Ivanhoe East residents find it hard to leave the suburb and there are many reasons why. It’s quiet yet inviting, modern yet historical, and lastly, it’s the perfect mix of culture and convenience.

In this blog, we have enumerated just *some* of the many reasons why we love Ivanhoe East.

Business owners find their niche here

Businesses thrive on repeat customers. At Ivanhoe East, business owners found their niche and community. In this suburb, businesses are built around the demand of the residents. In return, residents keep the businesses afloat and running. Establishing a business is grounded on the good quality of products and services while keeping a strong relationship with customers. The close connection between business owners and residents is evident here.

The preservation of history while keeping everything modern

Ivanhoe East has a rich history stemming from post-World War II. This is the reason why there are still a couple of houses that have remnants of these memoirs. The suburb is sensitive to its history and has successfully preserved it while keeping everything modern. To date, many amenities have been existing to cater to the needs of the residents such as shopping villages, schools, banks, and many more.

Off-the-plan properties are welcoming new residents to a tighter community

Ivanhoe East is known for its large blocks of land. Today, a number of new off-the-plan developments are underway which are aimed to attract owner-occupiers. Although investors are welcome, many are choosing to buy properties and live in them. Downsizers who are often coming from other suburbs flock here, hoping to feel at home and enjoy the strong sense of community in the suburb.

Ivanhoe East is one of the most sought-after suburbs in Melbourne. Are you looking into buying or selling an Ivanhoe East property? Reach out to us and let us guide you in your real estate journey. Collings Real Estate is one of the highest-rated real estate agents in Victoria. Simply fill out our contact form and we will get back to you. Alternatively, you can also send us an email at info@collings.com.au, or give us a call at +61 3 9486 2000. 

Here are the other reasons why we love Victoria:

Hungry for new gastronomic adventures? We came up with a list of restaurants to try in Heidelberg.

If you find yourself new to Heidelberg and you’re on the lookout for places to eat, we came up with a list of restaurants for you to try.

The Old England Hotel Heidelberg

Established in 1848, the Old England Hotel in Heidelberg offers its patrons several options for dining and function venues. Serving modern Australian dishes, the Old England Hotel provides impeccable service and an impressive menu selection for all taste buds.

Little Black Pig & Sons

Serving seasonal-inspired Italian dishes, Little Black Pig & Sons offers vegetarian and vegan options for its guests. Known for their pork belly dish, pasta, and wine, this place is a must-stop in all your food trip adventures.

Cafe Matto

With excellent food and outstanding service, Cafe Matto is the go-to place for people who want to enjoy a sumptuous meal while also experiencing the Heidelberg suburb life by observing the bustling street in its beautiful al fresco dining area.

The Alleyway

Are you a brunch person? The Alleyway is just the place for you. Serving your brunch favorites and a variety of different smoothies, this food establishment is a great stop any day of the week.

Doctor Dumpling

Who doesn’t like dumplings? Doctor Dumpling in Heidelberg is a neighborhood favorite. Serving different kinds of dumplings, noodles, and fried rice dishes, this place is indeed a delicious taste of Asia.

Boonpun Restaurant

This Thai restaurant has made a name for itself for decades in Heidelberg. Known for their pad thai, spring rolls, and curry dishes. Boonpun Restaurant is a Thai experience in the heart of Heidelberg.

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It ain’t easy going through the motions as you traverse the insanity of city life. You can easily drown in your daily rituals and commitments as you pursue a life of meaning, of purpose. But you need not lose yourself in the process. And sometimes, all you need to do to regain ground is a ridiculous night out with friends.

Divided into two parts, this blog features notable bars in Brunswick East you just have to visit for a much-needed pick-me-up.

Atticus Finch

129 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

Atticus Finch serves up delight with Tuesday’s $30 Special: five kinds of cheese paired with a rustic pais-carignan blend fermented in a wooden pipeno. On Fridays, come before 8 pm to avail of tapas free of charge.

Take your pick among the many nooks you can hang out in at the bar: there’s a leather booth at the front, a huge courtyard at the back, and a pool table in the shed. There is something for everyone at Atticus Finch.

