Question 1

Is Balgownie a nice place to live?

Accepted Answer

Balgownie sits on the lower slopes of Mount Keira and the Illawarra escarpment, with leafy, often steep streets and elevated outlooks across the city and coastline. Housing is mainly established weatherboard and brick homes from the early and mid 20th century, with pockets of newer townhouses, and the suburb is home to 5,722 people with a median age of 42. Most dwellings are owner-occupied (77.7%), which gives the area a settled, steady character geared to long-term residents, including a large share of couple families with and without children.

Everyday life is supported by escarpment bushwalking and lookouts, local parks, a small village-style shopping strip, and road and bus links to Wollongong CBD and beaches. Several council and state projects are planned or underway, including a mountain bike trail network on the escarpment and upgrades to community facilities and the local school, so those who value established homes, outdoor access and local amenities are likely to find Balgownie suits their needs.

Question 2

Is it expensive to live in Balgownie?

Accepted Answer

A house at the current median price of $1,450,000 in Balgownie works out to about 14.6 times a typical local household's annual income at the last Census (weekly household income $1,912, which is $99,424 a year). Renting is also stretched against that local income: a house renting for $830 a week would use roughly 43.4% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census, while a unit at $730 a week would take about 38.2%. On these figures both buying and renting sit well above what a typical household in Balgownie earned at the last Census, with buying especially far above local incomes.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

Question 3

Is Balgownie a good place to invest?

Accepted Answer

What stands out in Balgownie over the past 12 months is that rents rose faster than property values. House values increased 5.5% over the year, a solid gain, while house rents climbed 9.2%, a solid rise that outpaced price growth. Unit values edged up 0.5%, a slight increase, while unit rents jumped 15.0%, a strong rise.

For someone weighing Balgownie as an investment, the value figures relate to capital growth and the rent figures to rental income: the rental side, especially for units, has been the stronger performer this year, whereas houses showed the larger price rise between the two. Whether that balance fits your goals and circumstances is for you to decide.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

	Houses	Units
Median price Past 3 months	$1.45M	N/A
Change in value Past 12 months	5.5%	0.5%
Sold Past 3 months	13	6
Median days on market Past 12 months	35	14
Average rent Past 12 months	$830	$730
Change in rent Past 12 months	9.2%	15.0%

Get a property report and suburb profile for any property in Balgownie

Balgownie suburb profile

Balgownie property market performance

5 year median price trend for houses and units

Balgownie demographics

Suburbs near Balgownie

How does Balgownie compare to nearby suburbs?

Choose the right real estate agents in Balgownie

Get a head start and compare top local agents in Balgownie

Not quite ready to sell?

Suburb and property report

Digital estimate for your property

Navigate the market