Semi retirement advice

Proserpine is not Brisbane.. For $750k you might buy the whole town!

 

Lol, yes I see that. I am not sold on it - but interesting sites like homes show that as the #1 rated queensland suburb. I guess it must be too heavily weighted to cost, but maybe it really is a good place to live for families wanting a coastal lifestyle?

 

Better off to buy in Airlie. Prosperpine is actually a 1/2 drive to the Coast.

 

I believe Homes says that about every town.

 

I may be bias but cairns is very affordable, great education and a lot of access for people who love boating.

Has all the amenities of a capital city. Plenty of day trips to be had and wouldn't even need to spend 750k to get a nice house with lots of land. Also rental yields are/were very good 7% -8%. Although given covid is happening who knows.

Vacancy rates are also quite low.

 

Ohhh... Redcliffe or Cleveland (on Brisbane's South side)

 

Ok... with Education, Sydney is better. I have neighbours, the daughter was doing it easy, top of her school in Cairns. When she came in here at Sydney she was not at the top of the class. I think the class material here in Sydney might be more advanced. She had to really work hard here to stay near the top of the school. She was a state netballer for Queensland and she gave that up to focus on school, whereas in Cairns she was cruising along with her schoolwork.

And a story. I had a very high achieving gal in my volleyball team. She's doing the HSC (feel sorry for this year 12 cohort), but her mum says she is very focused. She topped her school (and its a selective school) in 4 subjects last year, and she wants to get into medicine. She was intending to keep playing volleyball, which requires training and weekend time for games even while doing year 12. Good on her. She's a talented player too. I wouldn't be surprised if she was selected to be a state team.

I am wishing her the best.

 

Wherever you end up, rent first buy later.

 

This really depends on which school she was in at cairns vs what school you would compare this to in Sydney.

How long is a piece of string?

 

FWIW, I think @Terry_w has raised the biggest primary issues you need to consider.

Other than that, consider access to International hubs as Australia is huge compared to NZ so if you ever require to fly International or have relatives/friends visit, cheap is often not very convenient here. For your budget & to increase prospects of stable returns, I’d be looking at higher population areas with proximity to an International hub over regional towns in far north Qld.

Best wishes with your family dreams!

 

Many Thanks, good advice I feel. I do like Brisbane in general, and have been looking (as mentioned above) at the bay area, from Wynnum down to Cleveland? Looks to have good schools in the area, and is possibly a bit cooler in the hot summer months, which will take some time to get used to. I guess I am conflating two goals in a way, I am just trying to make this as efficient as possible - a migration, and a sort of gap year. But as mentioned previously I do need to consider tax implications and how much of an asset base I want moved across, or not. I will engage a tax pro on what might be the best solution to that particular issue - but it looks like I am somewhat on the right track from your, very welcome I might add, feedback.

 

Is Redcliffe where they got a laneway dedicated to the BeeGees?

I remember walking through a lane way one time and all of a sudden “staying alive” blurted out from speakers. I looked up and saw photos of the fab three on the walls.

 

That’s the one!

 

In that case, don't buy anywhere near there lol.

 

My apologies, I meant to say the site, "Homely". Not sure if I am allowed to link externally, but I will try, if only for the sake of expanding the existing conversation:
Best suburbs in Queensland | Homely

 

Sounds like she might have been happier in Cairns lol.

 

Big fish, little pond vs
Little fish, big pond.