Bar Romantica

54 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

Flipped from the popular pizzeria Café Romantica, Bar Romantica boasts massive, wooden interiors with high ceilings that emanate a romantic vibe. The bar has an open kitchen, red vinyl booths, art deco light fixtures, and a pool table that attract and put people in the mood.

Bouvier Bar

159 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

Offering an interesting range of tapas and an impressive wine list, Bouvier Bar is home to cocktails of Japanese and Mediterranean flavours. 

Brunswick Aces

124 Weston Street, Brunswick East

A standout among our featured selection, Brunswick Aces is a pioneer in the city as a non-alcoholic bar. Industrial Baroque in aesthetic, the Aces is a 150-person bar embellished with hip furniture that fashionably fuses the contemporary and the rustic.

Brunswick Aces offers a range of non-alcoholic distilled sapiir derived from botanicals.

Eydie’s

86 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

Eydie’s hones a vintage vibe with its 1950s motif that emanates class and affluence. 

Hospitality workers frequent Eydie’s for its 12-dollar negronis for its late-night happy hour (9-11 pm) and a chance to hang out at its garden courtyard seasonally warmed by its roofing and gas-powered heaters.

Hanging out in any of these five bars after a long and seemingly endless work week makes for an exciting and fun-filled break from the monotony. So go ahead, leave that paperwork behind, contact your mates, and take over the night! 

Ohter Brunswick East-related blogs:

There is nothing more exciting to a runner or Track and Field athlete than to see a massive running oval on a sunny training day. Okay so maybe it isn’t so exciting when they are all sore and still exhausted from the day before, but you get it. Right? When an athlete is in their place of power, they feel the command of the sport; they are drawn to better their techniques and further their endurance.

If you are a runner in Coburg, you may be a recreational athlete or a hard-core competitive one, one of the facilities you might find conducive to keep improving your game is the Harold Steven Athletics Field. 

Located at 20 Outlook Road, the Harold Steven Athletics Field stretches 78 meters long with notably long bends. The facility was opened to the public on March 21st, 1971. In 1984, the field saw several developments through building extensions coinciding with the preparations for the Summer Interclub Competition which was held the same year. 

The track was named in honor of Harold Stevens, a Coburg sportsman, and native who was recognized “For Services in Athletics” in 1993 and was later made into an Athletics Victoria life member.

The Harold Steven Athletics Field enriched the lives of its athletic-minded regulars through various local sporting events. The service rendered by its staff makes it an inviting venue to all regardless of their status as professional athletes or casual sports and fitness advocates. 

The Harold Steven Athletics Field’s facilities are comprehensive and worthy of global sporting events. It is replete with Long Jump pits which can be found inside the track, and provisions for Discus Throwing, Shot Put, Javelin, Pole Vault, and Hammer Throw, catering to all forms of athleticism and leaving no sporting preference.

It is home to the Coburg Little Athletics Centre, the Coburg Women team, and the Coburg Harriers Club which hosts monthly and yearly activities that invite all people of all ages and all walks of life.

The Harold Steven Athletics Field has turned Coburg into a center of physical competition, making the culture an indelible part of Coburg living.

If you’re interested in holding a sporting event at The Harold Stevens Athletics Track, you may do so by reaching out to the Coburg Athletics Ground Management Committee by visiting https://bit.ly/3cvwwZX.  

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Proximity Is Viability

One of the primary considerations, when home buyers look for a property, is its proximity to all the comforts that modern living has to offer. Commercial areas including malls, restaurants, cafes, pubs, and other venues for recreation become foundations for a potential buyer’s final decision to buy a home in a suburb or any other place of residence.

But what really makes the property viable in light of its proximity to the commercial area is its walkability. 

Sure, we can assume that people who would be buying properties in suburbs have their own means of transportation or that they would not mind taking any public means. However, we must admit that the property and its to-be owners would be so much better off if they were within walking distance from everything they need. This will save them time, money, and effort to run personal errands, allowing them to spend more time on things that matter more.

Hence, the importance of Walk Scores.

What Exactly is a Walk Score?

A Walk Score pertains to how a property is walkable to nearby amenities. Aside from this, the property’s accessibility to pedestrians, visitors, outsiders, and commercial traffic is also factored into the Walk Score. 

