Question 1

Is Freshwater a nice place to live?

Accepted Answer

Freshwater is a compact beachside suburb centred on Freshwater Beach, the surf lifesaving club and a coastal headland that frames ocean views and daily walks. The village strip near the beach has cafes and everyday shops while quiet residential streets with weatherboard cottages, period bungalows, post-war brick homes and low-rise apartments give it a relaxed seaside character. Residents tend to be families, surfers and professionals who value the beach lifestyle but still want easy access to Manly’s ferry and bus connections into the city.

Home to 9,186 people and with owner-occupiers in 62.3% of dwellings, the community is weighted towards couple families alongside other household types. Everyday life centres on the beach, surf club and local shops, and there are several council-led projects either approved or planned, including alterations to the surf lifesaving club, a planned standalone amenities building behind the surf club, a boardwalk extension with a completed concept design that is currently on hold, and an upgrade and transition planned for the local high school to a Year 7–12 co-educational campus. Whether Freshwater suits you depends on how much you value a compact beachside village with easy links to Manly and the city.

Question 2

Is it expensive to live in Freshwater?

Accepted Answer

In Freshwater, current prices and rents sit noticeably above local incomes as recorded at the most recent Census. A median house price of $3,210,000 is about 22.6 times a typical local household's annual income at the last Census, while a median unit price of $1,250,000 is about 8.8 times that annual income. On rentals, an average house rent of $1,750 a week would take about 64.2% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census, and an average unit rent of $850 a week would take about 31.2%.

Put simply, buying either property type sits well above what local households earned at the last Census, with house buying particularly stretched. Renting a house would take a large share of a typical local household's weekly income, while renting a unit would take a sizeable but lower share. The household income here is the Census figure and prices and rents are current, so the comparison uses incomes as recorded at the most recent Census.

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 Freshwater a good place to invest?

Accepted Answer

Unit values in Freshwater rose a solid 5.8% over the past 12 months, while house values were marginally lower, down 0.1%. Rents climbed on both sides of the market: house rents increased 6.1% and unit rents rose 6.9% over the year.

Put simply, rental income in Freshwater has grown noticeably this year, and for units rents have risen a little faster than values while houses saw rent growth alongside a very small fall in value. Which of those outcomes matters to you depends on whether you’re prioritising rental income or capital growth and on your own circumstances.

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	$3.21M	$1.25M
Change in value Past 12 months	-0.1%	5.8%
Sold Past 3 months	13	21
Median days on market Past 12 months	38	15
Average rent Past 12 months	$1750	$850
Change in rent Past 12 months	6.1%	6.9%

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