What about Beckenham in Perth?

R

RAAFie

I have a friend who wants to sell his IP in Beckenham which he has held since 207. It has really underperformed compared to many of the suburbs around it and he is soon to be retiring and consolidating his assets. The blocks are big 600m2+ and his is 880m2, but not an R17.5. Beckenham is only 12 or 13 kilometres from Perth and as such should have inherant value, I would have thought.

Does anyone have any experience with this suburb and do you think it is worth buying into rather than somewhere like Canning Vale or a newer suburb?
 
RAAFie said:
. It has really underperformed compared to many of the suburbs around it
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Why would you buy in an underperforming suburb if the suburbs around it are doing better?
The question is if it looks like it will turn around. ie more drivers, changing demographic, council improvements, rezoning etc

You wouldnt buy in an underperforming suburb unless something was going to change.
 
It is an R17.5 sorry typo. The shire changed a few lots to allow for subdivsion but this was not one of them. The reason I am looking is because of its proximity to the CBD and future potential. Very few properties performed well in Perth over the past few years so I am thinking in the long run it does have potential.
 
HD_ACE said:
You wouldnt buy in an underperforming suburb unless something was going to change.
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Correct me if I am wrong, but perhaps that was the point of the question? Surrounding suburbs have done well, so buying in one that hasn't done so well recently may have more room to go up in the future due to realigning with the surrounding suburbs?

Shrug...never really been into Beckenham, just past. Is Beckenham near the huge furniture store on the corner of Kenwick Link?
 
To be honest I am not sure. I just had a look at google maps and it is the area behind that cluster of shops like the Good Guys, JBs and Super A Mart, if you know the area. I took a drive through it yesterday and it is certainly parallel to Albany Hwy. It looks older with most properties being houses on big blocks and lots being knocked down for new developments. My gut says it will be valuable in time. But I am only guessing.
 
RAAFie said:
I have a friend who wants to sell his IP in Beckenham which he has held since 207. It has really underperformed compared to many of the suburbs around it and he is soon to be retiring and consolidating his assets. The blocks are big 600m2+ and his is 880m2, but not an R17.5. Beckenham is only 12 or 13 kilometres from Perth and as such should have inherant value, I would have thought.

Does anyone have any experience with this suburb and do you think it is worth buying into rather than somewhere like Canning Vale or a newer suburb?
Click to expand...

It won't have more value until they do more rezoning in the area.

I suspect that in time that will come and the suburb will be heavily rebuilt and do well with the increase in density but until then it's a holding suburb in the hope of buying in cheap and reaping the rewards of rezoning.
 
Thats my hope too. I read in the paper that the government may allow people to build a Granny flat on a property and rent it out which has always been blocked by councils. That would be good if that ever happens. Anyway, thanks for the advice. I was looking at Lynwood too but Beckenham has less of a stigma - IMO.
 
I purchased right next door in Cannington in 2001. I'm more than happy with my four point DD criteria for short to mid term CG as identified in my CGA Investment Strategy Post. Value has tripled & so has the rental income. Gotta love property! :)
 
Thanks for the info about Cannington it is good to know. I personally prefer houses to units as I have an aversion to strata levies, body corporates and after listening to my dad's advice that the land is the key, not so much what is on it, I search for bigger blocks (not necessarily subdividable). The house I am looking at in Beckenham is an oldie but has reno potential and is pretty close to cash positive at the current interest rates. I was just concerned about the small CG the area has had over the past few years. Fingers crossed, the government change the ruling on granny flats too. Saves the long wait and hope that the zoning might change.

Thanks again:)
 
Nothing wrong in Beckenham. Especially the pocket near Brookland Road. Two months ago, I spotted a parcel of land selling for $150 a sq meter. It was huge, 4000sqm. Sadly, it was snapped up before I could act. Sold a few days after being listed. It was the sort of property that you could put a house on with no problems and later subdivide.

Caveat: when buying Beckenham, size matters. If you are chasing capital gain, make sure you buy on a development sized block.
 
