Moving from Adelaide to Sydney, Please Recommend a Suburb to Live in

uk3000 on 29/03/2019 - 11:30
Last edited 29/03/2019 - 11:30

Yet another "moving to Sydney" thread. We're a family of three in our late 30s with a 4yo child, relocating from Adelaide because wife's just got a very prospective job offer in Sydney. It's a hard decision to make and proceed with downgrading our life standards, but there's nearly zero career (and the pay) growth opportunities for both of us here in Adelaide. FWIW, wife is a Law associate, I'm a senior software engineer.

Interested in opinions on choosing a safe Sydney suburb to live in, with a good public primary school, less than 1hr train commute time to work (offices near Martin Place) and where we could rent something decent for no more than $900 p.w.

North or South? What are your opinions on North Ryde, Lane Cove, Killara, Kogarah? Another criteria is, in a distant future, we'd like to be able to buy a house not too far from where we'll be renting for now. It's unlikely that we'd be approved for anything more than $1.5M.

Thanks a lot!

Education & Work

Comments

          • brad1-8tsi on 03/04/2019 - 07:50
            +2

            @cameldownunder: You could say that about many parts of Sydney. I'm not sure what your point is.

            I know people that were born in Australia who have poor English speaking skills. I know people that are recent immigrants from NESB that speak perfect English.

            I know people that have lived here for 30 years and I wonder why they bother as they haven't really assimilated. I know other that moved here 3 years back and you'd think they were born here.

            Personally, I don't really care where people came from as long as they attempt to fit in and try to contribute to the community and society in a meaningful way.

    • papachris on 31/03/2019 - 19:27
      +2

      What a heap of crap!

      Guess you're a Tony Abbott voter though…

    • codinghelloworld on 31/03/2019 - 22:02
      +1

      Wow, still has one person show their discrimination, even on the beach.

      • gyrex on 01/04/2019 - 08:52
        +1

        I guess comprehension isn't as pervasive as one might think here. I said "culturally incompatible immigration", that being immigration from countries or cultures where people have little to no interest or desire to assimilate into the Australian way of life. This doesn't encapsulate most immigrants but a subset of certain peoples.

        • Maxdax on 02/04/2019 - 21:43
          +1

          IMO there is nothing called culturally incompatible immigration. There are culturally incompatible people who don't tend to mix up with any culture other than their own perhaps? These are generally found in every culture. After moving from overseas, I have lived on the northern beaches for the last 8 years. In the block of units I live in, generally speaking, most people are friendly, community feeling is strong, kids play cricket/soccer in common area, go out to trick a treat, Santa etc. There are some people (mostly Aussies/British) who don't like to talk much (not even a hello / avoid eye contact) whilst others are mostly friendly and cordial. Hence I feel it all comes down to the individuals/cultures at both ends (the migrant and the natives) to make assimilation/inclusion a success

  • Dingo on 30/03/2019 - 16:08
    +1

    For a rent of $900 per week you can take your pick of most areas with the compromise being the size of the property.
    Definitely agree with all the North>south comments.

    Your buy price is very well aligned with the hills area. Baulkham hills, Winston hills, etc all have lovely leafy outlooks and you could definitely get back into a newish 4-5 bedroom freestanding home with small yard well within your budget. From Winston hills a bus on Windsor road gets me to martin place in 45-50 minutes.

  • Millikano on 30/03/2019 - 16:16
    +1

    Another vote for the North Shore, around Chatswood.

    Some other locations to consider:
    1) Frenchs Forest: About a 30-40 minute drive during the busy hours, but good schools, and only 20 minutes to the nearest beaches (Dee Why, Manly). Some of the tech companies are setting up offices out this way too (eg. Dell EMC).
    2) Epping: This suburb is leafy and the homes would probably be manageable in your price range to buy later, plus the schools are pretty good there and the train station is a major one.
    3) Balgowlah: This is next door to Manly and Fairlight, and you may find a home in your price range closer to the beaches. The commute to the city would be by bus, but they run regularly.
    4) Hornsby/Waitara: These suburbs are further from the city, but you could find a home to purchase for around $1- $1.3 million, has a major train station, and the train ride to Wynyard takes about 35 minutes.

    I'm looking for myself at the moment and considering Wollestonecraft and its neighbouring suburbs, but we don't have kids and would be looking for something under a million. I'm from an Engineering background too and there are a some great jobs in Sydney in your field. Best of luck on the move up!

    • uk3000 on 30/03/2019 - 19:51
      +1

      Thank you, very useful. Good luck to you too mate!

