I am starting thinking longer term now as I am conscious of our visa expiry date and am looking at affordable areas to live. The Wife and Daughter are into horse riding so will need to ensure they get their fix as well and thought Yanchep might be a good bet to base ourselves.
I like to start early in the morning and was wondering how long it would take to drive into the CBD if I was to leave home at 630 - 0700hrs in the morning. Could you do the drive in under an hour or would traffic be a complete pain.
I am also thinking of maybe getting a motor bike to commute with if driving to work in a van / car would be tricky.
Also open to other areas. Given we don't have a lot of cash for a property eg $450k a lot of other areas are out of our league.
Thanks
Yanchep into the CBD on a bike or in a car in peak hour, I'd budget on 90 minutes each way door to door, if you did it in under an hour that could be considered a pretty good run. At a guess even if you did it at 3:00am you would be looking at close to 40 minutes.
Edit: Yanchep to the CBD is nearly 60 km, I just did a quick search on Reiwa.com.au there are a few houses under $450k as close as Edgewater and Heathridge. That drops it to around 23km. If you are not fussy, then there are some cheapies in less than desirable suburbs even closer.
If you gave us a better indication on house size and needs, family requirements etc then we could help narrow down your search field on some of the real estate websites. Do you want horses on the property or agist them somewhere?
I know some people are moving into Heathridge as its coming up a bit. Worth a look for sure.
If you can avoid spending hours on a bike on the freeway you will have a better chance of becoming a permanent Australian rather than a temporary one..
Hey thanks for the red thumb, you encourage me further!..I am a bike lover by the way, I just happen to know first hand how dangerous the Mitchell Freeway is for bikers with motorist not giving them the space they need, driving erratically and not securing their loads properly.
Go safely and good luck with the house hunting!
Cheers! 
Being a bike rider coming from Europe you'll find the WA drivers very easy to deal with. they are scared of bikes coming behind them and move out the way. They do change lanes without noticing bike but thats just because they are not too use to bike filtering. But in general WA driver a bike friendly when compared to europe.
Lane splitting at 40 (plus!) in traffic that is moving at walking pace seems to be the go.. .. 
Select to expand quoteChris6791 said..If you gave us a better indication on house size and needs, family requirements etc then we could help narrow down your search field on some of the real estate websites. Do you want horses on the property or agist them somewhere?
I was going to say a pool as well, but that might be taking the p!ss some what given the budget
I'd definitely start looking around Craigie, Heathridge and Beldon if you are looking north of the Swan River and CBD. Around 20 km from the CBD, reasonably serviced by public transport (by Perth standards), 5-10 min from nearest beach, 10-15 min from the horsey areas at the back of Wanneroo raceway, Carabooda and Mariginiup. And there are still a few sub $450k houses tucked in there. Nothing flash but a reasonable compromise on wants and needs in your budget.
No not doable. Traffic from 6am is very heavy on the freeway and also Marmion avenue is now very slow, I work in Joondalup and it takes colleagues sometimes 30 mins to come down from Butler to Joondalup. Joondalup to Perth is at least an hour, so you're looking at a min of 90mins on the way in. Rush hour in the arvo tends to be a bit more spread out, so probably not as long. Perhaps if you could start work at 5.30?
for 450 I'd say Chris' suggestions..... or for SOR areas go Spearwood / Hamilton Hill / Coolbellup so u can do river on easterlies, Woodies and Crazy Waves in winter westerlies and then Dutch Inn for summer seabreezes.
(Up north you are severely restricted for morning easterlies and winter. A MONTH of 20kn easterlies in the morning grates on u a bit but if the river is close you at least get something)
Those in your family who want to ride horses will give up anyway as for 5mths of the year it is too friggen hot so they will end up sailing with you. 
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
Those in your family who want to ride horses will give up anyway as for 5mths of the year it is too friggen hot so they will end up sailing with you.
i wish Mark, my wife and daughter just go to the horse beach in Navel base and ride their in the water. So i take my SUP board down and go for a paddle with them and my son on the front for the ride.
flanagaji you need to look south of the river with the 450k you have for a house you will probably have to agist the horses. and there are pony and riding clubs close
you will have good access to river sailing mid week and ocean sailing on the weekends
but what ever way you go north or south your whole family will love living here in wa
