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

Tootgarook sits on the Mornington Peninsula around the low-lying Tootgarook Wetland and a long foreshore on Port Phillip. The suburb reads as quietly maritime, with older timber holiday cottages alongside modest family homes on tree-lined streets and some newer builds, so life feels laidback and lived-in. The wetland and beach are the defining natural assets, used for walks and birdwatching, while everyday shops and services are found in neighbouring Rosebud and Rye.

Home to 3,178 people with a median age of 46, Tootgarook is a suburb of families alongside holiday homeowners and retirees. About seven in ten homes are owner-occupied, which gives the area a settled character. There is ongoing coastal and wetland work including a wetland management plan, ecological studies and foreshore sand nourishment, and local upgrades such as new footpath connections and intersection improvements that affect daily movement around the town. Whether it suits you depends on whether an unhurried seaside lifestyle matches what you want.

On the figures, buying a house in Tootgarook sits well above what a typical local household earned at the last Census. A median house price of $785,000 works out to about 11.7 times a typical local household's annual income at the last Census (weekly household income $1,294, annualised to $67,288).

Renting still takes a significant slice of local income. A house rent of $593 a week is about 45.9% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census, while a unit rent of $433 a week is about 33.5% of that weekly income, roughly a third. If you are renting rather than buying, those rent shares are the most relevant numbers.

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

House rents in Tootgarook climbed a solid 7.8% over the past year, while house values rose a moderate 4.4%. For someone weighing Tootgarook up as an investment, the value change points to capital growth and the rent change to rental income — in this period rental income has been the stronger performer. Whether that balance suits 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.