      • TenguTech on 03/04/2019 - 21:32
        +1

        Be aware, the Chatswood to Epping line is currently closed for 'upgrading' to the Metro line. It is supposed to be opening later this year, and is currently replaced by a fleet of buses.

        So if you live along that line for the moment travel is slower and more expensive.

        Have a look at train timetables for stations you are interested in. Checking out which are the major stations and get more trains, and which are skipped often.

  • 4ksandknives on 30/03/2019 - 18:20

    Recently moved to Sydney in the Homebush Flemington area (Suburbs with immigrants and what not).

    Based on my observations, North Sydney is far, far nicer and quiet. My friends live in Rhodes and I have a few friends that are located closer to the city center. There are certainly some areas in Southern Sydney I would avoid IE Blacktown - unfortunately, I had my wallet picked. Thankfully it was only a dummy wallet with only my Opal Card, but it still hurts.

    When it comes to raising your child while still having a good commute for yourself and your wife, having a home that is within a 10-15 minute walk from the train station is recommended.

    Although it's not in the area that you had in mind, I would recommend you take a look at the Rhodes region. There's some new development around there, a board walk, and plenty of public space that'd be great for a young family. Traffic, on my observation, isn't that congested.

    The Suburb is considered a peripheral artery from the main line so you won't have too much traffic if driving; however, there is still the commute to the city that may involve 1 or more transfers instead of a direct line.

    Just like the Metrocard in Adelaide, I'd recommend you familiarize yourself with the Opal card system and some of the lines. T1 is sort of the express train that most quickly gets you into the city.

    • Kandrew on 30/03/2019 - 18:51
      +14

      There are certainly some areas in Southern Sydney I would avoid IE Blacktown

      I know that it’s been a very long time since I have lived in Sydney, but I don’t ever recall Blacktown being part of southern Sydney.

      • papachris on 31/03/2019 - 19:31
        +4

        Maybe he meant Bankstown.

        Although you can get your pocket picked in Bondi or Manly, so comment is irrelevant anyway…

    • John Kimble on 31/03/2019 - 19:09

      Tell me more about this dummy wallet strategy!

    • uk3000 on 31/03/2019 - 21:11

      Thank you, useful!

    • FreddyMerc on 31/03/2019 - 23:11
      +3

      Not sure Rhodes is a great area for raising a family. I lived there and we had our storage cages and mailboxes robbed often. Still fighting to have my identity restored from stolen mail. North Shore is far safer and for a family offers more.

      • srr on 01/04/2019 - 19:31
        +1

        Also, people here not great with driving skills despite having lavish cars. Two pedestrian crossings for the whole suburb doesn’t help also, I’ve been a witness to a near miss where a child was almost ran over by a car.

        • FreddyMerc on 04/04/2019 - 13:50
          +1

          Yes! I was once stuck behind a Maserati that didn't know that a green light meant go. It went through 3 sets of lights before I got out of my car, knocked on his window and politely said "Green mean GO!" money can't buy common sense.

  • Geoff-bargain on 30/03/2019 - 18:55
    +6

    I'm moving the other way. Got sick of the Sydney traffic jams. Looking forward to cheap housing and being able to her places in under an hour.

    I'd recommend the northern beaches. You should be able to get to the city in under an hour on the bus and on the weekend is fantastic there.

    • uk3000 on 30/03/2019 - 19:58
      +1

      Thanks and good luck with your move to Adelaide, I'm sure you'll love it here.

      • keyboardandco on 30/03/2019 - 20:35
        +2

        He'll be back! *Shakes fist

    • FreddyMerc on 31/03/2019 - 23:12
      +2

      There's also almost no traffic in the Northern Beaches compared to the rest of Sydney. Take a look around Narrabeen or Warriewood.

      • Geoff-bargain on 02/04/2019 - 07:00
        +2

        On the weekend there is.

    • knoxy1001 on 01/04/2019 - 21:38

      work construction in the city, granted I leave for a 7am start on site, but under an hour drive into the city each day isn't too bad

  • DarkOz on 30/03/2019 - 20:43
    +3

    I can recommend Epping like many had already recommended. You can rent anything with your budget.

    Major interchange train station 45 minutes to the City with an express from Central every hour. New Metro opening soon.

    3 - 4 really good public primary schools: Epping West (one of the biggest primary schools with 1,200 students but extremely well run), Epping, Epping Height and Epping North. There is a 5th one coming up. It's recommended that you check out www.bettereducation.com.au for the top ranked schools.

    Very family friendly and leafy. It's populated but it doesn't feel that way.

