Neighbourhoods, the market and the business of living in Melbourne.
It is not an accident that so many new apartment blocks rise along tram corridors, it is deliberate state planning policy, and understanding it helps explain why some streets are targeted for density and others are protected from it.
Long before house prices and cafe strips, it was 19th-century local government boundaries that carved Melbourne's inner suburbs into distinct identities, and the effects are still visible on the ground today.
Melbourne's inner suburbs look so different from each other because they were built in distinct waves of boom and bust, and that history still shapes what you can buy, renovate or knock down today.
Beyond the postcode appeal, here is the practical checklist for weighing up a home near a Melbourne tram route.
The terrace houses, workers' cottages and warehouse conversions of inner Melbourne weren't planned to look distinct from each other, but a mix of gold rush wealth, industry and migration made sure they did.
Melbourne's tram lines are not just a transport quirk, they are one of the strongest hidden influences on property values, street life and neighbourhood character across the inner and middle suburbs.
The central choice for anyone settling in Melbourne is between a CBD apartment and a suburban house. Here is how the two ways of living really differ, beyond the floorplan.
Melbourne is a city of distinct neighbourhoods, and choosing between them matters more than the exact street. Here is how the main areas differ in character, before you look at any listings.
Fitzroy, Carlton, Brunswick and Northcote are among the most sought-after addresses in the city. Here is how the inner-north market is shaped, and what to weigh up before you buy or rent there.
