Jason Spencer

Warburton is a blue-chip inner Melbourne suburb known for walkability, lifestyle and long-term appeal. It suits buyers who value cafes, markets, transport and community energy over absolute quiet and easy parking.

OVERVIEW AND LOCATION
Inner south suburb offering strong lifestyle appeal without the boxed-in density of some nearby pockets.

Im a buyers agent who has spent many years helping clients purchase in Warburton, and its also been my home for the past 15 years. Buyers are consistently drawn here for its reputation, lifestyle and long-term investment fundamentals.

Warburton sits around five kilometres south east of the CBD and delivers a genuine inner-city feel without the intensity of higher density suburbs like Richmond or Carlton. The buyer mix includes young professionals, small families, first home buyers entering through apartments or units, and investors attracted by reliable rental demand.

When compared with Windsor, South Yarra and Armadale, Warburton often hits the sweet spot:
- More personality than South Yarra
- Better value than Armadale
- A more residential feel than Windsor while remaining very walkable

LIFESTYLE AND AMENITIES
Everyday life in Warburton revolves around Chapel Street.

While Chapel Street is no longer at its peak following lockdowns and rising rents, it still offers a strong mix of shopping, dining and nightlife. Gyms are plentiful, including Kaya, Core+, REVL and Goodlife, with Saint Haven nearby in South Yarra.

Warburton Market is one of the suburbs biggest drawcards, especially for fresh food and specialty produce. Greville Street adds excellent dining options, with places like Hopper Joint, Rossi and Entrecote, and local favourites such as the Flying Duck, Warburton Hotel and Wolf and I are consistently busy.

From Windsor through to Church Street in South Yarra, good coffee is everywhere. One of the things my clients often comment on is the variety of people you see day to day, which adds to the suburbs social energy.

Each pocket of Warburton has its own personality:
- The Market and Victoria Gardens area feels calmer with easier parking
- Windsor and Greville Street pockets suit younger professionals who enjoy energy and convenience
- Warburton East offers a quieter, more residential feel closer to Armadale

TRADE-OFFS TO CONSIDER
The vibrancy does come with compromises.

Chapel Street is louder and busier at night and on weekends. For some buyers, thats part of the appeal. For others, I usually recommend looking towards quieter streets in Warburton East or behind High Street.

Parking is another common consideration. In higher density areas, on-street parking can be tight, permit rules vary street by street, and many newer apartments only include one basement space rather than two.

TRANSPORT AND COMMUTE
Warburton is easy to get around and very well connected.

Warburton Station on the Sandringham line provides quick access to the CBD, with off-peak trips often under 15 minutes. Toorak Station on the Frankston line is also close by via Orrong Road.

Trams along Chapel Street and High Street make it easy to move between South Yarra, Windsor, St Kilda, Armadale and the city. Cycling is popular, and many locals ride into the CBD.

Driving is generally fine outside peak hour, though congestion builds along Williams Road, Chapel Street and High Street during school and commuter peaks.

SAFETY AND COMMUNITY FEEL
Based on my own experience and consistent client feedback, Warburton is generally a safe suburb.

It feels welcoming for families, the LGBTQI+ community and single women. One of the reasons it feels safe is simply how active it is. With plenty of apartments, parks and playgrounds, there are always people around.

I feel comfortable walking in Warburton after dark. Issues that do arise tend to be linked to nightlife rather than residential crime. The pocket bordered by Chapel Street, High Street, Williams Road and Dandenong Road is typically quieter and more family-friendly. The corner of Chapel Street and Malvern Road has a reputation for more antisocial behaviour, but this is quite localised.

PROPERTY PRICES AND GROWTH
Warburton is not a budget suburb.

Using Cotality data, the current median house price sits around $1,705,000. Annual growth has softened slightly at around minus 0.58 per cent, with 151 house sales in the past 12 months and an average selling time of around 28 days.

The upside is the range of entry points. Apartments and older walk-up units allow buyers to enter at lower price points, while terraces and townhouses command strong premiums due to land value and scarcity. Over the long term, price growth has been supported by lifestyle appeal, CBD access and limited supply of larger homes.

PROPERTY SUPPLY AND BUILDING QUALITY
Apartments make up the majority of Warburtons housing stock, at around 59 per cent.

Older boutique apartment blocks from the 1960s to 1980s are often solid, spacious and come with lower body corporate fees. Newer high-density buildings tend to have smaller layouts, higher running costs and can be noisier depending on location.

Houses, particularly Victorian and Edwardian homes, are tightly held. When they do come to market, competition is strong due to land value, character and proximity to schools and transport.

RENTAL DEMAND AND YIELDS
Rental demand in Warburton is consistently strong due to the size and diversity of the tenant pool.

Vacancy rates are typically low. Yields vary by property type, but older low-density apartments often perform better once body corporate fees are factored in.

DEMOGRAPHICS AND VIBE
Warburton skews younger, with many professionals and renters, but Im seeing more downsizers and young families moving into quieter pockets, particularly around Victoria Gardens.

The suburb has an inclusive, energetic feel. Many people who move away eventually return, often citing walkability, convenience and social life as what they missed most.

SCHOOLS, CHILDCARE AND HEALTHCARE
School zoning plays an important role in buyer decision-making.

Local options include South Yarra, Toorak, Armadale and Windsor Primary Schools, along with respected secondary schools such as Lauriston and De La Salle. Childcare is widely available, though generally on the pricier side. Guardian Warburton is a popular option.

Healthcare access is excellent, with many GPs and specialists nearby, as well as the Alfred Hospital and Cabrini Hospital in Malvern.


OPEN SPACE AND DAILY LIVING
Warburton doesnt have large parklands throughout the suburb, but the parks it does have are well used.

