Coastal life draws fearless retirees

Older people are overcoming some anxiety about retiring and moving out of Sydney to country towns for a better quality of life, says the managing director of Lucas Property Group, Ralph Lucas.
“Moving to costal towns in particular is a trend which our sales staff have noticed to be growing in recent years,” says the head of the property development group.
Lucas says, “Grandfathers and grandmothers, many of whom have lived in Sydney all their lives and raised their families here, have been somewhat apprehensive about retiring to the country, fearing that they may become separated from their children and extended families.
“Many have been forced for financial reasons to move to the country despite their trepidation.
“It is often these same people who now encourage their relatives and friends to do as they have done,” he says, “because they realize they really have not become so separated from their families as they feared.”
Lucas gives what he says is a typical example of a married couple who recently moved from Sydney to a coastal resort town.
This couple were in their late 50s and considering early retirement because of declining incomes. They planned to sell their house in the suburbs for about $800,000, buy a house in the country for about $400,000, invest their remaining money and retire on the earnings.
They hoped that their new house would be large enough to accommodate members of their extended family on long weekends and school holidays, both their children being married with four grandchildren between them.
“They realized their dream by buying a new, brick-and-tile, four-bedroom home within walking distance of the beach on the South Coast for less than $400,000 after selling their home in Sydney for more than $800,000,” says Lucas.
“I imagine their grandchildren much enjoy holidays by the beach as a change from holidays in the western suburbs.”
He says the growing trend of moving from the city to country towns, especially coastal resorts, has been fostered by a desire for a healthier quality of life and more financial freedom.
“Many older people these days find that their business and employment opportunities are diminishing, their living expenses are increasing and their health and fitness is of more concern to them,” he says. “For financial reasons and for the sake of their health, they simply cannot afford to live in Sydney any longer.
“The good news is that with real estate prices relatively high in Sydney, people can afford to sell there and buy on the coast within easy driving distance of their families. They can afford a new home large enough and convenient enough to accommodate family members for holidays.”
Lucas says the latest housing development by his group offers an excellent opportunity for such people wishing to move from Sydney to the coast. It is Highview Estate beside Budgewoi Lake at San Remo on the Central Coast of NSW.
New brick-and-tile, four-bedroom homes for this subdivision are priced from $323,000. House-and-land packages are priced from $298,500 and housing sites from $163,000.
Many of the new home sites present lake views and all offer bush land views and ready access to a lakeside reserve.
Highview is five minutes easy drive to the ocean beach at Budgewoi. It is five minutes to the expressway leading to Sydney and Newcastle, less than one hour’s drive from Wahroonga.
Ralph Lucas says retired people and investors planning their retirement are among those expressing, in their inquiries with his sales staff, growing demand for coastal housing and land sites.
“As one prospect has commented to us, retiring to a house near the beach on the Central Coast offers a healthier and better quality lifestyle than retiring and downsizing into a home unit near a highway in the Sydney metropolitan area.
“Another prospect prefers moving to the Central Coast of NSW than to the coast of Queensland, too far away from children and grandchildren,” he says.
Lucas says that apart from the fear of becoming separated from loved ones, most retirees have no fears about moving to the Central Coast. They know that this area offers all the amenities they need: shopping centres, clubs, playing fields, theatres, restaurants, churches, schools, hospitals and other amenities as well as beaches, lakes and bush reserves.
More information about new coastal housing estates is available from Lucas Property Group, 100 William Street, Sydney, 2011; phone 9358 5544, fax 9356 4028, email info@lucaspg.com.au and web site www.lucaspg.com.au .
Lucas began as Lucas & Tait Real Estate Group in Sydney in 1964.

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Photo captions:

Ralph Lucas, Managing Director, Lucas Property Group.
Download photo: http://www.wbpublicity.com.au/lucas/lucas.htm .

One of six house designs offered with package deals at Highview Estate.
Elevated, level land at Highview Estate, San Remo.
Budgewoi Lake and Highview Estate.
Download photos at http://www.wbpublicity.com.au/lucas/photoremo.htm

Media contacts: Ralph Lucas, Managing Director, Lucas Property Group, phone 9358 5544, email lucasr@lucaspg.com.au ; Mark Lucas, Director, Lucas Property Group, phone 0416 228 300, email lucasm@lucaspg.com.au .