Its winter, but the warm sunlight is coming through the north facing deck. You get up and take the dog for a walk on the beach. The sun is up so the water is just warm enough to take a brisk swim in the gentle waves. You wonder if you want to join the fifty or so swimmers crossing the bay like a big pod of dolphins. Looks like a good way to keep fit. But it’s time to meet your new bunch of friends at your favourite coffee shop for brunch. The rest of day is laid out before you but this has been a great start.
Does that sound like you? The wonderful people who do branding and marketing are wanting to change the terms Tree Changers and Sea Changers to Dream Changers. A good proportion of Byron Property Search clients are Dream Changers. Southern city escapees are feeding the demand for quality Northern Rivers region property. With big prices being paid for the empty nests in the cities and bulging SMSF accounts they have the desire and the capital to move to this part of the world. Byron Bay and the green hills of the hinterland is the preferred option and it is easy to see why. Here are five good reasons:
1. Community.
The locals here work hard at making this shire work. There is a strong commitment to community values, the environment and to limiting bland, inappropriate development. It’s all about the “vibe”.
2. Culture.
Byron Bay has many musical, literature and arts festivals. It has world class restaurants, farmers markets and cafes. It has all the activities and benefits of a big city as well as the ease and simplicity of a small country town.
3. Beauty.
This is something one can easily forget until you meet up with a newcomer or a first-time arrival. Their constant refrain is about the views, nature, and greenery. This place is incredible! It is good to be reminded of that.
4. Health and fitness.
Besides the obvious advantages of living in a pristine environment, Byron Shire would have more gyms, yoga classes, and health and therapy practitioners than anywhere else.
5. Asset security.
Unlike the other lifestyle destinations mentioned, Byron Bay property is a rock solid investment. Demand will always outstrip supply and even in a financial downturn, prices remain fairly constant.
Some Dream Changers have been holidaying or visiting their chosen destination over the years. But booking a holiday unit and buying a property is very different and more demanding. Sinking a good proportion of your life savings into somewhere where you hope to spend a good part of your life requires research and certainty.
Engaging a buyer’s agent is a good idea. A real estate professional with deep local knowledge can introduce you into the community, provide more advanced advice and direction than you can do for yourself, save you money and time. The usual stressful experience of moving and making a difficult financial decision can be minimised. Try it, you may like it.