Fairley estate offers Canberra buyers more land for their money

The first residents of Murrumbateman’s Fairley estate will be moving into their new homes in the coming weeks.

On the Barton Highway to the north of the current town centre, the new residential development will be home to 108 houses and a village square.

According to One Agency Crane Properties’ agent Greg Henderson, the majority of people purchasing in Fairley are moving from Canberra.

“A high proportion of working households in Murrumbateman work in Canberra and take advantage of the easy commute,” Henderson says.

“We have purchasers ranging throughout all age groups from early 20s into their 80s. The highest represented age demographic would be mid-20s to mid-40s.”

Recent residential developments in Murrumbateman have been dominated by small acreages of about two hectares, but developer Graeme Shaw said there are a lot of Canberrans looking for the country lifestyle without the maintenance of a huge block of land.

Fairley’s blocks average 1000 square metres – the traditional suburban quarter acre block. Plenty of space for kids, pets and even a vegie patch, but still relatively easy to maintain.

Residents will also be just footsteps away from the village square, which will include a micro-brewery, medical centre, cafes, restaurants, a childcare centre and a 52-room Abode Hotel.

Henderson said block sizes, the village lifestyle and prices are some of the main reasons people are choosing to buy at Fairley.

“For an extra 10-minute drive, you can save anything up to $300,000 while have a larger block and an authentic village lifestyle,” Henderson says.

“I can’t remember being involved in the sale of any real estate with such a high rate of positive feedback from potential and actual buyers. It is a pleasure to be involved in a development where such a high proportion of people I speak with are so pleasantly surprised by the value of the offering.”

The first couple, Russell and Lauren, will be moving in next week with their three-year-old daughter, puppy and rabbit.

“We initially were going to buy an established home in Canberra, however the prices and the small blocks sizes didn’t suit what we wanted,” they say.

“We decided to buy in Fairley because the block sizes were large enough for what we were after, without being too big. The quiet and relaxed community of Murrumbateman also really appealed to us.

“We wanted somewhere our kids could grow up with plenty of room to play, be away from the clutter of suburbia and to live in a small friendly community where everyone greets each other with a wave and a hello, whether you know them or not. Fairley ticked all those boxes for us.”

The blocks will average less than $300 per square metre, which represents excellent value when compared with some of Canberra’s newer suburbs.

Blocks are priced from $280,000 to $310,000 and house and land packages are available.

Fairley, Murrumbateman. Phone One Agency Crane Properties Greg Henderson on 0404 880 834. Inspect: Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 1pm.