Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Feb 25, 2010 1:03 pm hi, We've a friend came to mel a yr, now renting in boxhill and considering to buy a small hse who is close to work. They don't have any kids, my friend works in city and her partner is a freelancer. They are considering heidelberg west. How's ppl comment to this suburb? ( Before they nearly bought a unit in footscray, but too scared after knowing the drug problems in the area.) We've been to heidelberg many times ( the aldi, dimmy shopping centre and the food street) but we haven't been to the west part. I promised to help her search some reviews/ comment online. Hope here can get more info. Thanks. Re: How do u find heidelberg west? 2Feb 25, 2010 1:23 pm Just my personal opinion - I would never buy there. I can't stand the area. A lot of violence. I had friends who lived there (2yrs ago) while building their house and they have story after story of the violence they witnessed. They have 2 small children and they all lived in fear of being attacked and robbed. Several times he had people jumping over his fence and tried to break in at all hours of the night. He said living there he was in fear all the time. He also witnessed a lot of drug related stuff. I experienced a horrible incident there about 6 years ago. Was stopped at traffic lights and 2 teenagers with knives jumped onto the bonnet of my car. I quickly got outta there. Heidelberg is fine. West Heidelberg, IMO - NOT! Other people may have other experiences but this is just mine and my friends. Life is; then you tell yourself a story. Re: How do u find heidelberg west? 3Feb 25, 2010 1:33 pm From what I can see, the Government concentrated a lot of their commission homes in the area of Heidelberg West many many years ago, and unfortunately it seems that HW in itself received a bad reputation for a lot of violence and drug abuse. That’s not saying that all areas that have commission homes are ‘bad areas’ (my brother was in one for about a year a few years back) – just seems like HW beared the brunt of the troubled people. I had a friend when I was in junior high school live in the area, and I was quite scared whenever I stayed over - I definitely wouldn’t chose to live there. Any area will have its up and downs, its just that HW seems to have a lot more downs than ups! My cousin has a house in Heidelberg West, but on the outer fringes and they’re quite happy, although even they say they wouldn’t move further into the heart of the suburb. Heidelberg Heights is close to HW, but is generally seen as a “good neighbourhood”, so Id suggest doing some research on surrounding areas too. Custom European Cabinets - Melbourne Kitchen Specialist PM for business details as website currently being updated! Our Crazy Owner Builder Journey! Re: How do u find heidelberg west? 4Feb 25, 2010 1:43 pm I think your friends should do more research. Most parts of Footscray are safe and trendy. The whole suburb has / is going through a period of gentrification. Hedeilberg West is a lot worse for the sort of problems you mention. I drive through there to get to the Latrobe Uni via Waterdale road. The suburb has a large refugee population, and also has a high level of community housing (flats and commission homes) Home ownership is moderate due to the cheap cost of homes in the area. There is quite a bit of industrial building in the area also. Should probably look to buy closer to Bell street / Heidelberg Station. Positives of the area include large land blocks, excellent access to shopping (Northland), Good access to infrastructure, ok access to eastern freeway. But probably the future value is its best point. If this place ever gets State govt attention to Gentrify, it should do very well. Close to premium suburbs like Ivanhoe/Heidelberg/Bulleen. Re: How do u find heidelberg west? 5Feb 25, 2010 2:23 pm keyboardwarrior I think your friends should do more research. Most parts of Footscray are safe and trendy. The whole suburb has / is going through a period of gentrification. Footscray is around where I live and have lived previously. It is very much of a yuppie area and so close to the city. Housing is also very expensive and some beautiful streets....the maribyrnong river is so close by with all the best walking tracks. Like all places, there are good pockets and bad pockets. I really like the 'inner west areas' as there is such a diversity of people and cultures. I cant help with heidelberg west...dont know anything about it. Mrs B Re: How do u find heidelberg west? 10Feb 25, 2010 3:55 pm Mrs B keyboardwarrior I think your friends should do more research. Most parts of Footscray are safe and trendy. The whole suburb has / is going through a period of gentrification. Footscray is around where I live and have lived previously. It is very much of a yuppie area and so close to the city. Housing is also very expensive and some beautiful streets....the maribyrnong river is so close by with all the best walking tracks. Like all places, there are good pockets and bad pockets. I really like the 'inner west areas' as there is such a diversity of people and cultures. I cant help with heidelberg west...dont know anything about it. Mrs B I agree. Footscray is ace. More and more young families moving to the area too. My husband has a t-shirt that says I <3 (heart) FOOTSCRAY "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: How do u find heidelberg west? 11Feb 25, 2010 4:00 pm oh, i just typed the reply, but can't find it! Lost? Usually it's my husband and SIL who provide the suburb " review" to my friend. My SIL now moves to altona cos it's close to work. They crossed out a lot of convenient suburbs for dining, like preston, footscray, richmond cos of high crime rate, drug offences( At the moment, i found preston and richmond are really great for dining out and buying gloceries). However, I remember in many magazines, a lot of houses in richmond are renovated