A MOMENT WITH LOCAL EXPERT SAM ELVY

As one of the peninsula’s most accomplished and respected agents, Samantha Elvy has an intimate insider’s perspective on the Inner West. We’ve asked her to provide some valuable market insight.

 

How long have you lived in the Inner West?

I grew up in Strathfield then moved to Balmain 15 years ago, so I’m definitely a proud local.

How have you seen the Inner West landscape change over the years?

It’s definitely changed quite substantially. When I moved here there were a lot of people like me – younger with no kids – and gradually we’ve seen these people grow up and have children, making the area increasingly family oriented. One thing about Balmain is that once you move here, you never want to leave. I’ve seen a number of buyers looking to move to places like the Northern Beaches, often seeking a bit more space, but frequently they end up coming back. I think this is because Balmain really is unique in terms of lifestyle, proximity to the city and the general feel.

It’s quite sad that some of the local pubs are shutting down and being sold off to developers. Balmain’s always been associated with having a pub on every corner and it’s a shame that we’re seeing icons like the Town Hall pub closing. I’ve seen the transition where some establishments have gone from being a favourite old local with a strong following to become something that the area doesn’t necessarily want. Some have remained more successful because they’ve maintained more of that Balmain feel but perhaps stepped it up a bit.

What partnerships are you aligned with and what are you most proud of?

If I don’t have to leave the peninsula I won’t so I’m always happy to get behind local endeavours. I’ve always loved the Balmain Markets and when I saw that it wasn’t as successful as it had been I was keen to get behind them.

How do you think West Connex will affect the suburb? Do you see it as a positive or a negative?

I’m a local resident and I’m not too far away from where some of the proposed development points are and I actually see it as a positive. I think it will bring better infrastructure and connectivity to the city fringe and what they’re planning for the old rail yards is quite exciting. A lot of people don’t like progress but progress will go on regardless. Fortunately there are a lot of good people fighting to make sure there’s as little impact as possible.

Where do you see Balmain heading in the next 10 years?

I only see it going from strength to strength. There’s a lot of empty nesters coming in and changing the face of things. These buyers want lock-and-leave homes and they also go out for dinner a lot, supporting the community, which is great. I’d like to see a lot more of the high street shops thriving. That’s a bit of a concern and we need to make sure we’ve got a great retail strip that’s doing well.

Posted in Balmain Office, Community, General, Inner West on 30th July, 2018