Get a property report and suburb profile for any property in Sunshine North

Sunshine North is an established residential pocket north of Sunshine, known for tree-lined streets of postwar brick bungalows and weatherboard cottages alongside pockets of low-rise units and newer infill homes. It has a practical, working suburb character, with parks, sporting ovals and schools serving neighbourhood families while industrial and commercial precincts sit on its edges. Shopping, bus links and Sunshine railway station are all within easy reach, with straightforward road connections across the western suburbs.

About 12,047 people live in Sunshine North and the median age is 37. The community is weighted towards families — couple families with children are the largest group and together the couple-family categories make up about 73.4% of families — and most homes are owner-occupied (around 69.2%), with roughly 30.8% rented. Local investment is under way, including a purpose-built early years and community centre at Dempster Park, nearby transport works that will add a shared walking and cycling overpass, an upgraded local reserve and a proposed Cary Street pocket park. Whether that suits you depends on what you’re after in a suburb.

House buying in Sunshine North sits high against local incomes. A median house price of $725,000 is about 10.0 times a typical local household's annual income at the last Census (weekly household income $1,399). Renting looks less extreme but still significant: $560 a week for a house is about 40.0% of that weekly household income, while $440 a week for a unit is about 31.5%. On these figures, buying a house sits well above what local households earned at the last Census, and renting would take a large (house) or sizeable (unit) share of a typical local household's income.

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

The most striking movement in Sunshine North over the past 12 months is in units: median unit values climbed a strong 24.0%, while median house values rose a modest 2.8%. In other words, capital growth has been much stronger for units than for houses over the year.

Rents tell a different story. House rents increased a solid 7.1% over the year, whereas unit rents fell 4.3%. If rental income is the main goal, the house side has been the stronger performer this year; if capital growth is your priority, units produced the larger price rise. Whether that balance suits your plans depends on your own 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.