Across the 140 recent purchases You&Me have settled, two areas stand out: the north coastal corridor from Clarkson to Yanchep, and the Rockingham–Kwinana end of the southern corridor, a lot of reasons for investors mainly. Both offer more land and house for the money than inner suburbs, and both sit near major public investment. Closer in, Belmont keeps coming up as a value pick against a lot of suburbs.

Below is where our clients actually bought, why we think those areas suit certain buyers, and what to check before you commit.

What 140 settled purchases tell us

These figures cover our last 140 settled purchases. They show where buyers working with us ended up, not a forecast of where prices will go.

• North coastal corridor – 24 purchases: Butler 6, Alkimos 4, Yanchep 4, Jindalee 4, Clarkson 3, Eglinton 2, Quinns Rocks 1.
• South corridor, Rockingham/Kwinana area – 15 purchases: Baldivis 3, Secret Harbour 3, Golden Bay 2, and one each in Wellard, Orelia, Parmelia, Waikiki, Warnbro, Cooloongup and Hillman.

Together that’s 39 of 140 purchases, or a little over a quarter, in two outer coastal corridors. The pattern is clear: when budgets meet a family’s need for land, bedrooms and a reasonable commute, these corridors keep making the shortlist.

The sun, the sea and the sand, as well as bang for buck and decent return for rental yields

The north coastal corridor: Butler to Yanchep

Butler was our single most active suburb, and the suburbs north of it (Alkimos, Eglinton and Yanchep) together made up another ten purchases. A big part of the story is rail. The METRONET Yanchep Rail Extension takes the Joondalup Line 14.5 kilometres north from Butler to Yanchep, with stations at Alkimos, Eglinton and Yanchep (METRONET, completion celebrated 14 July 2024).

Why buyers choose it:

• Newer housing stock with newer family blocks than most established suburbs at a similar price.
• Train access to the CBD from stations that didn’t exist a few years ago.
• Beach lifestyle along most of the corridor.

What to watch: supply. Much of this corridor still has active land releases, so resale homes can compete with new builds nearby. Street-by-street selection matters: distance to the station, the beach and shops, and what’s planned on surrounding vacant land.

The south corridor and AUKUS: Rockingham and Kwinana

Fifteen of our purchases were in the Rockingham–Kwinana area, from Baldivis and Secret Harbour to Golden Bay, Wellard and Hillman. Defence investment is a big reason buyers are paying attention.

• HMAS Stirling (Garden Island, off Rockingham): the Australian Government says it will invest up to $8 billion to expand HMAS Stirling, creating around 3,000 direct Australian jobs (Minister for Defence, 12 June 2026). The same release says US personnel will begin rotating to HMAS Stirling later in 2026.
• Submarine Rotational Force-West: the Australian Submarine Agency says an additional 500 direct jobs are expected to sustain SRF-West over 2027–2032 (Australian Submarine Agency).
• Henderson Defence Precinct: on 24 August 2026 the federal and WA governments selected the precinct site, backed by an initial $12 billion commitment and around 10,000 direct jobs over the next two decades (Minister for Defence, 24 August 2026).

On housing, official sources are measured. In December 2024 the Defence Minister’s office noted work on 550 additional homes for Defence personnel and families and said Rockingham and Perth are set to grow (18 December 2024). In June 2026, Defence said it will work with the US so its personnel integrate into the WA community while minimising impact, including on housing, transport and healthcare. None of these sources puts a number on future housing demand, so treat any claim that AUKUS “guarantees” growth with caution. What it does give is a long pipeline of jobs within commuting distance.

Belmont vs Morley: value closer to the city

Not every buyer wants to be on the city fringe. For those wanting to stay closer in, Belmont is a suburb we keep coming back to.

REIWA’s figures for the 12 months to October 2026 (updated 9 November 2026) show:

• Belmont: median house sale price $955,000, about 6 km from Perth.
• Morley: median house sale price $985,000, about 9 km from Perth.

Heath Bassett, You&Me co-founder, sees Belmont as giving more bang for your buck than suburbs like Morley. It’s close to the airport, shops, the river, the CBD, Optus Stadium and the casino. Buyers get similar or lower median prices with a shorter trip into the city, and major amenities.

Belmont is a mixed-use suburb, though, so quality can vary from street to street. Get the street, aspect and zoning right.

How to choose between these areas

The right area depends on what you’re buying for:

• First home or growing family on a set budget: the north coastal and south corridors usually give you the most house and land.
• Commute to the CBD or airport matters most: Belmont and nearby eastern suburbs can be worth the smaller block or subdivision.
• Investor: look at local employment, rental demand and new supply nearby. Check rental figures and vacancy with a property manager, and talk to your accountant or financial adviser about how it fits your plans.

Before you settle on an area, do the commute at peak hour, by car and by train, on a weekday. Spend time there on a weekend too. A suburb that looks right on a map can feel very different in person.

Whichever way you lean, do the due diligence: zoning and future development nearby, flood and bushfire overlays, strata reports for units, and a building and pest inspection. Have your conveyancer review the contract, and talk to a mortgage broker about borrowing capacity before you start offering.

This is where an independent buyer’s agent in Perth can help. We search on and off the market, check the property and the street, and negotiate for you. You can see the kinds of properties we’ve secured on our recent purchases page.

Talk to us about where to buy

Not sure which part of Perth fits your budget and plans? Book a free discovery call with You&Me and we’ll talk through the suburbs, the trade-offs and what’s realistic for you.