The traditional sea-change or tree-change dream of a new coastal or country acreage home no longer belongs to just Australian retirees, as the benefits of regional living begin to attract a whole new demographic to leave the city life behind.
A new report released by the Regional Australia Institute shows that Millennials and young families, referred to as the “golden demographic”, are now opting to leave the buzzing crowds of our cities to make a new life in a range of growing regional locations, especially in NSW.
The attraction to escape the pressures and soaring home-ownership costs of city living, and create a home in a regional community is a simple one; more space to build, close-knit communities, affordability and flexible working options are all helping to drive the current wave of first-home buyers to look outside the ‘Big Smoke’.
As New South Wales’ largest builder for detached homes, McDonald Jones has been building new homes in the Hunter region, Sydney, the Mid-North Coast, South Coast, as well as the ACT for over thirty years.
Steve Hearn, General Manager at McDonald Jones, says the shift in younger families moving out of metro areas to establish themselves in growing regional cities like Newcastle, Wollongong and Port Macquarie is growing.
“Young people are seeing the benefits of building a new home in these regional areas, such as the larger blocks to be able to build their dream home, the affordable lifestyle close to beaches or in beautiful country areas for their families to enjoy long term, rather than just on holidays.”
“The demand for affordable new home designs that suit regional blocks and lifestyles has created a need for us to continue to develop our NOW SERIES, a hugely popular modern range of affordable home designs that now features a country or acreage style home design – the Almonte, as well as our much-loved Single and Two-Storey designs. [View digital brochures here]
“The opportunity to escape the city and enjoy a great lifestyle and home affordability is reflected in the opening of our Lucia One at Huntlee – a great price for quality living that is now on display.”
“Likewise, we’ve grown our Country Living Collection, with its impressive range of beautiful acreage homes which offers young families the versatility of spaces and has a strong focus on outdoor living area to enjoy the fresh air and lifestyle that regional living offers.”
“With the shift in employment and flexible working, people are no longer confined to desks in the city. And as more land development opens up in beautiful areas like Coffs Harbour and Forster on the Mid-North Coast or Wongawili in the south of NSW, I think we’ll only see this trend continue.”
This year has certainly brought with it some changes and with those changes, the idea and importance of home has never been more in the spotlight, especially it seems for Millennials, who are considering their first home, their families and a life-change for their future.
For more information visit McDonald Jones Homes
