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

Glebe is an inner-city suburb on Sydney's city fringe with a village feel centred on Glebe Point Road, a long cafe and shop-lined strip anchored by bookshops, restaurants and the weekend Glebe Markets. The streets mix Victorian terraces and workers' cottages with converted warehouses and waterfront apartment blocks facing Blackwattle Bay and Rozelle Bay, and regular buses and light rail, local pubs and community spaces make it a compact, walkable neighbourhood. It attracts students and academics because of its proximity to the University of Sydney, along with professionals and families who value leafy streets, parks and foreshore walks, and most homes are rented with 63.6% rented rather than owner-occupied.

Significant public projects around Blackwattle Bay and the Bays precinct are adding new foreshore public-domain works, a waterfront promenade and a substantial Bank Street Park with a community centre and plaza that will link into existing foreshore paths. The City has also upgraded the Blackwattle Bay Park playground and there are housing redevelopments on Wentworth Park Road delivering new energy-efficient, accessible homes. Whether Glebe suits you comes down to whether you want a compact, amenity-rich inner-city village close to the foreshore and the university.

Buying in Glebe looks stretched against what a typical local household earned at the last Census. The median house price of $2,445,000 is about 26.8 times a typical local household's annual income at the last Census, and the median unit price of $865,000 is about 9.5 times that annual income. Both sit well above a local year's household income, with houses especially high relative to local earnings at the last Census.

Renting also takes a large share of local incomes on these figures: average house rent of $1,200 a week would be about 68.3% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census, while average unit rent of $750 a week would be about 42.7%. For renters the rent share is the relevant number, and for buyers the price multiple is the key measure; whether that feels expensive depends on your own income and circumstances.

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

Unit prices led the way in Glebe over the past year: median unit values rose 10.5%, a strong increase, while the rent those units earned rose a modest 3.4%.

Houses showed a different pattern, with house rents climbing 9.6% over the year, a solid rise, while median house values increased more modestly by 4.2%. That means units were the stronger side for capital growth this year, and houses were the stronger performer for rental income. Whether that balance makes Glebe a suitable investment for you depends on your objectives and 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.