Ep 342: We Break Down 6 Suburbs in Geelong On the Ground - with Dawn Fouhy & Todd Sloan

In this in-depth episode of Pizza and Property, hosts Todd Sloan and Dawn Fouhy take listeners on a ground-level tour of six distinct suburbs in Geelong, Victoria, revealing the stark contrasts within the city’s rapidly growing real estate market. From the affordable but high-risk Norlain to the affluent and established Newtown, each suburb is dissected with data-driven insights on yields, population growth, flood and bushfire risks, social housing density, and development activity. Dawn emphasizes that 'all suburbs are not created equal' and stresses the importance of targeting specific pockets within suburbs—such as established areas in Lara or the high-demand units in Manifold Heights—rather than making blanket assumptions. The episode highlights how strategic investing, understanding local demographics, and avoiding emotional decisions based on Google Maps are key to future-proofing property portfolios in Geelong, which is projected to grow from 306,000 to 440,000 residents by 2046. The hosts also explore the nuances of investor psychology, cautioning first-time buyers against high-risk areas like Norlain while endorsing more stable, long-term plays in places like Leopold and Newtown. They advocate for a 'disparity investing' strategy—buying units in high-value suburbs where prices lag behind houses—to capture both capital growth and cash flow. With real estate trends shifting toward longer-term ownership and lifestyle-driven demand, the episode concludes with a strong call to action: invest with precision, not panic, and always get on the ground to understand the true character of a suburb.