Earlier in the pandemic, it was unclear whether work-from-home flexibility was going to be a temporary thing, or whether companies would be open to it in the longer term. It’s since become evident that employee expectations have potentially changed forever and many businesses have adapted their policy permanently to accommodate this. This has been accompanied by a massive national shift in where people are choosing to live.
The changing face of our regions
Areas like the South Coast of NSW are changing rapidly in many exciting ways as a result of the pandemic, with an increasing number of city dwellers making the move. A recent piece in the Sydney Morning Herald highlighted that “Melbourne lost 60,505 residents in the year to June 2021, and Sydney lost 5151, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.”
Many regional areas have had significant demographic shifts, with an increasing number of young families and young professionals choosing a change in lifestyle. Suburbs are gentrifying at a rapid clip and property prices have increased accordingly. But even still, the difference in affordability compared to our major metropolitan centres is vast.
This article does a good job of summarising some of the most affordable regional areas.
But what about jobs that require you to be on site?
Here at ALRA, one of our specialty industries is property valuation. It’s important to remember that in industries like this, there are still plenty of terrific job opportunities in the regions. Moreover, they can be job opportunities that offer superb quality of life, cheaper cost of living, natural beauty and a relaxed pace.
Recently, a client of ours shared an article which highlights these benefits and opportunities. You can find it here.
Don’t be afraid to make the leap
If you’ve been considering a tree change or a sea change, but fear of the unknown has been holding you back, there are some facts that might help to put your mind at ease. For example, there’s a common misconception that regional areas don’t have a broad range of job opportunities and salaries aren’t competitive.
This depends a little bit on the industry, but overall, the last couple of years have seen record highs in regional job vacancies. Furthermore, there’s a significant labour shortage in rural Australia. Many areas are running at essentially full employment. This has led to more attractive wages and incentives to help attract good candidates outside the metropolitan areas.
In short, if you’re unhappy with your current lifestyle, it doesn’t hurt to do a little research into the job opportunities available in areas that interest you. Talk to a recruiter, talk to residents of the area – investigate and ask the questions. The responses might surprise you.