Where to live.... On the Sunshine Coast. Noosa or Moffat's?

[eMpowered]

I'm in my mid 30's now and the Mrs and I are wanting to have kid's in the next few years. (Leave that part alone please people).

But where I live on the upper Northern Beaches is fast becoming way out of my league as far as buying a house - We can afford an apartment, But for the same price we could get a 3 bedroom house in Tewantin and a bloody big mansion on the far South Coast.

Besides that where are the best people, Where I live Ego is NOT a dirty word.

Surf, Work, Schooling, Lifestyle, Community, Affordability etc.

Do you live in Aussie paradise and does it even exist anymore?

[Trev]

I wish I had discovered my current home about 20 years ago. However, there are plenty who would disgree with me.
What do you do for a crust? That's probably the most relevent point. ie. Can you get a job in your dream town?

[Revolution]

If you dont mind the odd stabbing... Belrose / Frenches Forest is fine i believe :?

[mustkillmulloway]

Tewantin is great

very real and removed from the one week i'm a surf festival star that is noosa proper

in fact, be honest....i miss living in Tewantin

maybe i was just closer the boat ramp

i find the crew up here...really , like normal..no ego..types

more so than you'll find in northern nsw or sth coast

those small nsw towns just breed this inbred "lord the flys type a surf community "

and if that doesn't get a bite....i'm changing lures

[eMpowered]

Yes, Shaping for income and high volume Ding Repairs in the past. But I also have a Diploma in Credit Management which i worked in for over 10 years. I am Microsoft Certified for Xp, Vista and currently testing Windows 7 (The new Operating System) as well as most PC Software issues and hardware upgrades. I had my Real Estate Licence, but it has lapsed about 5 years ago. (Never worked in the industry). I currently Manage a large Store Chain at night.

The Mrs and I are very serious about what to do (Move/Stay) so your honest and vast Realsurf opinion would be greatly appreciated.

[Trev]

I'm with Fong. The Sunny Coast is great. Come up for a holiday and a look see.
But watch out for those westies (from around Lake MacDonald, Cooroy, Eumundi, Beerwah, Maleny etc

[steve shearer]

This seems like a genuine inquiry so resisting the urge to say "don't come to the North Coast, we don't need another fcuken seachanger here", I'll say that if you don't consider Ballina you've got rocks in your head.
There's arguably the most consistent surf in Australia, a surfboard industry that equals anywhere in the world (especially if you consider the Goldy as part of that), good food, good coffee(unless your some kind of anally retentive coffee snob), good schools etc etc.
From an economic perspective the NSW state plan recognises regional centres as places earmarked for money......Ballina is one of these places...the place will feel relatively little of this recession, mostly due to government money and increasing population.
Yes, the point is overcrowded on good days but compared to Sydney or the Goldy or even the Sunny Coast the surf is very uncrowded.
And it's a very kind place to raise a family.
Thats an honest answer, hope it helps.

[Kunji]

For all your criteria, i think Narraweena/Becon Hill is the best bet. Dont let the late baby boom stereotypes fool you. The area is fast becoming a new family area. The children whose parents were lucky enough to buy on the NB when the going was cheap, have found themselves being priced out of the area by sky rocketing house prices. How many people are millionaires?

Narraweena is an option to buy a one story place where you can raise a family. You can add a second story as time goes on. Close to Cromer Public School and short drive to Brooky if you want to start up a factory. Plenty of other surf factories are there ie Shane, Bennet etc. Its worth a look.

Id say, if i wanted to by a house, that area would be an option for me if i didnt want to live in a unit closer to the beach. I mean Weena & Becon Hill is only a 10 min drive to the beach anyway. Plus you can live near all your friends.

[tiger]

I'm with Fong. The Sunny Coast is great. Come up for a holiday and a look see.
But watch out for those westies (from around Lake MacDonald, Cooroy, Eumundi, Beerwah, Maleny etc

Westy bogans rule!!

[Yuke Hunt]

I currently Manage a large Store Chain at night.

Managing a store chain sounds far more interesting than a chain store … but managing a chainsaw at night would be heaps more fun … and you get to wear the hockey mask.

