Matt Sharp, Director of Sharp Property Buyers, talks about how you can achieve work-life balance without the price tag in the Central Coast.
Sydneysiders, if you haven’t thought these three exact words before, we’d be tempted to call your bluff. Whether it was while sitting in traffic in the Harbour Tunnel, stuck bumper-to-bumper on Ryde Road, or perhaps it was when you spent longer looking for a park than your actual journey — yet again — at your local shopping centre, café or favourite beach. Or maybe it was while you were searching for your dream property only to discover you were an eye-watering $300K short.
But, are you ever really out? Would you ever actually pull the trigger and move? If you think it’s near impossible to find a location that still meets your needs professionally (we’re looking at you, Sydney CBD office) and personally (hello, beach-filled weekends) with a fantastic community and a property market that matches your budget — think again.
The answer is simple — my hometown of the Central Coast.
Before you jump to the conclusion that the Central Coast is too slow for your lifestyle, or that it’s missing the bells and whistles of Sydney, you should first and foremost know that the Central Coast is rapidly growing, developing and evolving.
Nestled perfectly between Sydney and Newcastle, the Central Coast offers a laid-back, beachside lifestyle with exceptional cafes, restaurants and bars, but without the bumper-to-bumper traffic and the financial pressures of a Sydney mortgage — win, win!
If you’ve ever dreamt of a traffic-free Saturday sports run, pulling into a park out the front of the post office (nine times out of ten) or not paying a small fortune for parking to take a dip in the ocean, it’s time to consider life on the Central Coast.
If you’re not already Googling “Central Coast real estate”, then perhaps knowing that you’ll only ever share your local beach with a handful of fellow beachgoers might entice you to take a look. These little life luxuries are what I consider normal, yet they are almost unfathomable to Sydney residents living just over an hour south.
While the Central Coast is undoubtedly known for its relaxed, laidback lifestyle, it certainly has the sparkle of Sydney sprinkled throughout it. It’s home to a selection of world-class restaurants such as The Bon Pavilion, Bells at Killcare, The Lucky Bee and Box on The Water all of which at the helm of some of the country’s finest chefs.
In addition to this fine line-up of culinary options, there are an abundance of local favourites too like Florida beach bar (known affectionately to locals as “The Beery”), Margarita Daze, Avoca Surf House, and the most recent hotspot, The Boathouse Hotel Patonga (yes, that Boathouse, part of the renowned Boathouse Group).
When it comes to the property market, the array of options is vast. Whether you’re in the market for a two-bedroom apartment, acreage within a five-minute drive to the beach, or a brand-new home, every option could be yours for a fraction of the price you’d pay in Sydney.
When you consider the enhancement of technology that is enabling more professionals to work remotely, it means the days of being chained to an office desk in Sydney’s business hubs and working nine-to-five are numbered. A work-life balance is achievable on the Central Coast, as the drive (or train ride — take your pick!) to Sydney is possible in just over an hour.
Ask yourself the question, do you really need to be in Sydney? Are you out?
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