Hi Oneworld,

We have our eye on a friends property just the other side of Albany Hwy on Streatham street; near where Albany Hwy crosses over the Roe Hwy. It is almost directly across from Brookland road too. It is a bigger block by metro standards but at the moment is not subdividable with a zoning of R17.5 I still feel that an 880m2 block so close to the city will in time have value and it is what is keeping me interested in the property. Perhaps the zoning may change and the government will allow us to build a granny flat which can be rented out separately:(
 
I grew up in beckenham on a couple of acres on Wimbledon St between Albany hwy and kenwick link (before it existed). It was a magnificent lifestyle for kids. I really like that pocket of beckenham but would never live that side of carousel because of the traffic coming into the city.

However since the rezoning there should be a few development blocks to pick up. I remember somebody telling me that there's a lot of clay in beckenhaym which could impact development (I don't know if it's true). I also remember that the pocket where we lived wasn't on deep sewer...I think that's still the case thus why they are still all big blocks. But I don't know of many other places in Perth where you could get so much land for your money that close to the city?
 
Value in Beckenham

justlearning said:
I grew up in beckenham on a couple of acres on Wimbledon St between Albany hwy and kenwick link (before it existed). It was a magnificent lifestyle for kids. I really like that pocket of beckenham but would never live that side of carousel because of the traffic coming into the city.

However since the rezoning there should be a few development blocks to pick up. I remember somebody telling me that there's a lot of clay in beckenhaym which could impact development (I don't know if it's true). I also remember that the pocket where we lived wasn't on deep sewer...I think that's still the case thus why they are still all big blocks. But I don't know of many other places in Perth where you could get so much land for your money that close to the city?
Click to expand...

Some perceptive words here. You know your stuff! Yes, the clay is terrible because many of the houses are using septic systems and drainage is a huge problem because of the clay. The water authority has made all sort of excuses so as not to bring most streets into the sewerage system. But it will eventually happen.....and when it does, higher residential zonings are pretty much guaranteed. It's just a matter of time.

Great value to be had in this area. Where else can you find land selling for as little as $150 psqm?! I am from the USA. Outside of bayside Melbourne, this is the only place in Australia where I have invested a substantial sum of money.
 
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HD_ACE said:
You wouldnt buy in an underperforming suburb unless something was going to change.
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CATALYST: The rezoning will come as soon as the Water Authority puts the sewer through the rest of the suburb. Given that most of Perth is sewered, it is only a matter of time before the same happens in Beckenham. And when it happens, expect prices to rise quickly to match surrounding suburbs like Cannington.

Locals who want prices to rise could do well to start petitioning their local MP asap to start pushing the Water Authority to do the right thing for the neighborhood.

The biggest winners are those who own or plan to buy larger blocks in the area.
 
Could be waiting a long time. People have been talking about the need for deep sewer since I was a kid in the mid 80s. Why would the water corp prioritise this area now? The only major change to the area has been the kenwick link and that was quite a few years ago now. Carousel has always been a big shopping centre and the train station has always been there.

Something else to consider if thinking about investing in the area is I think the properties along the canning river (which are lovely) are within the 100 year flood zone.
 
justlearning said:
People have been talking about the need for deep sewer since I was a kid .
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Back in the 80s most of the older parts of Perth were not hooked up to the sewer. Since that time, bit by bit, the Water Authority has brought the sewer to almost every street except for pockets of Beckenham.

With complaints from local residents, it is only a matter of time before it is done.
I think approval is as little as two years away, but that's just a guess.
 
Thanks guys,

It is interesting to know about the clay soils and sewerage issues. Hopefully there is not a septic tank that needs pumping out. I have never thought of Beckenham as an area that will skyrocket in value, as it not near any particularly desirable or expensive suburbs, has no infrastructure due to start or great schools to speak of. But it is one that will grow over time with the natural increases in realestate values.

The block I am looking at is 811m2 and r17.5. Perhaps in the future the shire may change it to a higher density rating. If not, maybe WA Liberal will actually change the ruling on Granny flats.
 
Raafie there are blocks with higher density than 17.5 in the suburb which could be developed if they have reticulated sewerage or land bank if not.

The suburb has train and proximity to Perth going for it
 
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