Aside from that … the big move is always done with a sprinkling of excitement and bucket loads of trepidation. With a young family and (this will upset some) the Northern Beaches and Sydney turning to shit … we made the move 14 years ago.
The reality of purchasing half decent real estate out of the Sydney area was very attractive back then … now days the difference isn’t as extreme … but it still has some valid attraction … lifestyle being a major factor … something we all crave … but many miss out on due to burden of debt and the need to pursue income over career or said lifestyle … moving to smaller areas of population comes with its own pros and cons and should not be considered lightly … employment being a consideration of some magnitude … especially with the current economic downturn.
If you are planning to raise a family then lowering your debt and increasing quality time together are prime objectives …if moving out of Sydney is a prerequisite … where ? … well its not that easy … somewhere close to a major city … with half decent employment prospects … depending on your qualifications … and aspirations … starting from up north … the Sunshine Coast … Gold Coast and south into Northern N.S.W … down to Coffs … after that a few smaller areas in between …then the steel city and its surrounds … south of the city … the Gong area … and I’ve missed heaps of places … research and visit … Good luck … and as Neil from the Young Ones would say Boom Shanka .. “May the seed of your loin be fruitful in the belly of your woman” … Oh and one more thing apparently the coffee and apre-surf latte scene north of Sydney is quite mundane and rather tacky … on the other hand … well lets just say … no lets not … we don’t want all you knuckle draggers up here wanting banjo lessons … and molesting our hogs.

[oldman]

I'll say that if you don't consider Ballina you've got rocks in your head.

Gotta say that I love that area, more anywhere between Ballina and Byron. Christ there are so many quality breaks there it ain't funny. If moving was on my mind, I'd definitely be looking up there.

[pridmore]

you mentioned where are the best people, and as I have moved from the Sunny Coast to northern NSW I can honestly say that the people are a massive thing to consider....maybe even as important as the waves....

[diggerdickson]

I grew up surfing the northern beaches, have lived so far on the central coast at berkley vale, south australia, and the sunny coast at coolum is where I know reside. Ignoring the work side of things I have honestly found the people on the sunshine coast to be the most down to earth people I have ever meet, very friendly. Schools are good around my area, though cost works different than nsw in the school system, you pay for bloody everything. If your inclined to send your kids to a private school there are heaps around as far as Im concerned.

Tewantin is affordable though Im out of the market now for a house but with the quality of life here I just dont care mate, so if you can buy thats awesome

The community aspect is very good, coolum where I live is awesome for that aspect but Im sure locals would say the same thing for tewantin as it seems the whole sunny coast is like that

the locals up here seem dedicated to their local shapers which is a great thing, but if your work is quality thats all that matters, word will get around in a community like this on the sunshine coast, Im sure mustkillmullaway would confirm this as Ive only been here about 8 months.

To me surf is a secondary issue, as if you live near the beach you will always have your classic days but if your family aint happy it dont matter if you live in paradise, life will be shit........

best of luck mate, hope I answered some questions

bye the way, I moved here for my family and I wont move away for a job with more money as money aint the answer as far as Im concerned.

[Grooter]

Lavers Hill in the Otway Ranges.

Beautiful part of the world but you'll be living cheap down there as high paying jobs don't really exist.

[RickyG]

For all your criteria, i think Narraweena/Becon Hill is the best bet. Dont let the late baby boom stereotypes fool you. The area is fast becoming a new family area. The children whose parents were lucky enough to buy on the NB when the going was cheap, have found themselves being priced out of the area by sky rocketing house prices. How many people are millionaires?

Narraweena is an option to buy a one story place where you can raise a family. You can add a second story as time goes on. Close to Cromer Public School and short drive to Brooky if you want to start up a factory. Plenty of other surf factories are there ie Shane, Bennet etc. Its worth a look.

Id say, if i wanted to by a house, that area would be an option for me if i didnt want to live in a unit closer to the beach. I mean Weena & Becon Hill is only a 10 min drive to the beach anyway. Plus you can live near all your friends.

Coops, can you have a word with my wife please? (she don't listen to me )I'm about to sell and move and you've pretty much summed up where I stand

[Damage]

I want to end up down Eurobodalla way eventually. Up in the hills behind Narooma was thinking might be nice?

Until then I'm with Coops. My office in Dee Why & with a family just beginning to germinate, I too am thinking that BHill/Weena might be the go for a while.

[puurri]

Coogee Heights is the go. The banks are making margin calls and not granting refinance/ rollovers so the trendoid blow-in Nigel No-necks, Peregrines, Tarquins and Tobys of the past 15 years are going under big time.