How to find long term property value in the Inner West?
If you live in the Inner West or you are looking to buy there, you would be hard-pressed to not know several infrastructure projects are going on with multiple large construction sites.
While living directly opposite a construction site may not be an ideal scenario for you, there is a lot of up-side to buying in an area with strong government support for better road access and public transport.
There are 2 major projects of which you should be aware: West Connex and Sydney Metro. Both create some fantastic opportunities to leverage for future property value.
1. West Connex
The West Connex project has completed two stages, with stage three being the M4-M5 link tunnel due to open in 2023. This will mean that you can travel from the St Peters interchange to Rozelle and Haberfield via the tunnel. In a practical sense, you can go from the Inner West to the Blue Mountains without traffic lights, or continue on the new M8 tunnel to get down to Canberra and the South Coast. It will make getting out of Sydney on a Friday night for a weekend away much easier.
Watch points for the West Connex are the streets that may be used as the 'rat run' to access the new tunnel, and houses which are directly above the tunnel that could have structural integrity issues; a building report will help you understand if the property has been impacted or not.
2. Sydney Metro
The new metro will have two lines that service the Inner West region. The City & Southwest line with stations being built in Sydenham, Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, and Hurlstone Park, and the West line with stations at Balmain (The Bays), Five Dock, Burwood North, and North Strathfield. This will significantly reduce travel times into the CBD, and Olympic Park, as well reduce the number of buses on the road and ease congestion through the Inner West. The Sydney Metro lines are due to open in 2024.
There will be an upside in property value, for homes that are within a 10-15min walk of the new Metro stations.
Buying property is not a short-term transaction, and leveraging the current opportunities in the Inner West that will benefit from the new tunnel and new Metro access, will position you well for long-term property price growth.
If you are looking to buy then be sure to download a copy of our free Home Buyer’s Guide.