Aside from public transport, shops, and parks, one of the important amenities buyers and tenants look for is the proximity to good schools.

Investing in a property near a school has many advantages for families including allowing the kids to walk to school.

According to a recent REA group survey, 31% of home hunters said the distance to a good school was a major deciding factor when choosing a property. With a huge number of buyers and renters looking for properties near schools, this is an important consideration for investors. 

Across Melbourne, suburbs such as McKinnon, Balwyn, and Glen Waverley that are near top-ranking public secondary schools show low vacancy rates, strong capital growth, and premium rent. 

With high demand for properties close to schools in McKinnon, the median house price has reached seven-figures at $1,075,000, a rise of 18.1% on 2012. Balwyn, which has a Top-50 secondary school, showed an increase of 26.6% in just 12 months to a median house price of $1,503,000. Glen Waverly is another suburb that showed a huge increase in real estate values, with a growth of 21.4% compared to 2012 and a median house price of $838,750. 

Buying a property near schools and universities may be more expensive than other locations. But many real estate investors believe that buying a property near a good school or a university is a smart investment that can ensure a high rental yield and strong capital growth.