Koondoola vs WestminsterTwo Perth suburbs compared for a home loan
Koondoola (WA 6064) is approximately 14 km north-east of the Perth CBD, between Balga and Ballajura. Westminster (WA 6061) is approximately 10 km north of the Perth CBD, between Balga and Tuart Hill. At the 2021 Census, Koondoola had 3,919 residents with a median age of 35, and Westminster had 7,042 residents with a median age of 34.
In both suburbs the most common occupied dwelling was separate houses. Flats and apartments made up 0% of occupied dwellings in Koondoola and 1% in Westminster, while 35% of Koondoola households rented compared with 45% in Westminster. These differences matter for finance, because lenders assess apartments, strata buildings and houses on land differently.
Both suburbs are in the same state, so transfer duty is calculated on the same scale and the difference in upfront cost comes from the purchase price. The panel below applies that scale, and an estimate of lenders mortgage insurance, to the prices you enter.
WA 6064 · Northern suburbs of Perth
Koondoola
Koondoola is a 1970s City of Wanneroo suburb built partly on former landfill, with the lowest household income of the Perth guides and balanced tenure.
City of Wanneroo. Approximately 14 km north-east of the Perth CBD, between Balga and Ballajura.
Read the full Koondoola guideWA 6061 · Northern suburbs of Perth
Westminster
Westminster is a City of Stirling suburb renamed from southern Balga in 1995, with a young population, extensive townhouse infill and 45 per cent renting.
City of Stirling. Approximately 10 km north of the Perth CBD, between Balga and Tuart Hill.
Read the full Westminster guide
What buying in Koondoola and Westminster would mean for the loan
The difference between two suburbs is usually a difference in price, and price drives the deposit, the transfer duty, any lenders mortgage insurance and the repayment. Enter the prices you are seeing and the panel works out each of those for Koondoola and Westminster.
Your prices and deposit
Enter the price you are seeing in each suburb. BorrowWise does not quote prices, so the comparison uses yours.
Enter a price for Koondoola to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Enter a price for Westminster to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Warning: The interest rate used here is an example only. It is not a comparison rate and is not a rate offered by any lender, and it does not include fees and charges. Different rates, terms, fees or loan amounts will give a different result.
Estimates only. Repayments assume a principal and interest loan at a constant rate, which is an assumption and not a current market rate. Transfer duty is indicative for established homes, first home buyer relief depends on eligibility, and upfront cash includes an allowance of $3,000 for conveyancing and inspections. Lenders mortgage insurance is an estimate and is added to the loan. A lender makes its own assessment.
Koondoola and Westminster: Census profile compared
Figures are from the 2021 Census, so rents, repayments and incomes have moved since. They are most useful for comparing one suburb with another and with Australia as a whole.
| Measure | Koondoola | Westminster |
|---|---|---|
| People and households | ||
| Residents | 3,919 | 7,042 |
| Median ageAustralia 38 | 35 | 34 |
| Average household sizeAustralia 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.3 |
| Median household income, weeklyAustralia $1,746 | $1,185 | $1,404 |
| Housing costs at the 2021 Census | ||
| Median rent, weeklyAustralia $375 | $285 | $330 |
| Median mortgage repayment, monthlyAustralia $1,863 | $1,387 | $1,517 |
| Who owns and who rents | ||
| Households rentingAustralia 31% | 35% | 45% |
| Owned with a mortgageAustralia 35% | 36% | 35% |
| Owned outrightAustralia 31% | 27% | 19% |
| Types of home | ||
| Separate housesAustralia 72% | 86% | 63% |
| Townhouses, terraces and semi-detachedAustralia 13% | 14% | 36% |
| Flats and apartmentsAustralia 14% | 0% | 1% |
| Homes with two bedrooms or fewer | 10% | 18% |
| Homes with four bedrooms or more | 25% | 8% |
| Dwellings unoccupied on Census night | 7% | 8% |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0). Tenure shares exclude households that did not state their tenure. Dwelling shares are of occupied private dwellings.
Home loan considerations in Koondoola and Westminster
Lenders treat houses on land, townhouses and apartments differently, and some apply extra conditions to small apartments, high-density buildings or particular postcodes. These are the points each guide raises.
Koondoola
- First home buyers
- Investors
- A large portion of the suburb was a regional landfill facility before the 1970s, which can affect ground conditions.
- Some lenders and insurers take a more conservative view of land with a former landfill history.
- Median weekly household income of $1,185 is the lowest of the Perth suburbs covered here, so serviceability binds first.
- Some lenders apply a lower maximum loan-to-value ratio where former public housing is concentrated.
- There is no mandatory seller disclosure statement in Western Australia, so independent searches matter here.
Westminster
- First home buyers
- Investors
- Upgraders
- Some lenders apply a lower maximum loan-to-value ratio where former public housing is concentrated.
- Records predating 1995 may describe the area as Balga, which affects historical sales research.
- Outright ownership of only 18.9 per cent means budgets are sensitive to changes in repayments.
- Strata levies on the townhouse stock are counted in serviceability assessments.
- Western Australian contracts have no mandatory cooling-off period and no mandatory seller disclosure statement.
Housing stock in Koondoola and Westminster compared
Koondoola
- Detached houses from the 1970s
- Separate houses numbered 1,122 at the 2021 Census, 85.9 per cent of occupied homes.
- Townhouses and semi-detached dwellings
- At 182 dwellings, or 13.9 per cent of occupied homes, attached infill is above the national share.
- Three-bedroom homes
- The dominant size at 819 dwellings counted at the 2021 Census, against 275 with four bedrooms.
Westminster
- Original detached houses
- Separate houses numbered 1,783 at the 2021 Census, 62.8 per cent of occupied homes, from the State Housing Commission era.
- Townhouses and villa units
- At 1,012 dwellings, or 35.7 per cent of occupied homes, nearly three times the national share.
- Three-bedroom homes
- Overwhelmingly dominant at 2,034 dwellings counted at the 2021 Census.
Official sale price and rent figures for Koondoola and Westminster
Only figures published free of charge by a government agency are shown. Where none is published the space is left empty rather than filled with an estimate. Each guide charts the full series.
Koondoola
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Koondoola, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Westminster
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Westminster, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Transport, schools and amenities in Koondoola and Westminster
Koondoola
Transport
- Stirling Station (train)
- Warwick Station (train)
- Transperth buses (bus)
- Mirrabooka Avenue (road)
- Beach Road (road)
Amenities
- Koondoola Plaza
- Mirrabooka Square
- Koondoola Park
Westminster
Transport
- Stirling Station (train)
- Glendalough Station (train)
- Transperth buses (bus)
- Reid Highway (road)
Amenities
- Mirrabooka Square
- Westminster local shops
- Westminster reserves
School listings show name, level and sector only. Enrolment areas change, so confirm eligibility for a specific address with the school or the Western Australia education department.
Compare Koondoola or Westminster with another suburb
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Request a free assessment: Koondoola or Westminster
An accredited mortgage broker can check your borrowing power against prices in Koondoola and Westminster, and explain how lenders treat the homes you are considering. The assessment is free of charge and carries no obligation.