The high numerical value of a property’s connectedness to life’s conveniences lies at the core of a good Walk Score. This metric bears a total of 100 with a turnout of 90 and above being desirable for property owners looking into selling or leasing their homes. 

Elements Integral to the Calculation of Walk Scores

Population Density or the concentration of individuals in a certain locale and road metrics including block length and Intersection Density or the number of intersections in an area is integral to the calculation of a property’s Walk Score. The latter is a pertinent consideration as it looks into how one’s property is situated near intersections and provides information about the area’s street design which affects walkability.

The Score: What Each Rating Means

To know what your Walk Score is worth, below is a table that describes each score:

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Source: https://www.walkscore.com/methodology.shtml

Other Notable Advantages

A Walk Score is of great importance as these also contribute to a property’s market value. But apart from this, a good Walk Score reaps other advantages for both the homeowners and its surrounding areas. 

An article published by Real Estate.com.au stipulates that when a property is easily walkable from a residential area, the benefits are manifold. Apart from what was already stated, it contributes to environmental protection and reduces the costs of private and public transportation. Thus, a property’s walking score is multi-faceted and does not just benefit the homeowners but also the environment, thus augmenting a home’s actual value.

But for a more holistic evaluation, there are still some things that a walkability score needs to take into account. Elements such as pedestrian thoroughfare maintenance, overall safety, and weather need to be considered as well. 

For this cause, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) developed the National Walkability Index (NWI). The NWI colour-coded walkability to show how near specific streets are from highly walkable zones.

As this is the case, while some areas may have a low walk score, the NWI may give it a higher score in light of its nearness to other walkable zones.

Settling The Score: The Takeaway

If you are thinking of buying a property or are already a homeowner but would want to know what your Walk Score is, you may calculate it through various Walk Score calculators that are available online. Some of the most notable examples are from Covetool.com and Google Maps.

Knowing your property’s Walk Score is crucial for individuals who want to make an informed decision in buying their first property, may it be for residence or investment. It may also be of importance for those who already own their property but would want to know how much it could be worth if they were to put it on the market. 

In general, knowing your home’s walkability score is essential as a homeowner for a holistic knowledge of your personal investment. If your property comes close to having a “Walker’s Paradise,” rate, then you have struck gold. But if your home gets a score that leaves a lot to be desired, there is no need to fret. There are other things that you can do for your property that could increase its value.

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Continuing with our effort to bring you the cafés to visit when you’re in Abbotsford, here are six that you just might find worthy of your time.

Cam’s Cafe

Ground Floor Abbotsford Convent 1-16 Heliers Street, Abbotsford

A lo-fi kiosk in a corner of Abbotsford Convent, Cam’s Cafe serves a menu of egg dishes, toasted sandwiches, and soup all created through the suburb’s healthy and local produce. Customers would be thrilled to know that almost all of Cam’s Cafe’s products sell for under $10. 

On top of that, the café also sells wine and spirits all day long.

Convent Bakery

1 Saint Helliers Street, Abbotsford

A contemporary touch on the pristine greenery and Gothic confines of Abbotsford Convent, Convent Bakery offers a menu of breakfast and lunch alongside a colorful array of cakes, pastries, pies, and tarts. The bakery’s architecture, a marriage of stone and wood, fosters an austere ambiance that echoes a bygone era.

A true relic in the suburb, Convent Bakery uses vintage bread-baking methods with organic flour paired with organic coffee expertly roasted by its baristas. Just as rustic are Convent Bakery’s massive ovens that bake pizzas served throughout the evening.

The Farm Cafe

18 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford

Starting with a single espresso machine and a trestle table, The Farm Cafe had grown into a classy and rustic full-service café flocked by an affluent and hip crowd. 

The café offers what it calls Farmer’s Breakfast, a plate blessed with a serving of bacon, eggs, mushrooms, pork sausage, potato cake, roasted tomato, and toast.

The Farm Cafe also offers a rich selection of pastries and salads that health nuts could get onboard.

Frankie Says

15 Acacia Place, Abbotsford

A vintage structure that invites visitors to relax, Frankie Says boasts of a breakfast menu that excites customers with standout dishes like a buttermilk pancake, oven-baked pizzas, and hash browns among others. 

The lunch menu is equally interesting with prosecco, antipasto, and burgers. Frankie Says also serves a range of wines and cakes.

