Moving to the Illawarra? What you need to know
A locals guide to moving to the Illawarra.
The Illawarra is unique and beautiful! When choosing an area to live its so important to understand the suburbs and know that they all have their own character.
The first thing to consider is your commute because if you’re travelling to Sydney the suburb you live in can drastically change your commute times. The major hub for proximity to Sydney is Thirroul, Bulli & Austinmer. Thirroul is the major express station and Bulli pass is your quickest route to jump on the highway. The towns are small but the secret is out and it has gotten a lot busier in the past few years. With that comes the weekend traffic comparable to beach road in Bondi but only on the weekends. If you want something even closer to Sydney to sacrifice some services The closest seaside town is Stanwell park with only around 15 sales year this tightly held town is a perfect place to relax and raise a family.
lifestyle
Depending on what you want we have a suburb to suit everyones taste. If you want a village feel my favourites are Thirroul, Coledale and Balgownie. All have a great coffee shops and restaurants. If you’re after a quiet more secluded and relaxed lifestyle Wombarra & Scarborough are my picks. There’s less services in these towns therefore less tourists and weekenders. For families you can’t go past Woonona, Russel Vale and Fairy Meadow. All have great schools and good town centres. For services, things to do and action Wollongong has come leaps and bounds in the past few years with an upgraded shopping precinct and a focus on bringing arts and food to Wollongong its a great place to have a city feel, when really its just a big town.
The Cost
The obvious is of course the closer you get to the water the more expensive it is but there are still some reasonably priced suburbs available as I write this port Kembla is one of the last affordable sea side towns however if your buying in the hope of making quick gains there is still some major changes that need to happen there before any sort of gentrification. If you’re looking for value Woonona, West Wollongong , Figtree and Bellambi all have some pretty reasonably priced homes.
Services
The northern suburbs have almost everything you need, but you will still have to travel into town on occasion which is about 20 minutes south to Wollongong. Living close to Wollongong is a dream now as everything has improved considerably into last few years as the population expands.
Risk
Many parts of the Illawarra can be flood affected in a bush fire zone or prone to slip it’s always smart to consult with someone local to help with property selection as conditions can vary street to street. There’s so much to consider when purchasing in the Illawarra so feel free to reach out if you need any advice I’ve lived in many of the suburbs I service and can guide you suit your property goals.
Steer clear of the swamp
Buywithjack