Penrith

In the foothills of the Blue Mountains escarpment and served by the M4 highway and Western rail line, Penrith city is the commercial hub of Sydney’s western suburbs. There are plans in place for additional mixed use development including offices, retail, services and housing but already the suburb is home to Westfield, Nepean Village and Panthers, an ever-expanding leagues club adjoining the Nepean River.

The location 50 kilometres west of the CBD keeps residential real estate relatively affordable with a mix of housing styles divided evenly between freestanding homes and townhouses/apartments, and much stock dating back to a building boom in the 1960s and 1970s. A robust investor market means around 50 per cent of locals rent. The newer housing estates that have sprung up in and around Penrith have drawn more people to the area and the state government has committed to improving infrastructure and growing employment opportunities to keep up with demand.