House of Plants

366 Johnston Street, Abbotsford

As its name suggests, House of Plants brings together nature and the local’s love of coffee. 

Frequenters are always in awe of the establishment’s structure built with Victoria ash and white cypress. Inside, the café impresses with murals created by artist Chris Henderson, aka SIRHC.

House of Plants’ menu includes jaffles and coffee along with other pastries that serve to comfort and delight.

Rouleur Espresso

511 Victoria Street, Abbotsford

Standing true to its name, Rouleur Espresso specializes in espresso. But apart from that, the café also serves a variety of healthy pastries such as granola, and chia pudding alongside cakes and toasties. Corned beef numbers with sauerkraut, provolone, housemade pickles, and chipotle mayo are also available for health-conscious customers.

Good times call for good company. And with Abbotsford, you are guaranteed good cafés that are sure to create memories.

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Kew is a sought-after suburb for many reasons. It is one of the most affluent neighbourhoods in Melbourne. Surrounded by tree-lined streets and wonderful amenities, it is the ideal dwelling for single professionals as well as those with families.

Kew is a suburb of culture with its museums and parks. Museums are significant to any community. It allows people to experience things outside their own bubble. Amenities as such connect people to the history unknown to them. Parks, on the other hand, encourages people to commune with nature and others. Walking in the park is a literal definition of experiencing life itself. One thing that parks and museums share is that they allow people to widen their horizons and explore life in creative ways.

When in Kew, you can start with these museums and parks:

Museums

Lyon Housemuseum and Galleries

This museum is fairly new having just opened in 2009. Lyon Housemuseum and Galleries is a hybrid combination of a private residence and a museum. It is the first purpose-designed museum of its kind internationally.

Villa Alba Museum

Villa Alba Museum is open during the first Sundays of every month. This museum is privately owned and funded, with little to no government funding. Given its financial standing, the museum is still charming and well-maintained. A trip to Kew wouldn’t be complete without stepping foot in this museum.

Parks

Bellbird picnic area

Aside from the usual greeneries, Bellfield Park is highlighted by the native wildlife inhabiting the area. This park is perfect for picnic with family and friends as well as pets as this is a dog-friendly park.

Alexandra Gardens

Alexandra Gardens can be likened to a small breathing pocket that connects you to the CBD. It was created during the time when the Yarra River was straightened to alleviate flooding. Since then, the pockets of gardens have complemented the surroundings with trees and flowers.

Victoria Park

What’s special about Victoria Park is that it is not only great for BBQs and picnicking. For the longest time, it has also been set-up to hold trainings and matches for different sports

A neighbourhood that encourages and promotes community is a neighbourhood like no other. Local amenities as such supplement a holistic cultured lifestyle that matches the affluence of Kew.

Other parks and museums in Victoria:

Preston comes up in lists for top places to invest in Australia for the past years. And this is no wonder considering how this suburb exudes a vibrant lifestyle for both singles and couples with families. Preston is known for its parks where you can stroll with your friends, families and pets.

In this blog, we have listed the favorite parks of the locals and their features.

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Parks reflect the community’s quality of life. The abundance of spaces where residents can be free and active only shows how much the local government puts emphasis on the importance of the physical and mental health of its residents. Having a place where one can walk, run, play sports, barbecue, and simply gather around is essential in promoting physical and mental health.

Are you looking into buying or selling a property in Preston? Reach out to our Preston real estate agents and let us discuss your requirements! Call us today at +61 3 9486 2000 or send us an email at info@collings.com.au. You can also simply fill out our contact form and we will reach out to you!

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Scents and Smells Make Lasting Impressions

While the things that we see are capable of evoking emotions, nothing makes a lasting impression more than the things that we smell. So when you have come to consider selling your property, the last thing that you would want to happen is for it to smell unpleasant. After all, your home reflects who and how you are as a person; you would not want to be misrepresented in any way.

However, as we would otherwise intend, there would be times that our homes would give off scents and smells that may serve to turn ourselves and others off. What’s worse is that there are instances where we get accustomed to some faint odors that we are constantly exposed to that others may prove bothersome.