    If you are within the boundary the public high schools have a really good reputation. Epping Boys/Cheltenham Girls or Carlingford Coed.

    Also check out Gordon/Killara area. I don't know much about those 2 areas but we have family friends wanting to move there preparing their kids for primary school.

    • uk3000 on 30/03/2019 - 21:40

      Very useful, Ta!

    • Save Medicare on 31/03/2019 - 10:00
      +1

      I went to a co-ed public high school in Carlingford. Standard of education was very good but there were some hoops to jump through to get in.

      • codinghelloworld on 31/03/2019 - 22:10
        +1

        Can you clarify? What is "some hoops to jump through to get in"? You mean opportunity class or selective class?

        • zealmax on 03/04/2019 - 13:33

          James Ruse High School would have many hurdles to get into.

    • TenguTech on 03/04/2019 - 21:45
      +1

      Epping to Central
      - the Newcastle line runs every 1/2 an hour at peak hour, and takes 25 minutes
      - there is also a Limited stop service that runs with about hte same frequency, and takes 5-10 minutes longer
      - the all stops takes about 45 minutes

      The Newcastle and Limited stop would require a change at Central to go into the city.
      The all stops runs through the city and continues to Chatswood and Hornsby across the Sydney Harbour Bridge

  • T1OOO on 30/03/2019 - 20:47
    +2

    Same situation but single. I’m living in mortdale. Train ride is about 30min. U can get a great 3 Vedder for around $700. And I came from seaton close to westlakes but that areas a lot more expensive

  • MilkTeaWithPearls on 30/03/2019 - 21:11
    +11

    OP, my advice for your family and 4yo, is look elsewhere (avoid Sydney) most local families are leaving the city, but a bigger city than Adelaide where there are more suitable roles for your wife and being a senior software engineer you'd be able to get a good job anywhere.

    Ie, Brisbane or Melbourne.

    Also theres no entertainment in Sydney because of the lockout laws and mentality against musical events / cultural events.

    Childcare is scarce in Sydney and you'll be stressing to get your little one into one, stress about the traffic and long commute daily into Martin place. I see everyone burnt out everyday at 6pm (peak hour is from 4pm - 6:30pm in Sydney) near Wynyard trying to push onto a train or onto the buses trying to get home and then the buses / trains are so full that people start fighting and pushing each other. Trust me you'll hate yourself pretty soon.

    You almost feel like you're living to work in Sydney, not working to enjoy a good life.

    Unless you're prepared to pay $10-$15k to send your child / future kids to a private school, your 4yo will have to be very competitive to get into a Selective public school (All the top ranked public schools in Sydney seems to be like that) and even your children have to pay for being in Sydney before they go into High School they'll be under relentless pressure to perform academically and pass all the selective school entrance exams.

    Unless your combined income is near $300K or you have a few investment properties to offset your taxes, you won't be living in a big house / comfortable life in Sydney. You'd be lucky to get a small 2/3 bedroom apartment where you won't ever speak with your neighbours / it won't even be big enough to have friends to come over to entertain them.

    • uk3000 on 30/03/2019 - 21:27

      Wow, that's like my own worst fears told by someone else. Thanks for your post, it's good to know what to expect. The problem is, my wife has only been getting interview invitations for roles in Sydney, nowhere else. It's a hard choice and we're still thinking but most likely we'll end up going there anyway…

      • T1OOO on 30/03/2019 - 23:25
        +5

        Expect to work twice as hard for many more hours in Sydney than Adelaide. I agree. It’s not good here for family. Stick to sa unless you 2 have a combined income of over 300$k forget Sydney ull struggle. Long term forget about a decent house. They are 2$m plus. Think what you can do with that in Adelaide!

      • [Deactivated] on 31/03/2019 - 06:40

        Give it a go, if it doesn't work out then keep moving. If it works out it's your choice.
        I have moved a few times, biggest thing is re-establishing networks.

        ….you never know could lead to New York,London or some crazy place you never thought of.

      • papachris on 31/03/2019 - 19:50
        +1

        OP, I wouldn't take this person's post as gospel. See my reply below, and don't let the growing anti-Sydney brigade get under your skin…

        • uk3000 on 31/03/2019 - 20:13
          +1

          Well we're a bit intimidated but we're still brave :)

          You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.

    • Dingo on 30/03/2019 - 22:04
      +3

      Wow, I didn't realise it was such a harsh environment! I had no trouble getting childcare for my little ones, spend less than an hour getting to and from work each day, have lots of parks near me, haven't sent any of my kids to private or selective schools, my combined income is nowhere near $300K, have no plans to move anywhere and I don't even push people around when the train arrives! Then again, I'm a fan of Seneca and Marcus Aurelius so maybe I'm out of touch.
      I find there are plenty of entertainment options in Sydney, I had a great family outing to Darling Harbour just last Saturday night. Everyone I was with had a great meal and a wonderful time. Horses for courses I guess.

