Location vs Space????

Hi all,

i wonder if anyone has had any experience with this cos me and my fiancée change our minds every week and would be great to get someone else's views!

We are moving to Sydney in 2 weeks and can't decide on where to live. We love the look of the new build apartments that seem to be available in Waterloo/zetland etc but also like the idea of living near the beach, yet most apartments in our price range that are near the beach are older - coogee or Bondi ?

Has anyone else had this dilemma and if so what did you decide? Was it the right choice etc? Did you go for space or location?

We think we have decided then we change our mind!

Thanks in advance!

Jay :-)

Just want to say that we are in exactly the same predicament! It's a tough call! I think we will just end up looking at both areas and then see what happens naturally e.g. if we fall in love with one particular apartment or if something becomes available first. Although we are adamant not to live in those old places you mentioned in Eastern surburbs.

Sorry not much advice here but I feel it.

Haha thanks for the post! Some of the apartments we've seen in the eastern suburbs I can't believe the price they charge! Some of them are awful! It's nice to hear someone else going through it, we are hoping to get to an apartment and realLy like the feel of it etc and hopefully that's will make the decision but it's a tough one isn't it! We keep thinking that we're moving to change lifestyle so should live by the beach but then look at some of the apartments and it changes our minds again!

When ru moving out there?

I'd always thought it was location and went down that road for the first year or so but I've now moved into a huge house and space beats location hands down!

It all comes down to your lifestyle - we have the best of both worlds I think, 40 mins to the city in peak hour and the space to entertain at home; both indoors and outdoors. The new builds are lovely but I personally started to feel a little claustrophobic and am happy in the 'burbs.

Despite being 25kms out, it actually only costs $15 more in a cab to get home from a night out than when I lived in the inner city suburbs. We certainly save way more than that in rent/mortgage!

In space nobody can hear you scream! :ssign19:

We went for space and then decided for us location was far more rewarding and that is how it has turned out for us. We do have enough space though and I guess that's important, just not the mass excess we had in the past at the expense of living in a quiet suburb too far to really engage with city life and facilities. Depends on your priorities I guess. Personally I really found my suburban life quite isolating and unfulfilling but everyone's wants/needs are different. Inner housing is dearer but downsizing can help. Rent not as different as buying if you're going that route. On the flip side we have made some savings as well including:

- transport: cycling to work so no large monthly public transport bill

- gym: monthly bill cancelled, cycling to work

- second car: sold

- other car: less petrol, everything closer

- wife's public transport: cheaper

- day care/after school care: pay for less hours as we can drop later/pick up earlier and juggle the whole show much easier with more dual involvement and time with the kids

- very high quality state schools: not forced into private schools

- time: far less maintenance of gigantic house and garden

Not in Sydney, but here in Adelaide we went for being close to work. when first got out here it was a 20min bus ride in, and had to take the car to get anywhere after work etc. We're now walking distance from CBD, restaurants, shops, work, and if we want to go to the beach, it's only a 15-20min drive. I've been much happier since we moved...

We won't be there till mid next year so I'm sure we will also change our mind several times about where to live. Being such an indecisive person doesn't help.

Good luck in finding somewhere and your move!