Is Crime Affecting The Melbourne Property Market?
In This Week’s How's The Market | Edition 138
Is Crime Affecting The Melbourne Property Market?
What The Data Actually Shows About Crime In Melbourne
Is Crime Affecting The Melbourne Property Market?
The answer is yes, and it's happening right now.
Crime statistics released in September showed a 40% increase in theft and theft from motor vehicles across Victoria.
That's not a minor uptick, that's a massive jump in just one year.
Victoria Police also revealed that 5,400 repeat offenders are responsible for 40% of all crime in the state.
If you think this is just another news story that doesn't affect property values, think again.
Safety Now Trumps Everything Else
I've watched the entire conversation shift over the past few months.
Buyers who used to lead with "what's the capital growth potential?" are now asking "is this safe?" before anything else.
One couple relocating to Melbourne told me straight up: safety was their absolute number one priority, full stop.
Some single women purchasing alone are completely ruling out ground floor apartments and villa units.
They want secure basement parking, touchpad entries everywhere, and direct lift access to upper floor apartments with zero ground floor exposure.
Remember when ground floor apartments were perfect for downsizers because of accessibility?
That advice is basically dead now.
What's Actually Happening On The Ground
The change in buyer behaviour would've seemed extreme just two years ago.
Buyers are now factoring in security upgrades into their purchase price.
They're converting carports to enclosed garages before moving in, installing cameras on day one, and adding secure side gates to prevent any access between front and back yards.
I watched a property sell for roughly $80,000 above comparable sales recently, and a big reason?
A seven-foot motorized front fence that the agent specifically marketed as a safety feature.
Families with young kids saw that and immediately understood they wouldn't need to spend $30,000+ retrofitting that level of security themselves.
Checking social housing data has become standard practice for serious buyers.
Especially in pockets where higher concentrations often line up with elevated crime stats.
Where To Find The Actual Data
Start with Crime Statistics Victoria at crimestats.vic.gov.au, it breaks everything down by council area.
The numbers are genuinely alarming.
Boroondara shows a 30.5% increase in recorded crime compared to last year.
Stonnington is sitting at 26.2% with over 11,000 incidents, and most of those are happening on Chapel Street and in South Yarra.
The location of crime matters too.
Stonnington's incidents happen mostly on streets and footpaths, while Boroondara's primary target is homes themselves, particularly in Hawthorn where theft from street-parked cars is rampant.
Beyond crime stats, check social housing concentrations, ABS socioeconomic advantage scores, and owner-occupier rates.
You want to see 70%+ owner-occupiers versus renters in any suburb as a general rule of thumb.
What This Means For Your Purchase
If you're buying to live in the property, safety can override pure investment metrics for a lot of people, and honestly.
That makes complete sense.
First floor apartments are selling for premiums over ground floor units in the exact same building.
Properties with secure parking, high fences, and gated entries are fetching significantly higher prices than comparable properties without these features.
Understanding how crime affects property values isn't about fear mongering.
It's about making informed decisions that protect both your family and your investment.
Stay ahead of the market - get the real auction results every week!
What The Agents Are Saying
Off markets are starting to multiply.
As we approach the end of the year, many families are deciding not to rush a sales campaign this side of the year and are preparing their homes for Feb & March auctions.
However, a lot of them are telling agents to bring buyers through now off market.
If they can get a good price without having to do the full marketing campaign, they will sell now.
Though even if they don’t sell, they are using buyers agents like us to provide feedback on the properties for their vendors to help them get ready for sale.
The Wow Factor!
43 Grant Street, Malvern East, Vic 3145
A Resort-Style Malvern East Masterpiece of Luxury & Design.
Why it WOWs:
Heated pool & flood-lit tennis court
Gourmet kitchen with bespoke oak cabinetry & butler’s pantry
Luxe master suite with five-star en-suite & garden access
Architect-designed interiors with skylights & LED ceilings
Expansive 1,944sqm allotment in prime Malvern East
Price guide : $9,500,000 - $10,450,000
Final Thoughts
Location will always trump interior design when it comes to property value.
The Block proved this year that no amount of television exposure or beautiful finishes can overcome fundamental location challenges and overpricing for the area.
If you or someone you know would like assistance to buy this year, book in a call and we can discuss if we can help.
Thanks for reading this far!
We value feedback and if you have any suggestions on what you would like covered in the future please email me at tristan@tomii.com.au
Happy Buying!
Note: This is general advice and does not take into consideration your objectives, situations or needs. Please consider if this advice is suitable for you and your circumstances and speak to a professional before making any financial decisions.