      • uk3000 on 30/03/2019 - 22:12

        Thanks for stepping in, too. We've been visiting Sydney many times on weekend breaks and loved it, but living there is a different matter, especially with a child. We realize that the only way to know what it's really like is to try by ourselves.

    • uk3000 on 30/03/2019 - 22:13

      @MilkTeaWithPearls: One thing to clarify though, are there really any Selective Primary school? I thought it's only a thing for High schools?

    • papachris on 31/03/2019 - 19:47

      Typical anti-Sydney rubbish peddled by the Melbourne-first set.

      most local families are leaving the city

      Obvious garbage.

      Also theres no entertainment in Sydney

      Add this to the tip.

      I can't comment on schools, not being involved in any way, but there is no general outcry in the public domain about NSW public schools in particular that I've heard, and I've live here almost all my life.

      Until 2007 I worked in the CBD for years, commuting to and from the west and

      you almost feel like you're living to work in Sydney, not working to enjoy a good life.

      sounds like nothing more than your own issues (or maybe your particular job or employer).

      Unless your combined income is near $300K or you have a few investment properties to offset your taxes, you won't be living in a big house / comfortable life in Sydney.

      The final crown on the pile of turds. I would say most locals (Sydney wide) don't come near $300K, yet many manage to live in large comfortable houses in relative happiness.

      Unless you are simply trolling, I'd say you've merely suffered a bad personal experience…

      • nickj on 01/04/2019 - 14:44
        +2
        • Homes in Sydney are really expensive (e.g. you need to be on $160k salary to buy a home in most suburbs: https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/banking/aussies-nee… ). So I think people do need to earn decent money, or to have bought ages ago, or have inheritance or significant savings, to be able to buy a home in Sydney at current prices.
        • The city is really crowded. E.g. traffic on weekends is terrible. It's probably in large part due to the population growth of nearly a million people in the 2004-2017 period: https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2018/04/immigration-drives-… . I can only assume that Melbourne feels even more crowded.
        • We (in inner city Sydney) applied for 9 daycares. We had to wait for 3 months to get our child into any daycare, and 12 months to get them into the daycare we liked most (for only 1 day, as that was all that was available initially, and then took up extra days as the centre had them become available, which probably took another 3 months). And in that 12 month wait, I would visit or phone them every 3-4 months to remind that we were interested, so that they would not forget about us. So at least for us it was a step-by-step 15-month process to get the daycare outcome that we wanted.
        • Private schools are way more than $10 to $15k. (I am assuming here you mean private schools and not catholic schools). By the time you get to high school and near the HSC, they were around $28 - 31K in 2015: https://www.homely.com.au/sydney-greater-new-south-wales/que… ; this year it's up to around $32 to $38k : https://www.smh.com.au/education/sydney-private-school-fees-…
        • There is a consistent trend of interstate migration out of NSW : https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2018/02/migrants-flood-sydn… ; and specifically Sydney (I cannot for the life of me find the graph right now, but have seen it previously somewhere). So you cannot say "most local families are leaving the city", but it's certainly true that more locals leave than arrive (loss of around 18,000 people per annum, which is around 0.4% of the population).
        • But there is plenty to like about Sydney too. E.g. there is entertainment, and are good areas for kids with lots to do. And I've personally not experienced any crime, e.g. theft (with the one exception of an old car that was stolen off the street 20 years ago and dumped in the CBD).
        • So whilst I think MilkTeaWithPearls overstates the problem, I have in recent years come to understand why people feel this way. You can only make something overpriced and over-stretched for so long, before people get a bit jack of it.
        • papachris on 01/04/2019 - 20:50
          +1

          @nickj: Agree with much of what you say, other than the schools stuff which as I said I know nothing about. That said the 'inner city Sydney' experience is undoubtedly significantly different from suburban areas.

          The difference is you didn't make it an attack on the whole of Sydney based on one person's experience. I just tend to get triggered by trash-talk and trolls (alliteration accidental).

          As for the graph on your link, I see the NSW Net Interstate Migration is currently (latest 2017) about the same as 1984, and no more than the average. Considering Sydney has been the gateway to Australia for immigration for most of our history, it's only natural people will in time move on. Given the large overseas immigration, it would be disastrous if Sydney also had a large interstate immigration too!

