How to get the best of both worlds – urban living in a coastal location

2020 has made people re-evaluate where they want to live – but not at the expense of urban conveniency.  

The increase in remote working has given people the chance to live somewhere that offers a great lifestyle, while still maintaining a connection to the office.

“I think people are starting to realise that you don’t need to be in the office all the time and you can work from anywhere,” says Cameron Kusher, executive manager – economic research at REA Group.

But urban living still has its perks – and many people are hesitant to give them up too quickly, Kusher says.

“People don’t want to move to somewhere that doesn’t have all of those features that a big city has,” he says.

What if you could combine the best of both worlds with the perks of an ultimate urban lifestyle in a coastal location?

Here are some key considerations to weigh up:

Connected location

The move to remote working looks likely to remain a feature post-Covid-19. Locations that offer easy access to big metropolitan hubs will still be important, says Jo Prince-Gillies, head of projects at McGrath Projects Queensland.

“Being in lockdown has put a strong desire for many of us to live and work remotely in much better locations that are more lifestyle orientated, where we can still live by the sea  but travel back to the city if required,” she says.

Kusher says the Sunshine Coast is an example of a location that offers easy access to a major metropolitan hub, with direct flights to interstate locations too.

“If you have an office in Brisbane, you can be back there a few days to work and having the airport there certainly makes life a lot easier as well,“ he says.  

High speed technology

COVID-19 has taught us that remote working is the way of the future. But it’s also taught us the value of having a fast and stable internet connection.

There’s nothing more frustrating than poor or no Wi-Fi, especially when you’re on an important work meeting or trying to upload documents on a deadline.

Broadband technology is becoming standard in many coastal locations, making it easy to connect with the office and embrace life outside work.

“With Zoom meetings and FaceTime, we don’t need to waste time travelling to meetings anymore,” Prince-Gillies says.

“We can work and live in amazing locations — with the current technology this enables it all. You could be having an interstate meeting while taking in the stunning view across the lagoon.”

Sophisticated urban living

The classic Australian coastal home was typically designed with short family beach holidays in mind. But when it comes to design, you can now enjoy contemporary city styling and feel like you’ve never left home, says Robert Anderson, general manager – property and investments at Shakespeare Property Group.

“The Sunshine Coast is really starting to mature from a residential real estate perspective and outgrow the typical beachy dwelling,” Anderson says.

“There are still a lot of standard developments up and down the coast, but I think we are leading the pack with our finishes and palettes contained within a low density, built form environment.”

Buzzing amenity

Coastal locations can be stunningly beautiful, but some can be far away from some of the everyday essentials people are used to in the city.

Kusher says while a common perception of the sea change is people moving to small coastal towns, the reality is Australians want access to top amenities as well. But areas like the Sunshine Coast boast a fresh mix of cafes, restaurants, bars and entertainment all on its doorstep.

“You look at the areas around Australia that are really popular coastal destinations, they’re really these sort of buzzing metropolises,” Kusher says.

“You think of places like Noosa (on the Sunshine Coast) and it’s got all that amenity there, it’s got all those bars and restaurants.

“I think that’s really what people desire, particularly when they’re moving out of big cities.”

Prince-Gillies says that Habitat Twin Waters has the added advantage of being located within the Novatel Twin Waters — meaning a wealth of extra amenities are at resident’s doorsteps. 

“Lifestyle-wise, a resort really has everything,” she says. “Not only does it have the ocean, lagoon and river, but it’s also got cafes, bar, restaurants, day spa, and golf – it’s all there.

“The best thing is that you can actually walk to all these things.”

All pictures are courtesy of McGrath Projects.