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Australia and 'cheap' are two words not generally associated following each other. The fact is most coastal towns in Australia that have 'beautiful views' have long been in the realms of pretty much unaffordable to grossly over priced.
Please do give examples of these places. Remote places in Australia, too often come with greater price tags due to their remoteness.
Need to remember that Australia has a lot of coastline, and small coastal towns can be found from Port Augusta in SA to Cooktown in tropical Queensland, and Albany to Joondalup in WA.
An example? Mallacoota in Victoria is located in a pristine coastal area, surrounded by national parks, and is a popular holiday spot for Victorians looking for time out. But you can buy a house there for a third of what you'd need for a pretty average suburban home in Sydney.
Last edited by Bakery Hill; 07-09-2018 at 01:41 AM..
I think So Cal. But I may be biased I live in LA, and yes, I do think it is the best on earth!
Southern California, at times, can get mighty chilly in winter, small wonder so many homes there have fireplaces. And in summer, at times, it can hit 100+ in Los Angeles.
After getting "burned" too many times going to L.A. in the summer, I just won't go there anymore, only Fall, winter, Spring.
2X in the last few years, I went to L.A. in the summer, and, just my luck, it hit 102 one time, and 100 another time. I attempted to cool off near the ocean but there was no relief at all.
San Diego, northern Baja, yes, nice in the summer, but look out for some chilly nights in winter!
Need to remember that Australia has a lot of coastline, and small coastal towns can be found from Port Augusta in SA to Cooktown in tropical Queensland, and Albany to Joondalup in WA.
An example? Mallacoota in Victoria is located in a pristine coastal area, surrounded by national parks, and is a popular holiday spot for Victorians looking for time out. But you can buy a house there for a third of what you'd need for a pretty average suburban home in Sydney.
Glad to pinned it down. A lot of places mentioned, I happen to know very well. Joondalup is a fast growing locality of outer Perth, hardly cheap, although Alkimos far further North still has 'reasonably' priced blocks for WA standards, but far and limited infrastructure.
Albany, now there is a place I know very well, having lived there. Rather expensive city these days. do return most years if in the country.Prices not far off Perth, unless settling for a less than desirable part, still not exactly cheap.
Cooktown, near to Cairns . Do you consider it cheap? Lived in Cairns as well, cheaper areas are cheap usually for a reason. Can't speak about Cooktown, specifically.
Port Augusta? Really would that come into anyone's radar? One can buy a reasonably cheap house in some rural one horse towns in WA but do what? Hardly near the coast. Most likely a somewhat conservative population. Only likely suitable for a certain type.
While the thought is somewhat nice, the reality is more difficult. I've been considering options in Australia for sometime now, and have yet to come up with a suitable location that ticks more boxes than crosses, and not so 'contained' by cost but of course won't accept .
What about beautiful Narooma, Batemans Bay, Port Macquarie in NSW, Caloundra in Qld along with Airlie Beach, Misson Beach, Palm Cove near Cairns?
But what do you consider cheap? Perth is cheap.
Not sure where you get your figures from. Perth remains over priced. WE have the biggest number of mortgagee defaulters and those in some degree of trouble in Australia. Although some prices have declined, post boom, there were at the peak of the boom among the highest rising prices in Australia.
Perth Is Not cheap. Business is closing down al around my inner city location. Rents remain far too high and greed is paramount. WE are about to lose one of the last independent book shops, been trading for many decades, but hardly stops there, a hotel closed in the city this week, more clothing shops, eating houses have gone/going. All too expensive to operate. Yet house prices remain close to a $million in my area and few areas of choice, would ever be described as cheap. Eating out. Some specials around these days, mostly for lunch though. Eating out here often more than Europe. Cost of living more than much of Europe.
Perhaps I should return the question and ask what you find cheap? Port Macquarie is not cheap. Considering the difficulty finding employment there and rather low wages if do it is expensive.
I don't find Cairn's beaches cheap. Very high charges besides actual purchase cost in the form of rates and strata. Or are you referring to rents? Rents did fall with the economic decline of the region. Again a lot of un/under employment and issues around that.
A lot of Australian towns are plagued by a serious drug problem. WA small towns being badly impacted. it could be boredom I'm not sure what exactly the reasons are, but reality it is and a hard battle to win. Not all skittles small city living in OZ, I can assure you.
I suppose, as I live in Sydney, almost everywhere else in Australia seems cheap. Where my friend lives in Perth the prices are about half of where she lived in Sydney. Where I live is about 25k out of the centre of Sydney and a nice but older house is still going for about $1.5m. A new house or upmarket townhouse start at about $1.8m.
I agree some things in Perth seem expensive, coffee, some restaurants etc. Perth prices went up in the mining boom. As it was a boom it was never going to be sustainable.
Yes also agree that jobs are limited in many coastal towns and people do not seem to want to live in places like Wagga, Mildura and so on, which have plenty of work.
I suppose, as I live in Sydney, almost everywhere else in Australia seems cheap. Where my friend lives in Perth the prices are about half of where she lived in Sydney. Where I live is about 25k out of the centre of Sydney and a nice but older house is still going for about $1.5m. A new house or upmarket townhouse start at about $1.8m.
