Summary: Mostly known for being home to Sydney Airport, Mascot has become a hotspot for mass, high-density residential development that has markedly changed its face, both for better and for worse. It has such a wide variance in its positive and negative factors – good location, bad traffic, great amenities, plenty of noise, et al – that its appeal as a place to live will likely depend on individual tastes perhaps more than any other suburb in inner Sydney at this point. These wild contrasts between highs and lows make it nothing if not interesting; it’s a living case-study in rapid Sydney urban planning and development. Read Review

Summary: Situated on the outermost fringes of what most would consider Sydney’s “Inner West”, Burwood is renowned for two main things: its range of shopping, and its Chinese community. Amenity-wise, this is one of the most well-equipped suburbs in all of Sydney, with a diverse range of large and small-scale retail, as well as heavy concentrations of restaurants. It’s busy and bustling at most hours of the day in its central portions, while its suburban streets are wider, quieter, and quite expensive. It’s a bit noisy and not exactly diverse, but its location and connectivity both definitely work in its favour. Read Review

Summary: Centrally located and with a diverse mix of people, industry and commerce, Waterloo is fairly well-balanced, yet doesn’t stand out in any one area other than its physical position. Its connectivity and proximity to Sydney city is a major plus, yet it does not boast any outstanding features that would set it aside as a place to live compared to a number of the suburbs which surround it. Traffic and infrastructure issues are a factor, and there are portions of the suburb which remain a little dodgy, although it offers easy access to some good public spaces nearby. Read Review

Summary: A land of long driveways, immaculately-kept gardens, and sprawling grand homes, Killara on the North Shore is an impressive concentration of greenery-draped wealth. Freestanding houses here rank among the upper tier of northern Sydney, however there’s enough of a selection of modern apartments to keep things viable for others at earlier stages of life. It’s leafy, it’s safe, it’s quiet, and it’s not too far a commute from the CBD – as long as you’re happy with not much to do at all in your own backyard, and willing to fork out some cash. Read Review