Where is Geelong?
The Geelong region is considered a port city and is Victoria’s second largest city after Melbourne. The Greater Geelong region is located approximately 75km South-West of Melbourne. It is located on Corio Bay, and within a short drive from popular beach-front communities on the Peninsula as well as being the gateway to the famous Great Ocean Road, which begins just south of Geelong at Torquay.
Disclaimer: This article is general nature and should not be relied upon. FHBA is not qualified or licensed to recommend locations for your first home. If you do not know where you want to buy your first home you should speak to a licensed professional.
Why Geelong?
Whilst Geelong is located 75km from Victoria’s capital city, there are some great reasons why Geelong is consistently ranked in the top 10 cities of Australia to live in. We take a look at these reasons below:
Transport & Location – Geelong has the new regional rail link which has allowed for more seats and a greater frequency of services. Trains run every ten minutes in the morning and every twenty minutes in the evening. It takes just over an hour to get from Geelong’s main station to the Melbourne CBD, the train line and network also provides convenient access for those working in Melbourne’s surrounding suburbs. The other advantage Geelong offers is the limited amount of traffic on the Geelong roads, allowing you to cross the region in 10 – 15 minutes!
Schools – Geelong is spoilt for choice, from government schools to some very reputable private schools in the country. Whatever your preference, there will be something to suit you and your child’s needs. As Geelong is considered a regional area, the childcare centres also don’t have the large waiting times that cities like Melbourne do! There are also two Deakin University campuses for those looking for tertiary education.
Beaches – Whilst the Geelong Bayside areas aren’t considered beaches, the Greater Geelong area is home to some of the most pristine beaches along the Bellarine & Surf Coast. These are only a short & peaceful drive away from the Geelong CBD.
Sporting – Geelong is home to one of the AFL’s most dominant teams in the Geelong Cats! They even have their own stadium and there is plenty of empty open spaces and parkland for the children and teenagers to enjoy!
Birds eye view of Geelong’s beautiful bayside, stadium, parkland and vast array of housing options!
The Geelong economy
Historically, Geelong has been known for its job losses due to the business closures of companies like Ford & Alcoa. The City of Greater Geelong has a labour force of just over 101,000 with a large proportion of residents employed in the following professions:
- health care and social assistance;
- retail trade;
- manufacturing;
- education and training
- accommodation and food services,
- construction;
- and public administration and safety.
Enterprise Geelong has been established to drive more innovation, employment and economic growth in the Geelong region.
The local government in Geelong has also placed a great emphasis on key housing strategies and initiatives designed to grow the economy, some of these include:
- Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Plan
- Central Geelong Structure Plan
- Central Geelong Action Plan
Geelong Housing
New housing has grown in popularity as first home buyers on tight budgets look to get a foothold in the market in the more affordable areas surrounding the Melbourne along with the $20,000 Regional VIC FHOG (for new homes only) which has been extended to 1 Jul 2017, for a period of 3 years. The infrastructure and train network in the Geelong region has led to better accessibility which as prompted aspiring first home buyers (especially those living in the South-Western suburbs of Melbourne) to consider Geelong as their ideal first home destination.
According to APM Data, the median house price in Geelong is currently $647,000 and the median unit price currently stands at $470,000.
Whilst this median price for Geelong can be seen as expensive, Geelong is home to 70 + suburbs which have median prices well below $500,000. Some of these suburbs include:
- Armstrong Creek
- Mount Duneed
- Corio
- Curlewis
- Lara
- Drysdale
- Charlemont
Looking to determine if you have saved enough for your first home in on of Geelong’s suburbs? Click here to use our Eligibility Estimator.
How can FHBA help secure your first home in Geelong?
Buying your first home can be quite tricky. That’s why at FHBA we are with you every step of the way, even as far as helping you move into your first home!
First Home Loan
Your FHBA Coach will explain all the steps, determine your borrowing capacity, offer suitable loan options, compile your loan application paperwork and even assist you with applications for the FHOG and Stamp Duty concessions. Click here to get pre-approved with a no-charge assessment!
FHOG eligible brand new home
The map below shows our range of brand new property opportunities for aspiring first home buyers looking to buy in Geelong and surrounding areas (all with FHOG eligibility + the FHBA 50 Rebate!). Simply click on the map for more details on each option. Be sure to make an enquiry if you are interested and want to know more about these or other options!
We have access to over 15 different projects across the Geelong region!
Established homes
FHBA Buyers Edge assists first home buyers looking to buy an established home – regardless of budget, property type, or property location, we will not rest until you have successfully settled on a property you have chosen & you have comfortably moved into your first home. Find out more about our specialist services, by clicking here
If you are looking for more information or if you have any questions, please complete the form below to speak to an FHBA Coach.
Written By,
Taj Singh
FHBA co-founder
