That’s the assessment of Goulburn First National real estate agent Paul Edwards.

RP Data last week released a report detailing Australia’s 10 most expensive suburbs according to house price. Mr Edwards did the same – focussing solely on Goulburn.

Homes at Belmore Estate off Marys Mount regularly fetched $30,000 more than similar dwellings across town at Monastery Gardens, he concluded.

Houses at River Heights Estate and near the CBD were also in high demand.

Eastgrove, long riddled by flood and nicknamed ‘Frog’s Hollow’ accordingly, can’t fetch the same prices.

Nor can properties at Bradfordville, seen locally as ‘too far out of town’ and dubbed ‘South Taralga’ by the Baby Boomer generation.

“Eastgrove has a stigma. It’s still called Frog’s Hollow,” Mr Edwards explained.

“At times it can be 10 per cent lower than elsewhere. It’s an area that doesn’t turnover often, which tells us the people who live there are passionate about Eastgrove.

“The Bradfordville area, that stigma comes from housing commission developments. As much as it’s not politically correct to say, it affects house prices.”

Despite the peaks and troughs throughout town, Goulburn’s housing market remains competitive.

The median house price in the city as of August was $310,000, RP Data found.

That’s in stark contrast to Australia’s most expensive suburb, Sydney’s Point Piper.

Homes in the luxury Woollahra area fetch a median price of $5.75 million. Eight of the nation’s 10 most expensive suburbs are in Sydney alone.

Goulburn, conversely, remains one of the most affordable and convenient cities in which to buy a property.

A separate RP Data survey ranked Goulburn the country’s eighth most affordable suburb – a finding which Mayor Geoff Kettle continues to spruik.

“Goulburn Mulwaree is a great place to live,” Cr Kettle told WIN News reporter Lauren Barker last month.

“You can get childcare in Goulburn, rather than being on a waiting list for it like you are in Canberra.

“With our proximity to Sydney and Canberra and with technology, people are able to be in Goulburn and work. They don’t need to be in their office in Canberra five days a week.”

Mr Edwards agrees, predicting house prices would continue to rise, albeit steadily.

“Given that Sydney’s still ticking along, I can see perhaps 10pc growth over the next 18 months,” he explained.

Market experts have long predicted Goulburn real estate would take off given its close proximity to Canberra – the country’s third most expensive city in which to live.

A lack of confidence in the public service sector has stalled treechangers’ minds, Mr Edwards said.

Instead, the majority of out-oftown investors hailed from Sydney.

“Canberra’s come off the boil, probably because of public service job insecurity,” Mr Edwards said.

“Statistically, (in 2008) we had 43 to 45 per cent of our sales were from Canberra. Now we’d be under 15pc.

“Sydney investors, on the other hand, they’re here in mass. Up to 30 plus per cent of buyers are from Sydney.”

SOME 50 per cent of Goulburn property buyers hail from outside the 2580 postcode, Real Estate sales director Angela Storrier says.

Not wishing to go into detail on specific suburbs, Ms Storrier was adamant property from every corner of Goulburn remained in demand from buyers in Canberra, Sydney, the Southern Highlands and coastal areas.

Young couples, young tradespeople, investors, families and mature age retirees are among those making the affordable move.

“It’s hard to generalise because Goulburn has such a variety,” Ms Storrier said.

“Every area is nice and the different things they offer suit different people. For a long time it was like a well-kept secret, well I think it’s becoming less of a secret now.”

Ms Storrier said Goulburn remains a perfect place to live with its access to medical services, shopping, approachable police, low crime rates and friendly atmosphere.

While train services are also a big pull for the City, it’s an area that needs improvement.

Merino Country Estate off Mary’s Mount Road was noted as an area that has experienced massive growth – with stage one selling out, only three blocks remaining in stage two and 11 presale opportunities for stage three taken up.