Get a property report and suburb profile for any property in Neutral Bay

Neutral Bay sits on Sydney's Lower North Shore facing Sydney Harbour, with a waterside crescent, small foreshore parks and a wharf with regular ferry connections to the city. The suburb centres on the Military Road shopping and dining strip and a group of village-style precincts where cafés, restaurants and specialty shops serve local residents. Tree-lined streets and a varied streetscape of federation cottages, art deco apartment blocks and contemporary units give Neutral Bay a distinct inner-harbour feel favoured by professionals, families and people downsizing.

The community of 10,090 people has a median age of 38, and homes are more often rented than owner-occupied, with 53.4% rented. There is a town centre plaza development under way involving Coles Group and partners, and Neutral Bay Public School has received a major upgrade. For someone after harbour-side convenience, regular ferry links and local shops on the doorstep, Neutral Bay could suit; whether it does comes down to what you value most in a suburb.

Buying in Neutral Bay sits well above local incomes as recorded at the most recent Census. The median house price of $2,380,000 is about 18.7 times a typical local household's annual income at the last Census, while the median unit price of $905,000 is about 7.1 times that annual income.

Renting also takes a sizeable share of income at the Census benchmark: a house rent of $1,313 a week is roughly 53.8% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census, and a unit rent of $780 a week is about 31.9%. Whether those figures feel expensive will depend 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.

There has been a clear split in Neutral Bay over the past 12 months. Unit values rose 9.2%, a solid gain, while house values fell 2.0%, a modest decline. Rents moved differently: house rents increased 5.0% and unit rents rose 4.7%, so both property types saw higher rental income this year, with houses showing the slightly larger rent rise.

Put another way, the figures show units provided the stronger capital growth over the year, while the houses side produced the stronger movement in rental income. Which of those outcomes matters most depends on whether you are prioritising capital growth or rental income and on your own goals 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.