In the wise words of Hans Christian Andersen, "It is only with the heart that one can see clearly, for the most essential things are invisible to the eye."
Sure, he was talking about an unsightly baby duck rebranding as a beautiful swan, but it’s all about the metaphor, guys.
In real estate terms, ‘ugly duckling suburbs’ are those that have long been considered unappealing for superficial reasons. But as in-demand swan suburbs become increasingly unattainable for many, buyers are beginning to see the potential in the lesser hyped neighbourhoods NSW has to offer. From Liverpool to Cessnock, it’s time to house hunt with your heart in these overlooked ugly duckling suburbs.
Liverpool
This Greater Western Sydney suburb is a city in itself, boasting everything from a university campus and hospital, to thriving retail spaces and public transport hubs. Upcoming infrastructure projects like the new Sydney airport makes Liverpool a strong swan contender, especially when it comes to the unit market where the median is currently $475K.
Arncliffe
Just south of the Cooks River and mere kilometres away from Tempe and Marrickville, Arncliffe offers the chance to live out your inner-west dreams for a fraction of the price. Having recently undergone development and with more on the horizon, this oft-over looked south Sydney suburb is well on its way to swan territory. Here, median house prices sit at around $1.42M and units $708K.
Cessnock
The Hunter District is known for its rugged beauty, but scenic Cessnock rarely gets a mention in the conversation. Newcastle and Lake Macquarie might be the district’s darlings, but if you trace the map inland you’ll find a tight-knit community with world-class wineries at its doorstep. Somehow overlooked by the treechange trend, houses here sell for a median of $593K.
Glenmore Park
The Panthers aren’t the only reason Penrith’s been on the up-and-up the past few years—the Greater Western Sydney city has also been gaining popularity as housing affordability continues to worsen elsewhere. Due to development and gentrification, future price growth in the area is reliable, and the small yet mighty suburb of Glenmore Park within the city of Penrith is being flagged for potential prosperity. It’s low rental vacancy rate of .5% is attracting investors in search of strong yields, with the median unit price at $708K.
Kingsford
Despite its close proximity to Clovelly, Coogee and Maroubra, somehow this quant neighbourhood in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs has received the ugly duckling treatment for years. Overshadowed by its exclusive neighbours (and at times, literally shadowed by overhead planes), the airport adjacent suburb is both less populated and less expensive than Randwick despite offering a strikingly similar lifestyle. Here, the median price of a house is $2.56M and $855K for a unit.
Quakers Hill
Known by the locals simply as ‘Quakers’, this suburb 40 kilometres west-north-west of the CBD is soaring in popularity amongst young families thanks to its spacious blocks and affordable homes. Dubbed ‘a hidden gem’ by many who’ve moved and/or been priced out of Sydney’s trendy inner west, Quakers boasts well maintained parks, good schools, and accessible transport links. Dwelling supply is already struggling to meet demand here, where the median house price is $1.03M and units $757K.