          The interesting thing to me (as a stats buff) is the pronounced temporary spike around 1990 - I wonder what caused that…

  • MoonlapseVertigo on 31/03/2019 - 05:36
    +4

    +1 Baulkham Hills / Winston Hills. Great schools, close to parramatta Westfield and castle towers and rouse hill shopping centre. Parks, leafy, new train line to service the hills opening May 2019. 50 mins to the city.

    4bdm house on 600m2 for $1.1M

    Best of luck

    • Neoika on 31/03/2019 - 07:46
      +1

      Finally, someone mentioned northwest train line is due to open.

    • uk3000 on 31/03/2019 - 08:31

      Ta!

  • [Deactivated] on 31/03/2019 - 06:30
    +2

    Pymble, can walk to train. Very leafy, great schools. Have national parks nearby and is around 20-30 mins to Mona Vale beach.

    It's above much of the pollution which you can see as during low level inversions.

    • Ozbargainlyf on 31/03/2019 - 08:02
      +4

      1.5m in Pymble wont get you very far.

  • LenLever on 31/03/2019 - 07:56
    +1

    Lane cove North on or close to Mowbray Rd West is absolutely the best choice for you as there are freeway buses available with only a few bus stops to the city and also to North Ryde (the silicone valley equivalent). Plus it has hundreds of new apartment blocks close to the huge new Mowbray Rd Primeary School that is more like a University campus that can accommodate up to 1000 students and currently has 650 students- This school is really top class

  • mousie on 31/03/2019 - 09:46
    +1

    4 main hubs for employment for you are CBD, North ryde,Macquarie Park, Bella Vista and north Sydney.

    Epping and Carlingford are great from a commute perspective. I used to live in Carlingford, but moved to lower blue mountains for a work/life balance. Your budget seems unnecessarily high and suggest that you bank some of it to get a place later on.

    • uk3000 on 31/03/2019 - 10:34

      Ta. I agree it might be wise to lower the budget.

    • ihbh on 01/04/2019 - 17:50

      4 main hubs for employment
      5?

  • Thenarrator on 31/03/2019 - 09:47
    +1

    OP i dont know if youre reading this post anymore but the perfect place i would say is epping. it is essentially a schools suburb. all the good public + selective schools, primary and high school AND university is in there.

    Epping is next to macquarie which is like the sydney equivalent to silicon valley. all the it jobs are there.

    for your wife, presuming she works in city, there will be the trains metro opening up next year quickening the commute. its not that pricey there.

    • uk3000 on 31/03/2019 - 10:29

      Sure I am reading it and I appreciate every single thought posted, wife does too. Epping is on our research list, it has come up quite a few times here. Thank you!

      • nadzz2015 on 31/03/2019 - 12:06
        +1

        Hi there! Welcome (very soon) to Sydney! I haven’t really read the threads but whereabouts would your wife work in Sydney? CBD? Try Kings Langley as well. It’s super family friendly but no train station. North shore is really great for families. Surry Hills, Redfern, Chippendale etc can be convenient but mostly young couples so loads of pubs, restaurants. If you have any questions feel free to ask…

        • uk3000 on 31/03/2019 - 15:12

          Thanks!

        • uk3000 on 31/03/2019 - 21:29

          She'll be working in Martin Place btw.

          • brad1-8tsi on 02/04/2019 - 11:29
            +2

            @uk3000: Even if she's near Martin Place station it's no big deal to walk up from Wynyard or Town Hall rather than change trains.

            I was in Australia Square which was 100m from Wynyard and walked from Martin Place (550m) rather than change trains. It was a good way to clear the head at the start and finish of the day.

            The CBD is reasonably compact if you enjoy a walk.

            I'm out at Parramatta now and the train trip from Erskineville is quick (40m d2d) and uncrowded but the Parra CBD is batsh** boring.

  • [Deactivated] on 31/03/2019 - 11:56
    +4

    Doonside for ease of access to petty crime

  • Biskitt on 31/03/2019 - 12:38
    +4

    Some good shouts here but maybe also have a look at some of the area's that are on the ferry routes too, it's such a calming way to travel to work and far nice than getting the bus/train IMHO.

    Me and my wife are mid-late 30's (no kids though) and live in Chiswick which is a lovely little suburb on the water, quite quiet but close enough to everything and only 22 minutes to Barangaroo Wharf on the ferry (10 minute walk to Martin Place). Drummoyne, Abbotsford, and Cabarita/Breakfast Point are all really nice too and on the ferry line. Concord is also lovely but thats on the train line.

