Footy & House Update

Geelong beat Port Adelaide!

Not that we're footy fans or anything, but it's hard to escape the mania when the news of the past 7 days have been centred on nothing but who was going to win the AFL Cup.

The streets were pleasantly empty on Sat afternoon, as everyone was either at the footy or watching it at home. Very important if you're a nervous L-plater driving from Werribee to Sunshine.

We were trying to track down a Chinese restaurant. The friends who recommended it for its dimsum ("better than King Bo") could only tell us:
a. it's in Sunshine
b. it's on Ballarat Road
c. its name starts with a Golden.

So we thought we'd just drive slowly along Ballarat Road and keep an eye out for it. It turned out to be the Gold Leaf Chinese Restaurant opposite the Vic Uni. I hopped out to get a business card so we can go there sometime.

Afterwards, we drove around West Footscray, Kingsville and Yarraville, where real estate prices have been steadily rising because of the inner west's proximity to Melbourne CBD and its relative affordability compared to places like Fitzroy and Brunswick, which have already shot beyond the wallets of many first home buyers.

Footscray used to be considered dodgy and no-go, but is now undergoing gentrification as young couples and professionals move in, buy up old houses and renovate.

Comparing the June 07 and June 06 median house prices (MHP) in Footscray and Footscray West gives one an idea of how fast things have changed.

Footscray MHP
June 06: $315K
June 07: $410K

Footscray West MHP
June 06: $305K
June 07: $387,500

Mad, isn't it?