This is something that you simply cannot afford to happen when you put your house for sale. To help you avoid this unnecessary hurdle, we present you with five tips on how to make your house smell nice as you show it to potential homebuyers.

Here’s how you can get your home smelling good for the sale:

 Determine the source

Getting at the source of an odor is the first step to making your home smell pleasant. It doesn’t matter how much scent or freshener you spray; if the source of bad smell is not addressed and rid of, the odor will linger. 

Check for shoes that are due for a wash or need to be sun-dried. Look into curtains or upholstery that need to be changed or disinfected. Maybe you need to have your sofa or mattresses treated to be renewed. If you have pets, you need to know where exactly they go to the toilet so that you can clean the area accordingly. 

Wherever the source may be, you need to be sharp at determining it. If you can do so, then you have already solved a great part of the issue. 

Throw out your air fresheners-bring in essential oils

Recent studies show that commercial air fresheners can have negative effects on indoor air quality through hazardous pollutants that their key components may have. Some air fresheners have augmented levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like acetaldehyde, benzene, formaldehyde, and xylene, among others, that can irritate and have health implications. So instead of helping make your home smell pleasant, they make your house smell worse, not to mention compromise your well-being.

An alternative to commercial air fresheners is essential oils. Not only are these healthier, the containers that they come with usually bear aesthetic qualities, making for additional display elements. 

Make your own cleanser and deodoriser from natural products

Creating your own deodoriser is not only fun, but it also allows you to control what goes into it. 

Carpet cleaners are not only expensive, but they may also come with harmful chemicals such as Perchloroethylene, listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a probable carcinogen, and Phthalates which are also carcinogenic and causes allergic reactions in children. As this is the case, you can use bicarbonate soda mixed with vinegar. This combo disinfects effectively, ridding your spaces of odor-causing bacteria.

Lemon juice and baking soda are also good cleaning and disinfecting agents that do not cost too much. Remember, the best products to make your house smell nice are usually the more organic ones.

Bring in some plants

Plants help tremendously in purifying the air that circulates your home. Aside from this, they help in beautifying and enlivening your home through proper potting, placement, and presentation.

If you want to make your house more fragrant through plants, you can bring in flowers such as freesias, gardenias, and roses. These flowers also serve to add color, making your home more vibrant.

Open your windows; let the fresh air in

Keeping your windows open needs no special effort. Good airing is accomplished by keeping otherwise damp and enclosed space open through your existing windows. Stale air is kept out with utmost effectiveness, ridding your house of molds and mildew that might build up and cause unpleasant and harmful musty odors.

Smell Good, Sell Easy

More than style and aesthetics, cleanliness attracts homebuyers to a property. That said, maintaining your home looking and smelling clean is crucial to leaving a good impression on prospective clients. 

So if you are challenged with an unpleasant odor in your house, perform any or all of the tips presented here. Not only will these help in solving the problem, but they will also make your home a comfortable place to stay in.

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Historically, this suburb is known to be the benchmark for quality of life and exquisite taste. Since then and until now, Kew has maintained its social stature as one of the most affluent suburbs in Melbourne. Surrounded by beautiful gardens and tree-lined streets, this suburb is the ideal place for everyone, especially families and retirees alike. Once you move in to Kew, it’s quite difficult to find a better place to live in. 

The suburb is lined with Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco, Mid Century and Modern housing. Kew also prides itself with holding some of the most iconic historic homes. Having been a long-established suburb, it’s no surprise that Kew also boasts some of the most prestigious private and public schools in Melbourne. It is one of the reasons why Kew is especially appealing to families and those planning to raise children.

Residents do not only benefit from the exclusive address that comes with living in Kew. While the community is bustling with vibrant energy in the morning, the noise starts to drown at nightfall. To those who seek the nightlife, this isn’t a problem as Kew is only 5kms east of CBD.

Being one of the most prestigious suburbs in Melbourne, the value of properties in Kew directly reflects this status. Our Kew real estate agents have the best local knowledge about the properties in the suburb. Get in touch with us and let us assist you in your real estate journey. Send us an email at info@collings.com.au or simply fill out our contact form to get started.

Median home sale price, quarterly price range, median rent, rental yield of Kew, VIC as of September 2022. Screenshot from https://reiv.com.au/market-insights/suburb/kew.

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