  • Ozbargainlyf on 31/03/2019 - 12:56
    +1

    Hey OP,
    Did the reverse a few years ago; moved from Syd to Ade.

    Honestly you could do fine with a number of suggestions here; Epping and surrounds is great for public transport infrastructure + relatively more affordable for a future purchase.
    Upper north shore may be great to rent but properties frequently go for $2.5m+ . The lifestyles fantastic for young families but is is relatively isolated (part of the charm). Good public schools and a lot of private schools very close by. But if you intend on going out all the time, its quite annoying to get into the CBD by car etc.

    Can't comment on down south; you stay in one area and tend not to move to other areas of Sydney. West Lakes would be quite similar to the Epping and surrounds area, serviced by Macquarie Shopping Centre and about 25 mins to the city.

    Gluck!

    • uk3000 on 31/03/2019 - 15:12

      Ta! One q, do you mean 25 mins to the city by car with good traffic? It's our understanding that from Epping by public transport it's more like 1hr, isn't?

      • peterlikesstuff on 31/03/2019 - 18:16
        +1

        Epping is around 45mins by train to the CBD. Traffic can get quite horrendous over the weekends in the area.

        I grew up in Adelaide (western suburbs, so am familiar with West Lakes) and moved to Sydney two years ago. Most of the suggestions of north/north shore areas will suit you well. I started out in the Ryde area and I'm currently in the upper north shore (Waitara), near Westfield Hornsby and it's got a great suburban/community feel.

        Happy to answer any questions you may have.

        • uk3000 on 31/03/2019 - 18:49

          Thanks mate! How do you like it so far? Any major regrets?
          We're still digesting all the info from this thread, but I'll probably have more specific questions later.

      • Ozbargainlyf on 31/03/2019 - 18:26
        +1

        Yeh 25 mins perfect traffic but double in peak times.

      • [Deactivated] on 03/04/2019 - 14:41

        The express trains from Epping into Central take less than 30 minutes and are quite frequent in the mornings. I park my car in Epping and walk 5-10min to the station to get the train into Central.

  • Dingo on 31/03/2019 - 17:34
    +2

    @uk3000 one suggestion I have for you is to rent where you can afford to buy. That way if you're happy with the area you won't have to move far and you won't have any unknowns.

  • serpserpserp on 31/03/2019 - 22:46
    +5

    Listen Sydney is great, lived there for almost 10 years, would go back if I could afford to own a home in the eastern suburbs where I last lived. But are you sure you have really tried hard to find better earnings in Adelaide?

    Trust me, I'm not a massive fan of Adelaide by any stretch and would probably not go live there, but I think at the associate level your wife is at, and the work that you do, you could probably really try working the connections to find higher paying jobs, or for her, a place with better prospects.

    Just another thought to throw out there, sometimes I think people take the easy route of moving jobs even when the "life" upheaval is probably bigger than you realize. It can take a couple of years to really land on your feet in a new city and with kids that has a tendency to complicate things, You should have a really good hard crack at finding the jobs you want in Adelaide first before trying to move on (but you may have already done this, maybe you can let us know).

    I mean unless you both get paid more that 50% more than what you are on now, will the change really be worth it? Not sure what the extended family situation is for you either, but if you have that support already in Adelaide and will lose it moving to Sydney, that is actually more valuable than you think.

    • uk3000 on 31/03/2019 - 23:04

      That's in line with my own thinking. But it really does feel like the only way for us to potentially grow here in Adelaide is to start own business, be it a consultancy for me or a boutique 1-person law firm for her. Perhaps, I myself could have found a remote job. Anyway, one of us could have tried exploring going solo.

      Which was something we were talking about, until suddenly she got that offer (actually, two independently similar offers, both from Sydney). She usually keeps her LinkedIn profile open and there had been nothing interesting from Adelaide (or anywhere else, FWIW) for a few years, until now.

      But definitely wouldn't be a 50% monetary upgrade for either of us, for at least for a few years from now.

      • bodri on 01/04/2019 - 14:03
        +1

        @uk3000 I would strongly suggest you consider all possible options of staying in Adelaide if for nothing else peace of mind. My own story is that I grew up in Adelaide and left after university in 1979 as job availability and career prospects were better in Sydney. I am an Industrial Chemist and manufacturing was already diminishing in Adelaide decades ago. We have no extended family here in Sydney and it was tough managing our careers and child care particularly when the kids were sick. We have a gap of several years between our 2 children as it was easier to manage child care (cost and pick ups etc). Each summer holidays I would leave the kids with my parents in Adelaide. It was a way to manage child care which tends to close over Christmas break for a few weeks. It also gave my parents a chance to be grandparents. In 40+ Christmas's we have only missed 3 in Adelaide. Implications are that we have reduced holidays during the year to go somewhere else and I have not had the pleasure of seeing my young children awake Christmas morning in our own home.
        On the flip side, we had the chance to go back to Adelaide a few years ago and decided against it because we knew that our own children would probably leave Adelaide once they pursued their careers. Opportunities are limited in Adelaide as you well know.
        It is a big decision and not without consequences. Good luck

        • uk3000 on 01/04/2019 - 22:00

          Thanks for your opinion mate.

