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

Mooroolbark is an outer-eastern Melbourne suburb with a village-style centre around Mooroolbark station on the Lilydale line, giving it a suburban meets semi-rural feel. Streets mix older weatherboard and brick family homes with pockets of newer townhouses, and nearly half of families are couple families with children (48.6%). The area suits families and downsizers who value parks, sporting ovals and nearby bush reserves at the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges.

A main shopping strip of cafés, independent shops and everyday services sits alongside community facilities and local clubs, and rail access and road links make neighbouring suburbs and the Yarra Valley easy to reach. The suburb has seen major transport work that rebuilt the station with a new bus interchange and improved walking and cycling links, and there are local projects under way or funded to upgrade trails, park lighting and school facilities. Whether Mooroolbark suits you will depend on how much you value that village centre, green space and local amenity.

At the last Census a typical local household in Mooroolbark earned about $1,994 a week. On those figures the median house price of $867,500 is about 8.4 times a local year's household income, and the median unit price of $710,000 is about 6.8 times that income. Looking at rents, $650 a week for a house would take roughly 32.6% of a typical local household's weekly income, a sizeable share, while $520 a week for a unit is about 26.1%, a moderate share. So buying is generally more stretched against local incomes than renting, especially for houses; 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.

For someone weighing Mooroolbark as an investment, the past 12 months show solid rises in both values and house rents. Unit values increased 8.0% over the year, a solid rise that slightly outpaced house values, which were up 6.9%. House rents climbed 6.6% over the same period, also a solid increase and broadly similar to the change in house values.

If capital growth is your priority, the unit side recorded the larger value rise this year; if rental income matters, the house rent movement is the relevant figure. 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.