kq167

Umina has a reputation for drugs etc and the area being Central Coast's Mt Druitt. Let me just say that only people who have not lived here (or Mt Druitt) call it that. I am from the Coast, moved to Sydney and have now moved with my family to Umina. There are problems all over the Coast, as there is problems all over Sydney and to think otherwise is naive. The majority of people in Umina seem to be elderly people, and when crime does occur here, it is usually perpetrated by people who do not live here, but are from Sydney or other parts of the Coast. It is very rare to find a crime done in Umina is by a local resident. My advice is to subscribe to Brisbane Water LAC on Facebook as they will give updates on anything that takes place in and around the Coast. The good thing about an investment property here is that prices have steadily been on the rise, we have noticed a huge increase in prices in the past 12 months. However, keep in mind, the rental may not be as high as other places, so you would need to weigh all of that up. I personally like living here as the pace, facilities, people are all great. The people I chat to (but may not know) when I am in the cafes or shops are all very nice. I find it ironic that a lot of the people I chat to in cafes or when walking my dog on the beach are from Pearl Beach (way out of my price range!) and yet they all come to Umina to walk the beach or eat at the cafes. Plus we have Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, Bunnings, etc. Yes, you will get some people who hate Umina, but keep in mind that it is because of their personal experience, and we don't know what they are like, generally. Its like looking at TripAdvisor. if there is one person who hates a hotel, weigh that up against all the other people who write reviews about loving it. Maybe the one person who hated it just had a one off bad experience, or is just a whinger. Personally, I think its lovely, with a lovely beach, nice people and I have never experienced crime or feelings of being unsafe. Both my girls love it and love the fact that they can go to the beach every afternoon (and mornings if they got up early enough....but thats another story). We were living on the North Shore, so its stupid to say that people who like it here must not have lived in nicer areas. In the end, what are you looking for? With anything, do your homework and you should be fine.
Keep in mind that if it was such a dreadful place, why are there so many holiday makers, holiday homes and why is tourist season so incredibly busy? No one wants to go on holidays to be fearful or be concerned about crime, drugs, etc.

We recently moved from Willarong Rd due to work committments, but loved our time at Willarong Rd. The people are just lovely, with a mixture of older folk who have lived there forever, and new younger families moving in. Some of the blocks are quite large, but there are also some smaller battleaxe blocks as well. Only part of the road is currently curbed and guttered (the top half of the street). The street is quite long and the end part drops away quite dramatically. It is equally distanced (walking distance) to two stations (Mt Colah and Asquith) and there is plenty of eating places as well as fresh fruit/vege shop, hot chicken shop, video ezy, Coles (Asquith) all within easy walking distance. There is also a bus stop at the end of the street in front of McDonalds. Its really really handy to the Hornsby Westfield which has pretty much everything you would need and close enough to the Freeway to be convenient but not noisy. Its also close to all the lovely cafes and restaurants of the north shore, and the schools on the upper North Shore are fantastic - and not just the private schools. Hornsby Girls High is one of the Top 3-5 in the state, depending on the year! Mt Colah has the convenience and luxury of the North Shore, without the hefty price tag (yet). I would have no hesitation in moving back there again (if I ever decide to go back to Sydney). I hope this review has been helpful!

Carpenter Street is very convenient, with the high school and golf course at one end, and the local bus that runs along it each day. Although this might make it sound like a busy street, its not really. Its really convenient to get to the shops at Umina (BiLo, Woolworths - coming soon, Aldi - coming soon) as well as all the other essentials you might need. The beach is gorgeous, even in the most busy times, you can still get a spot on the beach without feeling like people are sitting on top of you, and of course, parking is FREE!! Its also just a short drive (or bike ride) to Woy Woy Station, and an easy drive up Woy Woy Rd to the F3 if you need to commute. Its really flat, so walking and riding a bike is simple for a leisurely explore of the area. Everyone seems really nice and Christmas time is lovely as people get into the Christmas Light thing, without it being too over the top. Umina itself is a lovely place to live, and there are some great little clubs and restaurants to eat at. The local cinema is cheap, but they do lack coffee shops that are open of an evening if you want just a coffee and dessert. The house prices are on the way up I think so I think we have bought at the right time (2009). People from Sydney will start to discover how inexpensive it is to live at Umina but still relatively easy to get to work in Sydney if they need to. Beach living is the best!! I highly recommend it.
The street itself can feel narrow if people park on the street (its all curbed and guttered) but its not too bad. The houses are pretty much all brick and tile, but older style, on average sized blocks for here (about 600m2).