I never thought I’d live in a home on a 105 square-metre block with two kids.
If you told me this 10 years ago – and added that said home isn’t even in the ‘cool’ suburb I lived in back then – past me would have likely exclaimed some sort of expletive.
But here I am, two kids under seven in a townhouse about 14 kilometres from the city – and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Property news editor Jemimah Clegg's small backyard. Picture: Jemimah Clegg
I started thinking about this earlier in the week, after reading this piece about Melbourne’s shrinking backyards.
I published another article last week by our writer Lisa Calautti which revealed it’s not just a Melbourne thing – Sydney was, of course, experiencing this phenomenon, with Brisbane likely to follow suit.
But is it a bad thing? It depends really. For one, we are lucky to have three parks in walking distance – one of them very large with a lake and community events.
If we didn’t have that, or walkable access to the train and our local shopping strip, things would be different.
Townhouses provide more space for families than units, while allowing then to live close to ammenities. Picture: Getty
My townhouse is one of four on a block where one house used to sit. This one block of land is now home to four young families, rather than just accomodating one.
There are countless other developments allowing hundreds – if not thousands – more families, young people and downsizers to live close to the great and growing amenities in my suburb.
Speaking of those amenities, our property journalist Daniel Butkovich wrote a story on just how much it costs to live in a 'hot pocket' of any given suburb across the country.
Buyers are often willing to pay more to be closer to parks, cafes and public transport, meaning homes further from the action may sell for less. Picture: realestate.com.au/sold
Areas of a suburb with access to great schools, parks and dining and retail streets tended to be more expensive than other areas away from those amenities, he found while researching the story.
My patch is not the most expensive in my suburb, but it’s up there – and thank goodness – after 13 interest rate rises since we purchased, here’s hoping our property’s value is holding up.
RBA Governor, Michele Bullock announced the first rate-cut in years after February's meeting. Picture: Jeremy Piper
Of course this brings me to interest rates, with many tongues wagging this past week about whether a second cut is imminent.
Our finance editor, Hope Coumbe crunched the latest inflation numbers, and it’s unfortunately not looking likely.
All we can do is hold-out until the next announcement in April, and take the small win last week’s decision brings. And, of course, shop around for a better interest rate.
Meanwhile you’ll find me most evenings and weekends pottering around our little courtyard, catching the last of the year’s daylight savings and willing my tomatoes to hang on a bit longer.
Property news editor Jemimah Clegg's garden in her small backyard. Picture: Jemimah Clegg
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