The Beels

Hi everyone, hoping that we can get some valid opinions as looking at leaving Sydney in the next year.

Been here 5 years and the original plan was to go to Perth but my husbands sister has lived in Sydney for 20 years so we thought we would give it a go since we had a family connection. Have lived Eastern Suburbs, Inner West and now live in the Northern suburbs as we have a one year old (changes everything!) and could afford (to rent) a house here, although my heart is in Crows Nest!

It's been a hard five years but we have loved the challenge and we consider ourselves very lucky to have come through the other side. Have a mix of Aussie and UK friends (I'm Scottish, hubby is English) oh, alright then, mostly UK friends but who cares where your friends are from? Anyway, we have a lovely bunch of people come into our lives, but the prices in Sydney are crippling us.

We can just not see us ever getting ahead in Sydney. The savings we had for a house deposit have hovered around the same mark since we arrived and there is absolutely no way we will ever be able to buy a house in a decent area. It was fine when we were partying on 2 wages but now have a little bundle of joy, things have changed for us. Sydney seems TOO big, noisy and rude now. Something I didn't notice before (Don't get me wrong, I have never loved the place but we have had fun here)

Now all we can think of is having our own house (hubby is a carpenter/foreman), cycling around with our toddler, smaller community, less commute, a slower, more relaxed pace of life. What are your thoughts on Adelaide?

Suburbs with good schools?
Wages for tradies?

We are, of course, looking at a trip out, so any opinions are greatly appreciated as who knows how much ground we can cover with a 1 year old haha!

I suppose we are now looking back on the last 5 years and thinking, do we have a better life? Not really. Have we done the right thing? but, rather than complain, we want to be proactive and try somewhere else so that we can say we gave it our best shot.

Thanks, in advance for getting back to me,

H

Zen10

Hello

We moved from the south of England to Adelaide many years ago now, and mainly we enjoy living here. The kind of house you can buy depends on your budget. You will get more for your money in the hills than on the plain.

We rent, and we look at houses on the market a great deal. In general, you could get a house requiring a lot of renovation for maybe $450,000 in a very good suburb, if you're lucky and you're not out-bid by a developer, but most are bought by the latter, torn down and turned into three units. I've just watched a beautiful art deco bungalow get shredded and turned into three Lego brick units. In the hills, depending on region, you could buy a nice home for $380,000, if you're not bothered about having amenities nearby.

Adelaide in general is much slower and quieter. It's best to think of it as a big town. Lots of parkland, everything really close in the CBD. Be advised that Adelaide weather is more extreme than Sydney, and you can expect a real beating most summers.

Chortlepuss

Can only give my opinion as a visitor,but of all the cities I've seen in Australia, I like Adelaide the best. Seems to have a lot going for it, apart from limited job opportunities for me (IT). It will be a big jump, but sounds like it would suit what you need

Gjn200

Not true. What has Mt Barker area not got? err Ikea and an airport. Oh, could do with a JB HiFi though.

jackieh23

Having just moved back to Perth after 2 years in Adelaide - which was supposed to be a permanent move - I would say Be Careful. The economic outlook for South Aus is not great IMO and work is hard to come by. The housing market is pretty stagnant in Adelaide even with the SA Government Construction Bonus... I would ensure at least one of you had a job set in stone before you moved.
As for purchasing a house, it is much easier from a cost perspective to buy in Adelaide. Everything is within a reasonable driving distance (beach/hills/CBD), the pace is slower and it is a "nice" place to bring up a family IMO.
I will say the hardest thing for us was making friends as we were setting up a new business that was basically 24/7 and have no kids, so no "easy In' to a crowd/group.
I didn't find the summers any worse than Perth but the Winter! Much colder during the daytime...
SA still has specific intake areas for schools and the more popular schools see the surrounding intake suburbs priced higher. This site may be useful...
http://bettereducation.com.au/Compar...y_schools.aspx

rasen78

Mt Barker is just a small part of the Hills. Many areas of the Hills can be a distance from amenities due to the undulating/meandering roads.

Would still love to be there though

GreenMan72

Have you considered Brisbane? My wife and I left Sydney almost one year ago and have really appreciated the move.

It seems like a good transition from Sydney and has a much gentler pace but potentially better job opportunities than Adelaide as well as gorgeous winters.

We were able to buy a 3 bedroom house in a good suburb for just over $600k (across a 900 sq metre area). Have made new friends easily.

Just don't get me started on the lack of daylight savings though (the only real bugbear).

Beoz

Have you considered Melbourne? Still a big city, less rednecks than Brisbane, not a town like Adelaide and property is a damn sight cheaper than Sydney. Might make the step a little less dramatic. One thing to consider when moving is not just considering property prices but earning potential. The average salary in Adelaide is a lot less than Sydney.

Gjn200

Examples? It's a common misconception made up by people who do not live here. You just need to know the shortcuts.

Zen10

Well I live here and have done for years, and when I say no amenities, I mean without a vehicle. There are countless examples of this all over the hills.

astera

I agree that if you're going to leave Sydney then as the old song goes, "The Only Way Is Up!"

Tim86

Hello,

im just about the make the big move also! however my situation is a little different, i am relocating there with my job, i am single and will be renting, (in fact i get the keys on monday!)

As a tradie i'm sure your other half could find work at the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, its a $1.8bn project, so they will be desperate for labour!

i have only been in sydney for 8months, but have loved it, happy to move on and explore a new place, always have the option of moving on again!

Tim

aries

Adelaide has many fine homes very much cheaper than Sydney or Melbourne, but it depends on your budget and how near you wish to be near the city or sea. Do you wish to have a new or an old house?

New houses of good value are generally in the outer suburbs such as Mawson Lakes which is about 20 minutes or so from the city, and they come in a range of prices from quite cheap to expensive. http://www.realestate.com.au/buy/in-...sa+5095/list-1

I've lived in various parts of Adelaide (and Melbourne) during my 52 years in Australia, but although Adelaide is quieter than Sydney, it is by no means a small place with nearly 1.3 million people.

There are always housing projects on the go, and as Tim86 pointed out, the new RAH is a big building project and has a long way to go for completion.

Might be a good idea to visit Adelaide to get the feel.