places in the world that would be unlikely. I think Brisbane-ites will slowly wake up to the value of good land with access to train lines over the next 10 years as the traffic gets worse. Don't worry about the house - you can write a cheque to a builder to make that whatever you want it to be. It's the land, location, and facilities that matter.

- Neighbourhood quality: It's a quite place. It's safe. It has plenty of parks and kiddie play facilities scattered through-out.

- The neighbourhood is changing: The town plan calls for most of the old peripheral industrial areas to be converted to new estates. I assume that means lumps of land such as the old QR maintenance yard. Take a walk around the neighbourhood and see all of the homes that are being raised and reno'd by new families as the original 1950's/60's owners turn up their toes.

- Access to other facilities:
- Golf courses: Almost walking distance to two golf courses: Virginia Golf Course and Nudgee Golf Course.
- Brisbane airport: Approx 10 mins from my driveway to the drop-off zone at the airport.
- Boat launch: A couple of miles down the road is the Kedron Brook boat launch. Straight out into the bay and access to Morten and Stradbroke islands.
- Nudgee beach: A couple of mins to Nudgee beach.
- Gateway motorway: A couple of mins to the Nudgee on/off ramps for the GW motorway - 25 mins to the Southside, about the same to Redcliffe.
- Bikepaths: miles and miles of bike paths - Boondall wetlands East-bound and Chermide etc West-bound.
- Schools: Catholic University is located here in Nudgee. St Joseph’s Nudgee College (private boys) is located just around the corner on Sandgate Rd. St Rita’s College (private girls) is a few mins in the other direction down Sandgate Rd heading toward the city.

Things that irritate me about Banyo/Nudgee:

- That Golden Circle cannery. You won't encounter the odour unless you live on top of the cannery - ie. in the SW corner of Banyo. The thing has apparently long been financially unstable - it's an obvious candidate to be converted to a new residential estate with the production moved to a facility elsewhere.

- No ADSL2 ! The local Nudgee Telstra exchange doesn't have an ASDL2 DSLAM. I'm stuck paying ADSL2 prices for 1.5Mbps ADSL1. Grrrr.

- Blue collar: No escaping it. Cheap means blue collar / immigrant. If it would bother you that your neighbour puts on a fluoro vest or Sari each morning and goes to work as a mechanic or helping BCC dig some more tunnels, then Banyo/Nudgee isn't for you.

When I moved home from a decade living in the US and Europe I wanted access to the same facilities and quality of life that I had in the US, but for no money (yeah OK, I'm a public practice tax and SMSF accountant).

My wife wouldn't let us continue renting until the Australian residential real estate bubble burst, so with my had forced I looked for whatever value and downside protection I could find in Brisbane. There isn't much to be had but Banyo / Nudgee ticked the boxes, to the extent that's still possible.

Things I like about Banyo/Nudgee:

- Cheaper on a relative basis: Spending a pile of money on your non-deductible personal residence is financially brain-dead for most people.

- Zoning/town plan: Take a look at the zoning for Banyo/Nudgee on BCC's website. Apartment complexes are not allowed here outside of the Banyo town centre. Minimum lot size allowed is 405m2. I won't wake up tomorrow and find some developer erecting a three story multi-pack on my fenceline.

- Large lots: The old-school lots range from 607m2 to approx 1,500m2. So, if you're willing to write a cheque for $100-200k for a soup-to-nuts raise and refurb of the house then you'll end up with an as-new all singing-dancing 5BR, 3BA house on a large lot for approx $550-600k in a quiet and safe neighbourhood with access to facilities and close to the city. For a growing young family that's pretty attractive.

- Close to the bay: When I get off the train from the city the first thing I notice is the sea breeze, the drop in temperature, and the slight smell of sea air. Love it.

- Trains: I live approx 200m from the Nudgee train stop. It amazes me that I can buy a decent detached single family home on a larger lot that is 3mins walk from a train stop that is 25 mins from the city for less than $400k. In many other places in the world that would be unlikely. I think Brisbane-ites will slowly wake up to the value of good land with access to train lines over the next 10 years as the traffic gets worse. Don't worry about the house - you can write a cheque to a builder to make that whatever you want it to be. It's the land, location, and facilities that matter.

- Neighbourhood quality: It's a quite place. It's safe. It has plenty of parks and kiddie play facilities scattered through-out.

- The neighbourhood is changing: The town plan calls for most of the old peripheral industrial areas to be converted to new estates. I assume that means lumps of land such as the old QR maintenance yard. Take a walk around the neighbourhood and see all of the homes that are being raised and reno'd by new families as the original 1950's/60's owners turn up their toes.

- Access to other facilities:
- Golf courses: Almost walking distance to two golf courses: Virginia Golf Course and Nudgee Golf Course.
- Brisbane airport: Approx 10 mins from my driveway to the drop-off zone at the airport.
- Boat launch: A couple of miles down the road is the Kedron Brook boat launch. Straight out into the bay and access to Morten and Stradbroke islands.
- Nudgee beach: A couple of mins to Nudgee beach.
- Gateway motorway: A couple of mins to the Nudgee on/off ramps for the GW motorway - 25 mins to the Southside, about the same to Redcliffe.
- Bikepaths: miles and miles of bike paths - Boondall wetlands East-bound and Chermide etc West-bound.
- Catholic University is located here in Nudgee and St Joseph’s Nudgee College (private boys) is located just around the corner on Sandgate Rd. St Rita’s College (private girls) is a few mins in the other direction down Sandgate Rd heading toward the city.

Things that irritate me about Banyo/Nudgee:

- That Golden Circle cannery. You won't encounter the odour unless you live on top of the cannery - ie. in the SW corner of Banyo. The thing has apparently long been financially unstable - it's an obvious candidate to be converted to a new residential estate with the production moved to a facility elsewhere.

- No ADSL2 ! The local Nudgee Telstra exchange doesn't have an ASDL2 DSLAM. I'm stuck paying ADSL2 prices for 1.5Mbps ADSL1. Grrrr.

- Blue collar: No escaping it. Cheap means blue collar / immigrant. If it would bother you that your neighbour puts on a fluoro vest or Sari each morning and goes to work as a mechanic or helping BCC dig some more tunnels, then Banyo/Nudgee isn't for you.