Choosing a suburb: a weekend checklist

You can change almost anything about a house, but not where it is. Before you commit to a suburb, spend a full weekend there doing ordinary things. It is the cheapest research you will ever do, and it often settles a decision that months of online browsing could not.

Friday evening: the commute home

Do the trip from your workplace to the suburb at the time you would normally travel. Take the train, the bus or the car, whichever you would really use. Note how long it takes, whether you get a seat and how you feel when you arrive. A commute that looks like 30 minutes on a map can be 55 in practice.

Saturday morning: the high street

Have breakfast at a local cafe and walk the main shopping strip. Look for the things you use every week: a supermarket, a pharmacy, a GP, a gym, a hardware store. Notice who is around. Young families, retirees, students and dog walkers all tell you something about the area.

Saturday afternoon: schools, parks and sport

If you have children or plan to, check school catchment maps on the state education department's website. Catchments can change, and a house a street away can fall into a different zone. Walk to the nearest parks and playgrounds, and find out where weekend sport is played.

Saturday night: noise and light

Go back after dark. Some streets that are calm during the day sit under a flight path, next to a busy pub or beside a road that turns into a shortcut at night. Others are quieter than you expected. Check how well lit the walk from the station or bus stop is.

Sunday: the practical checks

• Look up the council's flood and bushfire maps for the streets you like.
• Check planned developments nearby, including high-rise approvals and major roadworks.
• Test the mobile signal and ask about internet connection types.
• Read the local community noticeboards and social pages for recurring complaints.
• Look at recent sales, not just listings, to understand real prices.

Talk to people

Locals are usually happy to talk. Ask the cafe owner what has changed in the last five years, or a neighbour walking their dog what they would change about the street. You will hear things no listing will tell you.

Write it down

By Sunday evening, write a short list of what you liked and what bothered you. Do the same for each suburb you are considering. Comparing notes written on the day is far more reliable than comparing memories a month later.

If you would like help comparing suburbs in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth, our agents are happy to share what they know, including the downsides.