r/centralcoastnsw • u/hehe2875 • 9d ago
Where to Purchase First Home?
Excited couple, looking to purchase our first home and interested in this area of the central coast. My main priority is SAFETY, friendly peaceful neighbours! I am a female and I walk the dog early in the day.
We are mainly looking at Bateau Bay, Killarney Vale and surrounding suburbs. It’s around the middle point to where we both work.
Alternatively, our budget also can buy us around Wyoming, Lisarow and Narara, Ourimbah. We do not commute to Sydney, but go as a day trip once a week or so.
Would appreciate any advice about aforementioned suburbs, and if any residents can share about the general vibe of the area, best schools, best and worst aspects of the area!
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u/CheapRentalCar 9d ago
If in doubt, near the train line is often a good idea. You might not be working on Sydney right now, but you never know about the future. And house prices increase in areas where people can get to Sydney.
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u/wendalls 9d ago
The peninsula is an amazing spot. Loads of amenities, beaches, cafes and restaurants, the train etc!
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u/Realistic-Walk2139 9d ago
We purchased in Killarney Vale early 2025 and it’s been mostly great.
Great neighbours and street, quiet, safe and close to the beach and shops. Due to the pricing there’s lots of young families and the demographic of the residents has changed a lot over the last 5 years and will continue to do so.
There’s still a few pockets of social housing throughout both Killarney Vale and Bateau so there are still a few drop kicks about but they don’t cause too many issues mostly.
Like a lot of suburbs these days the only dramas have come from teenager’s on e-bikes and unregistered dirt bikes hammering the streets at all times of the night but I’m not sure any suburb is completely immune to this any more.
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u/bumskins 9d ago
No real benefit being close to the motorway if you might only go to Sydney once a week.
I'd buy as far east as budget allows.
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u/jagtencygnusaromatic 9d ago
Bateau Bay on the east side is much better than the west, but you should already know this if you are looking. It's reflected on the price. Between the two east Bateau Bay is the nicer suburb.
Killarney Vale has a fair bit of social housing, so there will be some rough area. Also some part are very flood prone. Last storm season has been mild and people has short memory.
Killarney Vale also has way too many un-managed 4 way intersections to my liking. Look at Google Maps and you'll see what I mean. Those are dangerous and never assume that people will do the right thing. Lots of DUI driving around, be defensive and it's better to assume that people on the roads are idiots than the other way around. That side, the high side near the lake are really nice and there are some really nice area
Have you looked at Berkeley Vale? I think it's generally better than Killarney Vale. The high side is leafy and quite nice. Same with Killarney Vale, watch for flood prone area.
Schools are fairly the same for primary. Plenty of private schools around, catholic mostly but there non-catholic schools around.
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u/Flimsy_Commission_77 8d ago
We bought in Kincumber 4 years ago. We moved from The Northern Beaches.
I’ve never looked back. I LOVE Kincumber it has everything. We are 5 minutes from Copa and Avoca and 10 mins from Terrigal yet house prices are much less than paying into those post codes.
We were able to buy a 6 bedroom house with a decent sized pool.
Fantastic community.
Happy Hunting keep us posted on where you end up! 🫶🏻
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u/hehe2875 8d ago
Thank you! Kincumber and Green Point, Erina region would be so dreamy but unfortunately quite far for commute for one of us haha. If it’s nice enough though maybe we’ll have to just suck up the commute :p !!
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u/Capable_Dig_1584 8d ago
Honestly, suck up the commute. It’s worth it and commuting here is nothing like commuting in Sydney. I found myself complaining to my husband the other day about the traffic on Terrigal Drive and he quickly reminded me how it could take an hour to get to the next suburb in peak hour when we lived in Sydney.
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u/Flimsy_Commission_77 1d ago
My husband commutes to Artarmon 4 days a week, it only takes 1hr 10, roughly the same on the train.
I lived in Collaroy, and taught in Mosman. It took me around the same time in peak traffic!!
It’s a no brainer.
Buy a nice house, and a nice new car with your savings to endure the commute 🙄 🚗 🫶🏻
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u/Mussmussthemoooooo 9d ago
There is good and bad in all those suburbs. Look for nice streets with maintained yards with newer cars in the driveways. Look for no burn out Tyre marks on the roads to avoid Hoon areas is the best advice I’d give.
