‘In utero’: Parents planning early to thread home price, education needle

A home in a top-performing state school catchment area won’t come cheap in Hobart, exclusive data reveals.

PARENTS searching for an A-plus education while house hunting will prioritise specific Hobart suburbs, experts say.

Exclusive analysis of state primary school performance and PropTrack catchment area house values shows Hobart buyers will need a budget in the low $700,000s as a minimum to get a foot in the door of a top 10 rated school.

In two areas, a $1m-plus budget will be required. And in two more, the median is well over $900,000.

News Corp’s Bang for Buck is a comprehensive tool that analyses NAPLAN scores and house prices in catchment zones to inform homebuyers in their search for high-performing primary schools within their budget.

Highly regarded West Hobart school Lansdowne Crescent Primary placed first with its $893,000 median price and a 2023 NAPLAN average of 533.4, equating to a 32.8 Bang for Buck score.

Lansdowne Crescent Primary School.

Former Lansdowne Primary students Harryo Rawlins and Katelyn Adams with gear used by the French Antarctic expeditioners who the students wrote letters to while they were in the Antarctic. Picture Nikki Davis-Jones

Lenah Valley Primary was only a stitch behind with a 32.5 ranking, a $719,300 median price and a 511 NAPLAN average.

In Tasmania’s most expensive suburb, Battery Point, buyers looking for a rung on the ladder of third placed Albuera Street Primary will be faced with a $1.2358m median house value.

Lansdowne Crescent principal Monique Carter said for some families, it was never too soon to start planning where to live and which school to attend.

“Some people start thinking about their options when their baby is in utero. Others wait until Grade 6,” she said.

“The high school that a primary school feeds into can be a factor, too.

“We are lucky here, schools in Hobart can be different, but there are so many really good state schools.”

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Mrs Carter, who has been principal at Lansdowne Crescent for 13 years, said the school aims for a holistic education for its students, where English and maths are important, but so is science, art, history and geography.

“Alongside the school, it’s the community, work-life balance and even word of mouth that can inform people’s education and home location preferences,” Mrs Carter said.

“At our school, we aim to create an environment where everyone is valued, nurtured and supported to engage in rich learning opportunities.

“We want students to develop a love of learning, and to be kind, open-minded and curious people who enjoy learning together.

“NAPLAN is one of the tools we use to inform us of how students are progressing with learning.”

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No.4 Belhaven Ave, Taroona is listed with Peterswald at $1.7m-plus.

No.2 Derwent Ln, Battery Point is listed for sale with Elders at $3.5m-plus.

Real Estate Institute of Tasmania president Michael Walsh said school zones tend to be watertight, and if a family is out of area, they will likely miss out on their first choice school.

“If a young couple or family wants the best school for their child, I could see this being a major factor in their housing decisions,” he said.

“Schools build their reputation over time, so it would be tricky to pin down exactly how much influence a high-performing school has on a suburb’s home sale prices.”

Petrusma Property managing director Sam Towns said when people buy a home there will always be a number of factors that are the most important, some non-negotiable.

Depending on a family’s priorities, Mr Towns said securing a high-quality school could be just as important as how many bedrooms a house has, or if a property has proximity to the city, work or beach.

“If the school is highly regarded, finding the right home in the right catchment area can have a huge influence on a buyer’s decisions,” he said.

“Schools like Taroona Primary, Lansdowne Crescent and Waimea Heights, parents want their children to be able to attend schools like these ones. That is a motivator as much as any other factor.”

Petrusma Property managing director Sam Towns says often parents are motivated to find the best mix of school and suburb.

Statewide, the top 10 schools — where home values are often half of typical Hobart’s prices — recorded higher Bang for Buck scores than those in the city.

This was led by Strahan Primary which combined its 498.8 NAPLAN average with a $365,400 house price to score 116.5 on News Corp’s rankings.

Schools in regional areas like Stanley, Bruny Island and Flinders Island also ranked among the top five.

PropTrack economist Paul Ryan said it was clear that school catchment zones were a significant factor for many buyers.

“It is often one of the key amenities they look for,” he said.

“And where there is a good school, there is competition, and being in a certain catchment becomes a major selling point.”

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Source: News Corp Bang for Buck.

Bang for Buck is a unique new data piece that identifies the best public schools and the most affordable property markets within their school catchments. The influence of a NAPLAN score on local property prices, is reflected in the 70/30 per cent weighting for the Bang for Buck ranking.