Rangeville area gets a Franke assessment

Looking for a new home can be both an exciting and daunting experience at the same time.

Anyone who has been in the position knows trying to find the perfect property, for the right price in the right location is always a tough ask - but for married couple Roselyn and Rod Franke, it certainly helps if you know what you’re looking for.

Determined and focused, the couple was locked and loaded very early in their search, because they knew the popular suburb of Rangeville was where they wanted to call home.

"We love the area," Roselyn said. "It’s a great location that really suits our family.

"Everything is just five minutes away – work, great schools and beautiful parks. It certainly has everything that we want.

"The house and street we chose ticked a lot of boxes, so we were able to move straight in without having to do any renovations or compromise on what we were looking for in a property."

That was more than 10 years ago.

And aside from finding their dream home, back then the Frankes had one more priority - positioning themselves in a catchment zone offering quality primary and secondary schools.

With a young one on the way and another to follow, it allowed them to look to the future, confident their children’s schooling would be of the highest standard.

And while great schools and a short morning commute to work were important, the aesthetics of the area were also a telling factor when making their decision.

"It’s a really appealing suburb and most of the properties have large trees and established gardens – it’s all very green and has a very natural feel," Roselyn said.

For the Frankes, it was also important for the family to have that all important room to grow.

"Yard size is a big thing," Roselyn said. "One of the big advantages with older blocks is their size, and with a younger family we wanted the girls to have plenty of space to run around."

And run they do.

Budding sport stars Jemma (10) and Rylee (8) love pulling on the sneakers before hitting the great outdoors.

"We’re a very active family," Roselyn said. "So, we very much enjoy spending time in the nearby parks or heading up to Picnic Point or going for ride.

"With the bike pathway, you can go from Queens Park right the way through to the Waterbird Habitat, so it’s always great to get out and enjoy time as a family.

Health benefits aside, being near the park has further advantages when it comes to a busy social calendar.

"If there’s a birthday party or a play date then it’s so easy to head down to the park to play and enjoy the facilities," Roselyn said.

"When we’re out walking, you get a real sense of community as you move around the neighbourhood," Roselyn said.

"Everyone’s friendly and will smile and say hello. It’s a great environment for bringing up our girls.

"Even if we were to look at buying another place one day, we’d definitely want to stay in the Rangeville area."