Crossing borders or not, moving house is complicated (take it from someone who’s moved to the house literally next door).

We spend a lot of time helping our clients with moving to the Gold Coast from southern states (Sydney and Melbourne dwellers mostly), and we haven’t met someone who regrets the move yet. I’ve summarised the top 10 things you should thinking about before you make the decision to move to the Gold Coast.

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn: Everything you need to know about the beautiful places on the Gold Coast PLUS Ways to help you move from Sydney to Gold Coast without stress

What’s inside

Where is the Gold Coast?

Ok so first, let’s get clear about where the Gold Coast is. The Gold Coast stretches from the New South Wales border nearly all the way up to Brisbane. Due to its proximity to the ocean, beaches, and other attractions, the Gold Coast has become a popular vacation destination for millions of people every year.

Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Main Beach, Sanctuary Cove, Coolangatta, and Burleigh Heads are among the most popular destinations. Mount Tamborine, Lamington National Park, and Springbrook National Park are among the Gold Coast Hinterland’s most-visited national parks.

What to Consider Before Moving to the Gold Coast

We do believe that a planned move is a good move – so apart from finding the ultimate family home (we can help you with that), we’ve summarised the top 10 things you should think about before you move and live on the Gold Coast.

01 – Lifestyle

There’s a good chance this is the reason you thought about moving from Sydney to Gold Coast in the first place. Keeping in mind what is possible with life’s commitments, think about what type of lifestyle you want. How can you support that by relocating to the Gold Coast?

02 – Affordability

Consider the price differences in housing and basic living expenses – food, gas, electricity, and water. You also have to think about transport, including fuel prices, education and how you’ll pay for world-class universities.

If you like to unwind after a long day of work, will you be able to afford things like restaurants, shopping centres, entertainment like sea world, theme parks, national parks, and other sporting activities?

03 – Location

Where are you going to live? What do you need to be close to when living on the Gold Coast?

Your ideal house may be a walking distance, close to the sandy and glorious beaches of Main Beach, Mermaid Beach, Palm Beach, Surfers Paradise, and Burleigh Heads. Or maybe you’re looking for a tree change, and the solace you’ll find in the likes of Mudgeeraba, Tallai, Tallebudgera Valley, Bonogin, Austinville, Mount Tamborine, and Lower Beechmont appeal to you.

To make the moving process hassle-free, weigh up the distance from places you need to be with places you want to be. If you surf in Surfers paradise every morning, then maybe a half-hour commute is worth the hassle. But if you only want to visit the stunning beaches for Gold Coast stretches on weekends, maybe a 10-minute tram ride each weekday morning is the better option. 

In simple words, narrow down your priorities when relocating to the Gold Coast.

04 – Income

Where are you going to work? Can you get a transfer? Will your business survive a move interstate, and what will the downtime be?

05 – Timing

When’s the best time to buy, start the kids at a new school, take time off work to relocate, or acclimatise?

06 – Budget

House prices aside, how much is it going to cost you to actually do the move to the Gold Coast? I’m talking about factoring in those other – less obvious – costs.

For example:

• Moving costs to the Gold Coast such as moving vehicles, flights, petrol or any short term accommodation.
• Purchase costs include stamp duty, solicitors or conveyors, and independent valuers.
• Costs for exiting your current property, such as renovations to ready it for sale, rental cleaners, or the real estate agent’s fee.

07 – Education

For buyers who have, or want kids, researching the schools in your new area (or finding a house close to private schools) is incredibly important. This also applies to daycare centres, TAFEs, and universities.

Above all, be clear about what you and your child want out of their education – and emphasise academics, sports, the arts, and pastoral care.

08 – Life Admin

AKA all the paperwork that you’re going to have to do as part of the move, driver’s licenses, mail redirection, you get where I’m going with this. Unless you’re planning to smuggle apples into Tasmania, crossing state borders is pretty easy. You might not even notice when you cross the border from NSW to South East Queensland.

However, different states (and Gold Coast City Council) have different regulatory systems, including licenses and registrations. Make sure you factor this into how much time you’ve got to move.

09 – Networks

Making social and professional connections can take time, even when you’ve lived somewhere before. People change, move away, find relationships, have kids, and the list goes on. This is the same for kids, even when they have ready-made networks at school.

Remember, be intentional about how you spend your leisure time so that you increase your chances of meeting like-minded people.

10 – Family

How will moving from your current location to the Gold Coast affect your family relationships? On the plus side, you may be moving closer and renewing relationships.

If you’re moving further away, you may need to think a bit longer term. Are your parents likely to need living assistance in a few years? Will any kids you have, have the opportunity to know cousins and their extended family if you move away?

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Where to from here?

As property advisors, our aim is not to discourage you from our beautiful city. However, we believe that you should go into a big commitment like moving from interstate to the Gold Coast with eyes wide open. It is a huge effort.

But we believe a well-thought-out move, from deciding on the perfect property and the best school down to knowing where to buy the best pastry and flat white, gives everyone in your family the best chance to thrive in their new home.

Want to know how we can help? Get yourself a copy of our complete guide to working with a Buyers Agent: The Buyers Advantage…