

You’ve found a house with the ensuite bathroom, double garage and backyard pool and that’s everything a family could need – for now.
Fast forward a few short years and the kids will be spending most of their time at school. In what will prove to be an investment for the future, families can stay ahead of the game by looking to buy or rent within school zones to ensure a place in some of the country’s most sought-after schools.
A new report reveals house price growth across Aussie capital city school catchment zones – and the smart buyers know exactly how to find them first.
Domain’s 2020 School Zones Report shows that some school catchment zones have seen house prices increase by up to 35 per cent and reveals the 10 primary and secondary school zones that have seen the highest price growth year on year.
While reports of house price growth is usually based on cities and suburbs, a look at school catchment zones shows new price trends that can help parents or investors search for property in proximity to local schools.
Domain’s Search by School feature is valuable to all parents, showing properties for sale or lease within a school’s catchment area, often a critical factor in the decision-making process for house hunters.
The feature allows homebuyers to search by school name and then displays all available properties in that catchment.
Perth took out the top spot on both primary and secondary school catchment zones according to the report, but Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane schools dominated the national top 10 lists.
Domain’s Senior Research Analyst, Dr Nicola Powell, said the boundary of public school catchment zones can have a huge influence on property decisions and a positive effect on prices.
“The highest growth rates were across a variety of price points illustrating the importance of education at all budgets,” she said. “This highlights the effect falling into a particular school catchment zone can potentially have on property price.
“School catchment zones have always been a crucial factor when deciding where to purchase [or rent] a home. The ability to work remotely could place additional emphasis on the importance of school catchments.”
Based on the 2020 School Zones Report, these are the suburbs that are rising fastest in demand:
1. Como & Applecross, WA
Riverside suburbs of Como and Applecross have seen significant growth, with Como Primary School and Applecross Senior High School attracting home buyers within the school zones. There’s been a 35.6 per cent increase in the median house price at Como compared to the previous year.