  • FreddyMerc on 31/03/2019 - 22:56
    +1

    Take a look at St Ives. Blends both the Northern Beaches and the North Shore. Perfect for raising a family.

    • uk3000 on 01/04/2019 - 15:09

      Ta! How is the commute from St Ives to Wynyard?

      • jthorpe on 01/04/2019 - 15:38
        +1

        Depends on time of day. It usually takes me around 30 minutes in the morning (leaving 7am) to Wynyard by bus. In the afternoons, about 35-40 minutes leaving Wynyard at around 4:45. There's no train station, but if you'd prefer, there's regular buses to/from Gordon train station.

        Don't know what houses rent for, but modern 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom units are around $600-650/week.

  • matt-ozb on 01/04/2019 - 08:15
    +1

    Queenscliff is the best ever!

    But a really bad plan to move unless you have $1m as a deposit on a $1.5m house.

    Stay in Adelaide.

    • uk3000 on 01/04/2019 - 08:42

      Well there's a hypothetical option to rent out the house in Adelaide and go back if we can't get used to Sydney.

      • danyool on 01/04/2019 - 23:07
        +1

        Possibly a good option - but remember renters won't treat it the same as you did. Not that they'll necessarily trash it, but dings here and there, garden and lawns not done as regularly or as well as you would like, etc, etc.

        But could be some tax advantages of doing that while you're renting here - then possibly sell it Capital gains tax free (as was your old PPOR) - to help you buy here (if you decide to stay).

        Would go well if Adelaide continues to rise while Sydney drops over the next year or two.

        • uk3000 on 01/04/2019 - 23:24
          +1

          Looks like now it's the right time to sell it in Adelaide at least in my suburb. It seems the growth has come to an end. Yet it's owner-occupied mortgage, so would probably have to refinance it first as an investment property before renting out. Haven't really pursued that option yet.

  • edisonAU on 01/04/2019 - 09:28
    +5

    I also come from Adelaide for work, and have been living in Sydney for 20 years.

    I would recommend Cherrybrook (where I live now) which has a new train station and will start train in 1 - 2 months. It has excellent school system in both primary and high school. Cherrybrook Tech High School is one of the best non-selective Hugh school in NSW. Eddie Woo teaches there. You would need to live in the zone catchment though. Check the school website for details.

    Most houses here are relatively new and large. You can get a 4 bedroom house for $900 rent, and those houses are definitely can be bought with $1.5 million or less. Also the suburb is not littered with high rises such as Epping and other suburbs. It feels most like Adelaide.for me and I always recommend Cherrybrook to anyone moving from Adelaide.

    • uk3000 on 01/04/2019 - 10:07

      Thank you, it's good to have an opinion from a fellow Adelaidian.
      How is the commute from Cherrybrook to Wynyard?

      • edisonAU on 01/04/2019 - 14:04
        +2

        With the opening of Sydney Metro in May or June, it takes 41 minutes in peak hour. Whilst there is a change of train at Chatswood, it would be timed so that you would hardly wait at Chatswood at all.

        Have a look at the website below for travelling calculator:

        https://www.sydneymetro.info

        • CheapSticks on 01/04/2019 - 15:17
          +1

          Post 2025 - will be even quicker with the metro over the harbour completed.

        • profeeder55 on 02/04/2019 - 08:23
          +2

          Think the trains will be so frequent during peak hours in Chatswood which you won't even have to time it anymore !

      • Kyou mo Kawaii on 03/04/2019 - 13:55

        Another +1 to Cherrybrook;

        I've recently moved out of Cherrybrook, lived there for over 10 years. Neighbours and community are friendly and nice, people leave their garages open overnight since theres little to no crime there.

        Education-wise, Cherrybrook Technology High School (CTHS) is one of the top public high schools in the state which will set your child's future very nicely. This is speaking from personal experience as I graduated from there years ago.