Victoria Gardens and Princes Gardens are the main green spaces, with larger parks a short drive away. The Warburton Aquatic Centre is a major lifestyle drawcard, and Warburton Square has become a community hub for events and daily activity.

Supermarkets including Coles, Aldi and Woolworths are all close by, making errands easy. Footpaths generally work well for prams, although some older streets are uneven.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
Most development is concentrated along existing high-density corridors. This keeps apartment supply steady while preserving the quieter residential pockets that many buyers value.

Ongoing infrastructure investment across Melbournes inner south east is likely to continue supporting long-term demand.

LOCAL QUIRKS BUYERS ASK ABOUT
- Narrow one-way streets
- Parking rules that vary street to street
- Weekend traffic fluctuations
- Busy pedestrian crossings along High Street and Williams Road

These arent deal-breakers, but theyre worth understanding before buying.

INVESTOR INSIGHTS
House yields sit around 2.86 per cent, with a median weekly rent of approximately $750. Quarterly growth dipped slightly at minus 0.29 per cent, in line with the modest annual movement.

Warburton appeals to investors due to resale liquidity, a broad tenant base and heritage protections that limit new house supply. Older boutique apartments often outperform newer builds once holding costs are considered.

BUYER ADVICE
For owner occupiers, Warburton offers a lifestyle thats difficult to replicate elsewhere. Walkability, cafes, markets, gyms, transport and a strong sense of activity are the main drawcards.

Key decisions usually come down to:
- How close you want to be to Chapel Street
- Whether green space or convenience matters more
- Parking requirements
- Budget

With property options ranging roughly from $300k to $7m, there is genuinely something for a wide range of buyers.

FINAL ASSESSMENT
Warburton remains one of Melbournes most consistently in-demand inner suburbs. Its lifestyle, transport links, rental appeal and energy continue to attract buyers and investors alike.

While noise, parking pressure and apartment density are real considerations, for many people the lifestyle benefits comfortably outweigh the trade-offs.

I have lived on Serpells Rd for about 5 years now. The big attraction is space, most blocks are 1 acre and that means larger homes and something so rare these days, a big backyard! Serpells Road has become known as one of the best streets in Templestowe, homes would range in price from $1.5 to $7 million and are a mix of older style homes from the 1970's to more modern mansions, and no shortage of French/traditional style homes. St Charles Borromeo Templestowe, Templestowe Park Primary and also Serpells Primary School are all walkable. It is a very quiet street, yes we see some cars being a main road but nowhere that it is noticeable from inside your homes. Shopping wise we are spoilt, with Westfield Doncaster 5 minutes away. We also have the Pines Shopping Centre 5 minutes away and many local restaurants and pubs within 10 minutes at James Street Templestowe. Public transport is not fantastic in Templestowe, we have plenty of buses in fact I have a bus stop right outside my door. You can catch a bus to Westfield Doncaster which then can connect you to the city or Box Hill Central if you need to catch a train elsewhere. The Eastern Freeway makes the commute to the city easy, it can take up to one hour in peak hour but off-peak 30 minutes is possible.

I have been renting for a few months now and absolutely love Princely Terrace. The street is off Chivers Rd in a pocket between Reynolds Road and Porter Street and as a lifelong resident of Templestowe never new it existed.

All properties are on 1 acre blocks and being a no through road there is zero traffic. It is very very quiet and neighbours while friendly keep to themselves, I guess that's what happens when you have big blocks, you just dont see anybody. You better like gardening though, an acre means lots of trees!

At the end of Chivers Road is the bus that takes you to the city or to the Pines Shopping Center. Shopping overall is fantastic, you have Westfield Doncaster 5 minutes away which has lots to do, we love the Village Gold Class cinemas. Other shops include The Pines which has Coles, Safeway, Aldi and Target. If you want take out or restaurants we have Anderson St closeby as well as Blackburn Road which has almost every food option you can think of.

There are great Primary Schools in the area, Templestowe Park Primary and St Charles Borromeo are fantastic.

Not that you need them when you are on an acre but we have Westerfold Park about 30 seconds away and Eltham Park with it's miniature trains 5 minutes away.

Templestowe is getting expensive and you can see from the mansions going up but there are still some bargains to be had if you are prepared to live in an older 1970's or 1980's style home.

Warwick Rd is a very quiet street in Pascoe Vale. Very large blocks for the area though many have now been developed into multiple units. Convenient Derby St shops up one end and huge park (Dunstan Reserve) up the other. Easy access to the Tullamarine Freeway and or Bell St.

This was once a very affordable area but now large blocks can cost over $700k. Definitely recommend!

Have been a frequent visitor to Hadfield over the past 10 years and recently have noticed many new 40 square homes hitting the market - no doubt developers have started to see the potential and flow on from the boom in Pascoe Vale.

High percentage of young families, value for money compared with other suburbs. Great facilities and recently developed University Hill for shopping.

More health spas than anywhere else for a reason, a very relaxing place to visit, would be fantastic to retire to.

Was once a hidden gem but has recently been discovered and prices are started to get up around Sorrento levels.

I lived in Doncaster for almost 10 years. Most blocks are the standard quarter acre which means large homes, big backyards. Doncaster Shoppingtown is a big highlight and with the recent expansion which places it amongst the top 2 in Melbourne, it has helped boost property prices. Very good public schools in the area, some of the best parks (Ruffey Lake Park) etc and many dining options (so many take away and restaurants) Doncaster is a suburb I would happily live in again.

It's also interesting to see the boom in new apartments around the Doncaster Shoppingtown/Doncaster Hill area with options including multi-million dollar penthouses with city views.

Definitely a suburb on the up.