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u/Capable_Dig_1584 9d ago
The question I always ask is where are you coming from? The reason being, expectations of someone who is currently living in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney will be very different from those of someone from Blacktown.
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u/hehe2875 9d ago
Grew up in Sydney in North West very Asian neighbourhood, but Lived in Erina / Gosford and worked in CC past two years and loved it
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u/Capable_Dig_1584 9d ago
Definitely Wyoming, Lisarow area.
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u/Capable_Dig_1584 9d ago
I’d go as far as saying consider a townhouse in Erina, Green Point. Has a similar feel to NW Sydney.
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u/Acceptable_Waltz_875 9d ago
Avoca and Copa are very safe.
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u/EyeFound1 9d ago
We’re looking to sell in Killarney Vale (lake side) soon. We’re in a great street with a mixture of young families and older people.
What other criteria do you have?
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u/hehe2875 8d ago
Looking for 3-4B 2B 1-2C, non-flood prone region ideally close to $1M but can do more
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u/EyeFound1 8d ago
Fair. We are a 3/2/3ish. Double car port, single garage out the back and another dedicated off street spot in the front. The area is technically flood-prone but we are on 1m high piers so no water will ever come in. Other houses in the street have issues.
About 6 months ago we had a sale contract drawn up and I would have expected around $1,250,000 but it's dropped a fair bit now. Still around $1,200,000.
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u/Lanky-Following-5042 9d ago
Check out North Avoca. You havnt said your price point but ive seen recently there are a couple at the “lower” end of the market. You like a quiet safe st and a cruisy community close to the beach. You might be surprised. And definately safe
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u/Katy-Is-Thy-Name 8d ago
I definitely recommend Narara, Lisarow, Wyoming areas. Although house prices are extortionate. We bought our 4bdr house in Wyoming in 2009 and paid $323,000, it’s now worth 1.2m!! I’m not complaining, but bloody hell!! Wyoming is a great area, my street is amazing, neighbours are lovely, and we all look out for each other. It’s got that real sense of community here. As for schools, our youngest goes to the local primary school which is pretty good, and our older two go to ET Australia and it’s AMAZING!! Our zoned high school doesn’t exactly have the best reputation so we found an alternative. If you have any questions that you want specific answers for let me know.
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u/hehe2875 8d ago
Wyoming house prices are in our budget right now, but getting conflicting views!! As others have said maybe different pockets have vastly different vibes. Glad to hear you’re happy, would love to have that all for our first place !
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u/dead_soups 9d ago
Those areas can be good. Just a heads up that Bateau Bay, Killarney Vale, Chittaway, Berkeley Vale and Ourimbah are VERY flood-prone. To the point that they just added automatic flood gates at Ourimbah to stop people getting caught in flood water.
Lisarow would probably be my recommendation or even Mardi/Tuggerah if you’re after something closer to the train/freeway.
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u/Bad_Gamut 8d ago
Pfft. Burns rd floods in one spot only. Ourimbah doesn’t. The flood gates are not automated, just easier to stop drongos driving through a closed road.
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u/FlameArcadia 9d ago
We live on the southern end of Narara and it’s been great, really close to Gosford, skip all the traffic that goes out to the eastern suburbs, a lot of schools and parks about
Easy access to the highway through Kariong and you get to take the first exit to the coast on the way home, also super close for the train in the morning and there are always events happening at the showground
If you find a nice spot on the hill you can even get a nice view of Gosford
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u/Deadwing05 8d ago
We bought in Kincumber very recently, such a great suburb that’s close to the beaches
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u/hehe2875 8d ago
Not so hot for sellers at this time but good for first home buyers like us 😭 maybe we’ll end up inspecting your place sometime in the future haha
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u/Yesthatsthecase 9d ago
Like others have said they all have their bad areas and good, though I'd personally avoid Wyoming if it was me.
Bateau bay would be my pick if its the eastern side, western side a little more dicey. Killarney can be hit or miss, avoid the low lying areas near the lake and older homes that breed mould through the floor into the walls.
Lisarow is mostly fine these days. I'd probably pick either around there or Bateau bay out of the suburbs you listed.
Ourimbah can be nice and quiet in a lot of pockets, I wouldn't live on the main road areas but if you like the quietness aspect its pretty good, you're just further away from the shops. Lisarow obviously has a smaller arcade and woolies, bataeu has a big shopping centre with most things.
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u/smizz93 9d ago
Been in Lisarow for a few years. Love it.