        Commute-wise, the bus takes around 30 minutes - 1 hour to get the CBD depending on which part of Cherrybrook you live in. 642X takes 25 minutes to get to Cherrybrook from Wynyard if there is no traffic and you get a beast bus driver. Only down side is the city buses only run Mon to Fri, and only come every 30mins to 1hour outside peak hours.

        Metro is running in a couple of months like others have mentioned, which should reduce commute times.

    • CheapSticks on 01/04/2019 - 15:19
      +1

      I second Cherrybrook as well. Kellyville as posted by someone else is further away and wont fit your less than an hour requirement.

  • Munki on 01/04/2019 - 11:10

    Mt Druitt for sure.

    • robbyjones on 03/04/2019 - 20:34

      OP, Mt Druitt compares most to Elizabeth in Adelaide

  • jetM on 01/04/2019 - 12:12
    +1

    I'm from Adelaide and came here as a S/W engineer about 25 years ago.
    I currently live in the NW ( Hills Shire : Kellyville) as this was the only place I could afford when I first got here.
    What you should consider is the new trainline which goes to chatswood and then you can change to goto wynard
    but that won't be active till May. Automated completely 4 mins a train to Chatswood.

    Other reasons I moved out further is concrete jungle i was not used to it in Adelaide we got birds and trees and quiet.

    Downsides
    1) Sydney traffic compared to Adelaide when I first got here was scary
    2) Lots of one way roads and tolls
    3) Only dude with Crows supporter colours.

    As the others have said if you can walk to a local public school to avoid sydney peak hr that would be the best scenario as even out in the
    burbs it is bad.

    • uk3000 on 01/04/2019 - 12:19

      Thanks for taking time to register and write this up! Has the move been worth it for you, career-wise?

      • jetM on 01/04/2019 - 12:26
        +1

        Absolutely.
        I love Adelaide my parents and my brothers cousins still live there. However the income I can get here in Sydney
        way way outweighs what I can earn in Adelaide. Can I take my job back there now yes, but the issue is that if I lost it
        id have to come back here to find another do the time. So in short I will go back to Adelaide to retire as all my family and old mates are there :-)

        • uk3000 on 01/04/2019 - 12:31

          So in short I will go back to Adelaide to retire as all my family and old mates are there :-)

          My plan exactly, although I doubt my kid will follow us and go back to Ade, having grown up in Sydney.

  • brad1-8tsi on 01/04/2019 - 12:16
    +3

    I've been lucky enough to be able to move around. Have lived Sutherland Shire, St.george, Inner West, Eastern Subs and North Shore.

    Sutho: The commute to the city is too long IMO. If you have a child then you really want to keep the commute as short as possible. I was commuting from Miranda for 6 months and it was the pits.

    St.George: Anywhere south of Hurstville is nice to live but longer commute as they are "minor" stations. North of Hurstville is pretty good, esp Allawah and Carlton. I'm not a fan of Arncliffe or Banksia. Wolli Creek seems to be a good place to sleep but not much else happening (maybe I'm wrong).

    St. Peters, Marrickville, Tempe, all a lucky dip with WesConnex motorway development and aircraft noise but they are nice, vibrant areas.

    eastern suburbs: too expensive, too much traffic, public transport packed tight.

    North Shore: I spend 30% of my week at Crows Nest. I like the area but it is expensive.

    Inner West: Glebe and Balmain are probably out of budget. Redfern has come good in many parts. Newtown, Camperdown, Erskineville, Darlington, Waterloo, Zetland are all nice in pockets but you won't get a big house there (maybe a townhouse style apartment). The commute is great!

    I know enough Adelaide folk to tell you to raise your budget and lower your expectations.

    Good luck.

    • uk3000 on 01/04/2019 - 12:21

      Very valuable, thank you.

  • junji82 on 01/04/2019 - 14:31
    +2

    I have lived in Eastwood, Chatswood, St Ives and currently living in Lindfield. I really enjoyed living in Chatswood because it was close to everything. Chatswood has two big shopping centres so you can basically shop for anything. I have lived in St Ives for about two years and it was full of parks and trees. It's been two years since Ive moved to Lindfield which is two train stations away from Chatswood. One of the main reason for moving to Lindfield was so that my daughter can one day attend Lindfield Learning Village. Google Lindfield Learning Village and you can make the decision if you want to send your child there. 2 bedroom unit rent is about $750 and about 1 million to buy. Unfortunately houses will about double of that. Maybe 3 bedroom unit will fit your budget. I am hoping to move to 3 bedroom unit in the near future.

    • uk3000 on 01/04/2019 - 15:11

      Thank you, very useful. How is the commute from St Ives to Wynyard? How is it from Lindfield? Thanks much!

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