House prices may be soaring but first home buyers take heart - it's not all doom and gloom.
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There are still some Illawarra suburbs where buyers trying to squeeze into the region's scorching property market can find good value, often below Wollongong's $530,000 median.
In recent months the region's house prices have followed in the footsteps of a booming Sydney market, fuelling fears a generation could be locked out of home ownership.
But Illawarra Real Estate Institute chairman Trever Molenaar said the situation was far from hopeless for buyers feeling discouraged by the upward price trend.
He urged buyers to consider expanding their searches southwards, and largely giving the northern suburbs a miss.
"I think it comes down to the cheaper areas, areas that are more south of Wollongong," he said.
"Figtree used to be the place where young buyers and first home buyers would go, but as prices have risen a lot are getting priced out, now a lot look towards Horsley and Flinders."
Closer to the CBD, Mangerton neighbours Coniston and Mount St Thomas were suburbs to keep an eye on, but Mr Molenaar said the cream of the up-and-coming property crop was Fairy Meadow.
"My pick at the moment for value would be Fairy Meadow, that's the pick if you can get into the suburb, but people are noticing that now and it's starting to get bigger dollars," he said.
One Agency Fairy Meadow agent Joanne Danckwardt said she had definitely noticed the suburb's growing appeal among buyers, citing its level blocks, vibrant shopping strip and proximity to the free bus route as key factors.
"Fairy Meadow is really moving forward, it's a real hot spot," she said.
Buyers of all budgets could find what they were after in Fairy Meadow, Ms Danckwardt said, from small one-bedroom apartments, to old fibro renovators and brand new modern homes.
Mount St Thomas was also a good option for first home buyers, Ray White Wollongong agent Ben Baaner said, offering the best value in the 2500 postcode.
As older generations moved out of the suburb's original solid brick homes, newer buyers were finding opportunities to pick up reasonably priced renovators, he said.
For new buyers seeking solid, established homes, Horsley was a good choice, Harcourts Dapto agent Mitchell James said.
"You have pockets of homes that were built 40 years ago, and also some newer pockets so there's a lot of diversity within the suburb," he said.
"There are also other nearby suburbs that have appeal for first home buyers; some parts of Dapto are just as good."
Mr Molenaar said most first home buyers fell into one of three categories, often determining the suburbs they'd gravitate towards.
Those simply wanting to get into the market generally favoured entry level units in areas like Wollongong's CBD, while those wanting a modern family home might look to Horsley or Flinders.
And for those just trying to get a foot in the market, areas such as Unanderra and Mount St Thomas might appeal.
Some of the other suburbs highlighted by real estate agents include Cordeaux Heights, Farmborough Heights, Albion Park and Albion Park Rail.