Hazelbrook property value guide

A family suburb on the train line

Hazelbrook sits between Lawson and Woodford, with a station, a small group of shops and bush on every side, including walking tracks down to creeks and waterfalls. It is close enough to Springwood for bigger shopping and services, and the train runs straight through to Penrith and the city. Most buyers here are families, and most homes are built for them.

What Hazelbrook families look for

• A backyard children can use. A level, fenced, sunny yard does more for a Hazelbrook sale than almost any renovation.
• Room to grow. Extra bedrooms, a second living area, a rumpus room or a big covered deck are in steady demand.
• A walk to the station and schools. Parents think about the school run and the commute at the same time.
• Bush with a buffer. Backing onto reserve adds privacy, but buyers will weigh it against bushfire clearing and insurance.

The homes and blocks

Hazelbrook is mostly detached family homes: brick and weatherboard houses from the 1960s to the 1990s, many extended or renovated, and some newer builds. Blocks are often a good size, with a mix of level and sloping sites. Because so many homes started out similar and were then extended in different ways, the quality of past work matters. Buyers and their inspectors will ask whether extensions, decks and carports were approved.

Our advice before you list

1. Find your approvals. If rooms, decks or garages were added, locate the council approvals now. A missing approval found late can stall a sale.
2. Clean up the yard. Mowed lawns, trimmed edges and clear gutters help buyers picture weekends in the yard instead of weekends working on it.
3. Check the drainage. Show that the block and subfloor stay dry in heavy rain.
4. Service the heating. Mid-mountains winters are milder than Katoomba's, but buyers still notice a cold house.

Who else buys here

Couples upgrading from smaller homes further down the mountains, and Sydney buyers looking for more house and more space for their money while staying on the train line.

Pricing your Hazelbrook home

Recent sales of similar family homes in Hazelbrook, Lawson and Woodford give a solid base, adjusted for block, layout and condition. For free ways to build your own range, see six free ways to check property value.