DavidP3

I hope this review helps anyone buying in the area as I know how daunting buying a house is or choosing to live in a new area.

Calista is awesome! As I work inner city, Calista made sense. 30 minutes by car to the CBD (without traffic of course), 5 mins to Wellard Train Station, with a 30 min train ride in, 10 minutes to the beach, 10 minutes to Rockingham Foreshore, less than 5 mins to the big industries of Kwnana Industrial area, 30 mins to Mandurah, 25 mins to Fremantle and 15-20 mins to Cockburn Central Shopping Centre. They have also started the Latitute 32 project (a massive massive business park area that will create many jobs for the area).

It is definitely a suburb going through rejuvenation, there is something changing in the air. Calista has always been known as a suburb with lots of elderly people (because they never want to leave, some have lived in the same house since the late 60's when they built their houses as first home owners!!!) and people who are very proud of their suburb. I love the fact you tell people outside of the Kwinana area that you live in Calista and they have a puzzled/blank look on their face trying to work out where on earth that is, you say next to Wellard, shortly after Cockburn Central and some people kind of get it. But you tell locals you live in Calista and you feel very proud.

There is definitely a change of demographics going on in the area of younger professionals, couples and younger families. I am in my late 20's, single, young professional with have a good job and started looking around the area to invest in at first but inspected many homes and fell in love with the area and I made the house I bought now my home.

I also looked at Medina because there are also a lot of young couples/professionals moving there and it has a bit of an indy vibe to it but many of the homes are weatherboard cottage homes in Calista for the most part are double bricked, most built in the late 60's and there has been many new homes popping up as well, adding value and aesthetic appeal to the suburb.

The prices are so affordable and definitely value for money. I got a great, solid house on a massive block with a massive pool and house finishings that suit more an inner city home all for sub $300,000. If that property was anywhere else it would be $800,000 plus! I looked far and wide before making my decision, north, south and did detailed research of the area, knowing most of the streets fairly well and after looking around other areas even new areas, the cost did not justify what you pay for small blocks. Plus so many people live so far out now, I still wanted to live close enough to access the city, but not in the city, and not commute for 50 minutes!

Calista is definitely the Mt Lawley of Kwinana (with reference to similar style quality homes, not nightlife obviously), people are nice and the suburb is very quiet and peaceful (apart from some renters near me with teenage kids who spend a lot of time cranking their hip hop music and giggling non-stop when the mum and dad aren't home but it is just whilst they are on school holidays, but my other neighbours are really cool). There is lots of nature and it is very green with Calista Oval nearby, the prestigious Golf Course and homes with beautiful established gardens.

IKwinana Christian College is close by along with Calista Primary School (also improvements made to that) and Gilmore College not far away either, all great schools.

The shopping centre is close by and even that is surprisingly really nice, which is also going through a change with new shops opening up, cafes, etc. For dining, granted, the wider Kwinana precint does lack this I have to say, but Rockingham foreshore is a 10 minute drive (where my fav retaurant is, Rustico, a Spanish Tapas bar) with many cool bars, restaurants, cafes. But, Wellard Central just opened up and that is a 5 min drive from my house with the train station and lots of shops, cafes, etc.

Medina has received a bit of media attention due to its affordability and strong capital growth but I reckon Calista is the next hotspot as the quality of homes are much higher and closer to public transport, amenities and good schools and the golf course.