Reviews

Summary: An interesting mix of both budget high-density living and the ridiculously high end, Kensington in the “Inner South East” is an extremely diverse suburb that contains fragments of all the varied parts of Sydney both past and present. Squat and ugly mid-rise apartment blocks sit alongside grand Federation homes; slick modern gyms neighbour long-running, old-time local Asian restaurants & abandoned storefronts – all while massive, gorgeous parks and prominent public works lie just a street or two away.

It’s a highly central and well-located suburb that offers numerous demographics a chance at city-adjacent living, with good public transport connectivity and a helping of busy and noisy roads all mixed in. Sprinkle in some absolutely gorgeous pockets of wealthy living, a handful of impressive historic buildings, and an education-oriented chunk of student-heavy society, and you’ve got a recipe for one of the more eclectic suburbs Sydney has to offer. And, one that can often be as cheap – or expensive – as you like.
Read Review

Summary: Grand, historic and full of character, Haberfield is one of Sydney’s most charismatic suburbs that retains much of its legacy without the taint of more sterile modern development creeping in. Its Italian heritage remains obvious, not only in its excellent array of quality dining and cafes on offer, but the demographics and faces of its older residents as well. Heritage homes with picturesque gardens and quiet back streets contrast with some semi-industrial and traffic-packed parts of its extremities to form quite a contrast, however.

With a physical position that puts it within easy striking distance of the CBD along with its spacious, low-density housing blocks, it’s should be no surprise that Haberfield is highly expensive and priced out of reach for most. Add in traffic concerns with its arterial roads and some issues with aircraft noise, and Haberfield definitely isn’t perfect – but it certainly is pretty, and a part of Sydney everyone should visit at least once. Read Review

Summary: If the search for a larger-sized home for a more reasonable price – without compromising on either safety or connectivity to the Sydney CBD – is getting you down, don’t sleep on Holsworthy as a highly viable solution. Technically the biggest suburb in the city, Holsworthy’s main residential area is a trim and tidy concentration of family-friendly property on generally large blocks set up alongside a ton of facilities to cater to those with kids.

This is a suburb that’s home to a mostly-peaceful environment and pretty hefty helpings of bush-style greenery along with a collection of schools, townhouses and freestanding homes with enough amenities to satisfy daily needs as well. It’s a bit lacking in terms of dining and retail as well as apartment/unit options, and non-families may feel a little out of place, but with what you’re getting for the price Holsworthy still ranks as one of the best value suburbs in Sydney.
Read Review

Summary: Tranquil, substantially green and overall upmarket, Denistone is a quiet pocket of classy North Shore goodness sandwiched between two drastically different suburbs on either side. It’s physically a relatively compact suburb which runs up a hillside, providing some often impressive views from atop its streetscape which is mainly dotted with large-scale freestanding homes.

Denistone has the benefit of a central location and good transport connectivity without any of the bustle or crime which usually comes along with these, and while that also brings a bit of a “retirement village’ vibe along with it, its level of peace and decent traffic situation helps balance this out. It’s great for those with pets and who appreciate greenery, but is a near-total wasteland in terms of amenities with little to offer outside of medical services. It’s also pricey, due to both the age and size of its many impressive homes. Read Review

Summary: A largely working class, fairly central Sydney suburb offering a mixed bag of good value prices, wide and varied public green spaces, iffy traffic and a solid array of amenities, Riverwood has a “little bit for everyone” that comes with a decent location along with the occasional surface-level blemish. It’s a bit of a hodge-podge without much consistency in design, layout and home styles, but this also offers wide variety in environments and property types to choose from as a result.

Good transport connectivity and proximity to main roads and highways help make it quite accessible, while its mix of demographics and cultures is reflected in its diverse blend of stores and restaurants. There’s some neglect in its otherwise impressively varied public spaces and nature strips and it has some statistical issues with crime, yet for families, pets, and general all-round living it’s about the best price you’re going to be able to pay this close and connected to Sydney city.
Read Review

Summary: Perhaps THE premier hub for Asian dining in all of Sydney, Eastwood consists of an ultra-dense central district packed to the brim with restaurants and services, coexisting alongside high-end, premier residential back streets for quite the suburban contrast. It’s a place that has experienced marked demographic change over the past few decades, and now provides an interesting mix of legacy stores and homes along with pockets of brand-new development added in.

It’s well-connected in terms of public transport by both road and rail, and has an extremely good array of suburban greenery which – along with its upper-tier education options – make it highly desirable for families as well. Some parts of its central area could use a slight facelift and it faces some significant issues in terms of both traffic & parking, while prices for its often-massive freestanding homes in particular may prove prohibitively expensive for most. Read Review

Summary: The winds of change are slowly blowing on Canterbury, an older suburb now seeing multiple helpings of newer, modernised elements creep in. If you’re put off by the prices of the Inner West, yet not wanting to sacrifice much in the way of distance or location from the Sydney CBD, Canterbury is a solid fall-back option that doesn’t differ too much in the way of quality of life.

Its mix of location, connectivity and quantity of green spaces is exceptional for the price, while it’s also largely safe and peaceful outside of its main road-adjacent spots. At surface level, it could do with a fair bit of extra polish and maintenance and makes the suburb look “cheaper” in many spots than it actually is; that and its issues with traffic are its two main black marks. All of this otherwise makes for a good quality “sleeper” suburb that’s a decent spot to both live and invest, particularly with upcoming infrastructure projects on the horizon.
Read Review

Summary: A suburb for those after a fairly premier, central spot and who don’t want to pay the absolute premiums of some of the truly elite Eastern Sydney suburbs, Kingsford is a largely residential slice of the city in which location is its primary selling point. Close proximity to educational facilities, beaches and even Sydney City itself coupled with its newly-added light rail system give Kingsford a connectivity factor that’s easy to appreciate.

It’s also a suburb with enough variety in housing – with a large contrast between its classy and expansive houses in the east and higher-density living in the west – to cater to both students and families, however it brings along with it high pricetags in return. Its amenities are increasingly solid if unspectacular and it’s not the greenest suburb in the world, while traffic is also another factor. It’s fairly peaceful outside of its central hub, while families will have multiple options for education nearby as well.
Read Review

Summary: Situated in a position where the “true” Western Suburbs of Sydney begin to come into full effect, Roselands is a solid all-rounder suburb that represents a pretty good house value vs. safety mix despite a few flaws. It’s in a slight no-man’s-land when it comes to access, with both the Sydney CBD and Parramatta a little awkward to get to due to traffic issues, however it boasts large and roomy homes along with a mostly pleasant and green streetscape in its many spacious residential areas.

Rich in amenities courtesy of its major shopping hub and strips of warehouse-sized stores, it’s also quite busy with multiple main arterial roads carving it up. Missing rail connectivity, limited green public spaces, and a lack of restaurant-style dining are its other notable weaknesses, but if you’re after a spacious home for a relatively decent price without being in the middle of nowhere it’s otherwise worth considering. Read Review

Summary: Exceptionally well-equipped for families, if you’ve got (or are about to have) children of school-going age it’s hard to argue against Croydon as one of the best suburbs in all of Sydney. Quaint and peaceful yet well-located and connected, this is the clean, charming side of the Inner West that retains its heritage roots while adding elements of gentrification largely without breaking its original atmosphere.

It’s got a lot of character in both its local stores and streetscape, a couple of truly excellent parks, and is very safe – yet it’s the array of schools that help set Croydon apart from its peers. It’s not the cheapest to buy in, has some traffic issues and isn’t a nightlife hotspot, but otherwise remains one of the most underrated suburbs in Sydney.
Read Review