I agree some things in Perth seem expensive, coffee, some restaurants etc. Perth prices went up in the mining boom. As it was a boom it was never going to be sustainable.
Yes also agree that jobs are limited in many coastal towns and people do not seem to want to live in places like Wagga, Mildura and so on, which have plenty of work.
What do you call cheap, by the way?
Restaurants are more than Sydney, here in Perth. I was in Sydney twice last year. Outside of world tear inducing, real estate prices, which are on the down turn, but with near record immigration and a government fingers planted firmly in ears, not to forget Sydney being a centre (though less I believe) for overseas laundered money into the real estate casino, this could run anyway until the bubble really creates mayhem, but yes Sydney in another terms is by and large cheaper than rip off Perth. Not some things, probably most things.
Not only is there limited employment opportunities in rural and many/most coastal towns, there is poor quality of living standards. Poor medical services, often over looked by those in the age seeking a sea or tree change. Trips to the city for health treatment had cost a fortune.
Youth is often un/under employed and directionless. For many/most the big city is their only chance to get an education and any sort of position.
AS I mentioned drugs, (meths) are a major, major problem for smaller communities and cities, at least in the WA context. I can list one city whose rate was considered the highest in Australia, since depleted a little but still high.
Bored/beaten/with out purpose youth, hardly amount to a 'laid back' community in any sense of the word. High suicide rates and anti social acts tend to result. Certainly no 'cool Hippy vibes' if that was the intended suggestion of another poster with their comment on 'laid back' communities.
Rather disinterest and judgemental of' 'difference', resulting in some hard 'yards' required to gain recognition let alone much along the lines of friendship.
In fact so many I knew, tend to in a sense 'drop out' remaining increasingly detached over time with minimal contact with humanity at large.
Sure it can work. If a fairly self contained person, able to occupy self, not be reliant on others very much, perhaps own family structure for support then go for it.
In other cases perhaps should go with a warning.
Of course, small town Australia, be it coastal or inland, can work. Just don't take it as a for gone conclusion and that a whole, new welcoming paradise is about to unfold.
Now paradise is of course at best a state of mind. The longer I have travelled and more places lived the reality of that is increasingly clear.
If 'hot' weather will assist or 'disappear' long aching knees and joints, then the suffer may have felt that they have stumbled upon paradise.
A person somewhat 'different' in what ever way, perhaps their sexual orientation, their hobbies, their feelings of not 'belonging' to the place they called home, enters a big city of diverse modes where every 'quirk' is there to be uncovered, may feel they have arrived in paradise.
A state of mind more than a place, to delivers more than subtracts from desires and feelings of belongings.
I could a lot of areas north of Lisbon Portugal as rather ideal for me, but don't speak Portuguese , but could quite happily pass away some years.
Perhaps the ideal 'paradise' is not to be too concerned on any one place, that will never met, as a rule, and don't confine oneself to any one place, but transverse between a few?
I suppose, as I live in Sydney, almost everywhere else in Australia seems cheap. Where my friend lives in Perth the prices are about half of where she lived in Sydney. Where I live is about 25k out of the centre of Sydney and a nice but older house is still going for about $1.5m. A new house or upmarket townhouse start at about $1.8m.
I agree some things in Perth seem expensive, coffee, some restaurants etc. Perth prices went up in the mining boom. As it was a boom it was never going to be sustainable.
Yes also agree that jobs are limited in many coastal towns and people do not seem to want to live in places like Wagga, Mildura and so on, which have plenty of work.
What do you call cheap, by the way?
I refer to the poster that cited coastal OZ as a paradise option. What I refer to as 'affordable', this being OZ cheap doesn't really enter the fray. Besides any number of houses, flogged here, would be akin to 'sheds' in Europe but I digress again.
Affordable here in Perth sense (worth another matter) would be places like Armadale (end of line, looks better than realty) Midland (again end of line) Probably 'reasonable' under b$400,000. Far flung northern suburbs or town houses closer in for between $400,000 and $500,000 of varied quality and 'good luck ' with the neighbours.
Gosnells, another place very popular with migrants, but 'loads' of issues, but the council there has done some sterling work on ascetics and the multi cultural mix offers some welcome variety in shops, always enjoy may one day a week out there, and houses can be affordably priced in any need of some TLC as at least in appearances such an assumption can be arrived at.
I refer to the poster that cited coastal OZ as a paradise option. What I refer to as 'affordable', this being OZ cheap doesn't really enter the fray. Besides any number of houses, flogged here, would be akin to 'sheds' in Europe but I digress again.
Affordable here in Perth sense (worth another matter) would be places like Armadale (end of line, looks better than realty) Midland (again end of line) Probably 'reasonable' under b$400,000. Far flung northern suburbs or town houses closer in for between $400,000 and $500,000 of varied quality and 'good luck ' with the neighbours.
Gosnells, another place very popular with migrants, but 'loads' of issues, but the council there has done some sterling work on ascetics and the multi cultural mix offers some welcome variety in shops, always enjoy may one day a week out there, and houses can be affordably priced in any need of some TLC as at least in appearances such an assumption can be arrived at.
Sounds like WA is certainly not your paradise, nor is Australia in general!
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