by architects. In fact, I have suggested her to consider Doreen and analyzed the gd points with her: a brand new house, quiet environment ( compared with boxhill) and lured to do alternate cooking with her. However, i failed cos she is not willing to spend extra time on transport. She is one of those commented " Ur home is in country!" Re: How do u find heidelberg west? 12Feb 25, 2010 5:15 pm Aaron and I have rented a house in Bellfield (for those who dont know, Bellfield is a small pocket between Heidelberg West and Ivanhoe) for the last 8 years. Reason being... rent is incredibly cheap here, we pay $1140 p/month. We're central, and walking distance to my work in Thornbury. We are just south of Bell Street, close to the commission area. Haven't wittnessed any violence in our 8 years here at all though Would we buy in this area? No. We went to a few auctions in the area, and prices are not as cheap as everyone thinks. Two bedroom house on our street sold for just over $420k over 12 months ago. There's no way we'd spend that money on a house that size, built in the 50s with no work done to it. Sure the blocks are an ok size, but our block in Doreen is just as big, if not bigger. Heidelberg itself is lovely, Ivanhoe is gorgeous. If we had a spare $800k+ we'd buy established in Ivanhoe, it's hilly, and leafy, and is so close to everything we need. Re: How do u find heidelberg west? 13Feb 25, 2010 5:57 pm let's see, there's the south's version: Doveton then there's the west's version: Maidstone then there's the north: West Heidelberg they are, frankly, the only suburbs which should be bulldozed!!! however, we all know that won;t happen. They do have their "unsavory" locals, funnily enough, Maidstone property prices have just gone thru the roof, so I'd say it's only a matter of time and so will the other two mentioned above. AND let's not forget that chadstone too has it's "housing commission" period of houses, which are now all very expensive! and renamed East Malvern, which doesn't hurt either! I'd say buy as investment, but not to live in just yet! A thankful person is a happy person. [/color]My hobby design blog: http://aviewondesign.blogspot.com/ Re: How do u find heidelberg west? 14Feb 25, 2010 6:20 pm Annietom let's see, there's the south's version: Doveton then there's the west's version: Maidstone then there's the north: West Heidelberg they are, frankly, the only suburbs which should be bulldozed!!! I think Reservoir should be bulldozed before Heidelberg West... possibly half of Preston too... I could keep going... Re: How do u find heidelberg west? 15Feb 25, 2010 6:24 pm Aaron & Erin Annietom let's see, there's the south's version: Doveton then there's the west's version: Maidstone then there's the north: West Heidelberg they are, frankly, the only suburbs which should be bulldozed!!! I think Reservoir should be bulldozed before Heidelberg West... possibly half of Preston too... I could keep going... A thankful person is a happy person. [/color]My hobby design blog: http://aviewondesign.blogspot.com/ Re: How do u find heidelberg west? 16Feb 25, 2010 6:38 pm I'm betting Heidelberg West will have its renaissance.... but I wouldn't live there while waiting for it to happen. I've worked in surrounding areas - Heidelberg, Preston, Thornbury, Fairfield and while Heidelberg has always been nice, and the other three have seen major demographic changes, poor old HW has remained stuck in a bit of a time warp. Just go down to the Mall and walk around alone and see how safe you feel. There are signs of things changing with some renovations and some knock-down/rebuilds, but the old commission places still dominate and are mostly a hideous eyesore. I guess it depends exactly where your friends are looking, Nott. Maybe the edges bordering Rosanna, Heidelberg and Macleod, or over the other side near Ivanhoe are a good buy...as Erin says though, they may not be as cheap as people think. And I'd be very careful about getting houses in that area checked for asbestos before committing to buying one. Re: How do u find heidelberg west? 17Feb 25, 2010 6:50 pm Annietom AND let's not forget that chadstone too has it's "housing commission" period of houses, which are now all very expensive! and renamed East Malvern, which doesn't hurt either! Annie, the housing commission part of Chadstone was not renamed East Malvern, and is still Chadstone! Only a small pocket of Chadstone was renamed, and that is between Chadstone Rd and Warrigal Rd. So Chadstone Shopping Centre is in East Malvern...go figure! I'm pretty sure there are mostly only your typical 50's and 60's triple fronted cream brick veneers in the renamed section! Median house price in Chaddy is over $610K, and to buy a knock down rebuild ex housing com you're looking at around $450 - $600K. Heaps of houses coming down, and more often than not 2 town houses get built. Great view of the city from some streets! Also pockets of housing com in Ashwood and Asburton (neighbouring suburbs) that fetch even more. I can't help with Heidelberg West....I don't think I've ever been there! Henley - Wilshire Mk 3 ... I love my house!! Site start: 4th Feb 09 Handover: 10th Sep 09 Blog: http://stormygirlscastle.blogspot.com/ Build Thread: viewtopic.php?t=7166 Re: How do u find heidelberg west? 18Feb 25, 2010 7:05 pm kek Just go down to the Mall and walk around alone and see how safe you feel. I've run into Steve Kernahan a few times at the Subway while getting lunch The guy at the Pet place is lovely too, he supplies meat to the Cat Protection Society in Greensborough. Sara Lee outlet is always good too... I think the tradies who hang out there instead of being at the TAFE give it a bit of a bad name... Re: How do u find heidelberg west? 19Feb 25, 2010 7:09 pm The last couple of times I was there, it was really creepy. Maybe it's changed though; that was a good three years ago... 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