I would buy the house closer in. I don't know the various pros and cons of those suburbs as I live in the inner west, but for us, we love living close to public transport and the city.

The commute might only be 15 extra minutes one way, but is that with everything running smoothly? Car crash or late train can add more time.

We were prepared to pay the extra money for the house in the spot that we wanted, rather than a cheaper house in a less desirable location.