Looking for the best suburbs to buy in Brisbane? We have you covered.
As locals in the area, having lived in Brisbane all our life, we have the inside scoop if you are coming from interstate or overseas where to buy in Brisbane if you are not familiar with the area.
There has been a lot of discussion about property prices in Brisbane plummeting due to rising interest rates. Will it happen? No-body knows but if you want to buy in this uncertain time, these 5 suburbs are relatively safe blue-chip locations, which we believe will rise in value in the longer term (5-10 years).
5 Best Suburbs to Buy in Brisbane
Paddington
Paddington is one of the trendiest suburbs in Brisbane, filled with super cool cafes and restaurants – it is one of the most popular suburbs to live in Brisbane because of the amount of cool things to do in the area there are.
It is also located within Brisbane’s golden 5km radius. Buying within a 5km radius of Brisbane city is always a smart move.
Compared to Melbourne and Sydney, Brisbane is still relatively affordable to purchase within the golden 5km ring.
As of 2022, you can buy an entry level house in Paddington for around 1.5 million for around 400m2 of land. A comparable suburb in Sydney would set you back at least a million dollars more.
If you are looking for an investment property, rent in Paddington is strong. For a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom renovated house in Paddington, you are looking at around $1000 a week, which is pretty decent.
We pick Paddington as one of the best places to buy a house in Brisbane and think it will continue to increase in equity, especially up until the Olympic Games in Brisbane.
If you have children, there are also great free State Schools located within Paddington including the popular Ithaca Creek State School.
House in Paddington sold for $1.55million in October 2022
Bardon
Next to Paddington, is the prestigious suburb of Bardon. Bardon is the leafy neighbour of Paddington which is less cosmopolitan and more family friendly than its neighbour.
As it is slightly further out from the city but still within the magic 5km radius, Bardon might be seeing you get more ‘bang for your buck’ than Paddington in terms of size of the property and amount of land you can buy for your money. If you want a slightly bigger family home, in still a very upmarket area, Bardon is a great choice.
As of 2022, you can buy an entry level house in Paddington for around 1.5-1.6 million for around 500m2 of land. Rent returns are high in Bardon, with a renovated house with 3 bedroom and 2 bath, achieving $700-800 per week in rent.
If you have children, there are also great free State Schools located within Bardon including the fabulous Rainworth State School.
Entry level house in Bardon one of the best streets sold in September 2020 for $1,570,000. Renovated houses in this street can sell up to $3,000,000.
Ashgrove
Another North-side suburb in Brisbane which is definitely one of the best suburbs to buy in Brisbane, is the gorgeous suburb of Ashgrove.
Ashgrove is a very family friendly suburb and holds its value well due to the top quality free State Schools which are available to families who live in the catchment area, including the best free public State School in Brisbane, Ashgrove State School.
Ashgrove has easy shopping and great restaurants and cafes in the area, including one of the best Thai in Brisbane, the Thai on Grove restaurant.
As of 2022, you can buy an entry level house in Paddington for around 1.4 million for around 500m2 of land. Rent returns are also high in Ashgrove, with a renovated house with 3 bedroom and 2 bath, achieving $700-$800 per week in rent.
Note: some areas of Ashgrove are flood effected so check out the City Council Flood map before buying a property in Ashgrove.
Hamilton
Hamilton is one of Brisbane’s longest standing blue-chip suburbs with some of the wealthiest people choosing to live in Hamilton.
Hamilton has recently had an influx of apartments built in the area, which made the values of the area more uncertain. However, we believe the suburb still has good long term potential, especially if you are purchasing a house in the area.
One of the best parts about living in Hamilton is the great public transport connections in the area. Brisbane is notorious for having average public transport but Hamilton has decent transport options along Kingsford Smith drive and with the train nearby.
You can get an entry level 3 bedroom property in Hamilton (in a less prestigious street, or near the train line) for as low as $1.1 – $1.2 million, which provides exceptional value for money and one of the best suburbs to invest in Brisbane.
Hamilton also has great free public State Schools available if you have a family including Hamilton State School.
New Farm
New Farm is one of, if not the most trendy suburb to live in in Brisbane with lots of hipsters flocking to the area due to the amazing cafes, restaurants and bars in the area.
New Farm also commands very high rents in Brisbane so if you are looking for a decent return on investment, new Farm is a great option.
There is a reason why rents in the area are high however. New Farm is one of the most expensive suburbs in Brisbane to buy an entry level house. An entry level house in New Farm will set you back $1.6-1.7 million.
If you can afford to extend your budget this high, we believe it is still a great long term investment as it continues to be one of the most desirable places to live in Brisbane, year after year.
Entry level house in New Farm (below) sold for $1.71 million in August 2022.
New Farm is a more cosmopolitan area and many young couples choose to base themselves there while enjoying the lifestyle it has to offer including catching the CityCat to work instead of the bus.
Suburbs to Avoid in Brisbane
Suburbs outside the 5km Golden Ring
With uncertainty in the market, we would avoid purchasing in less blue-chip locations in Brisbane, until after interest rates stabilise.
Rosalie
Rosalie is a gorgeous suburb with some of the best cafes and restaurants in Brisbane but be prepared for your property to flood.
If you are not familiar with Brisbane, Rosalie has flooded every time Brisbane has gone under with locals even being able to get canoes and kayaks out in the streets and paddle around.
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