For many families, the dream of owning a house with a backyard is a primary goal. However, some parents are choosing to prioritize a desirable postcode and lifestyle over square footage. Chloe Hart, a mother of two and a real estate agent in Sydney, Australia, purchased a two-bedroom apartment in Manly, a beachside suburb, in 2021.
Hart explained that the beachside lifestyle, walkability, and family-friendly community in Manly have proven more valuable than a larger home. "I feel like it's a bit old-school to think kids need a backyard and their own bedroom," she told Daily Mail Australia. "The neighbourhood you raise your kids in matters a lot more than the square meterage of your home."
She and her husband opted for a smaller apartment to gain access to a better location, believing it allows them to enjoy their lives more and provide their children with a better childhood. Hart, who is also a real estate agent, stated that apartment living allows her family to dedicate less time to home maintenance and more time to outdoor activities.
"We're all time-poor these days. You want to spend your time doing things you actually enjoy, not just housework and maintenance," Hart said. "We kind of eat and sleep at home, and then spend the rest of our time outside doing stuff."
Hart's perspective reflects a broader trend where buyers are increasingly valuing location and lifestyle over extensive living space. "It's all about the lifestyle now, location, proximity to amenities, the ability to get the ferry to work," she noted.
Hart recently shared her view on Instagram, sparking a discussion about the importance of neighborhood versus home size. She reported a largely positive response from other parents who agreed that community, convenience, and lifestyle outweigh the advantages of a larger house. "The best property investment you can make isn't the brick and mortar - it's the lifestyle and community you make," she stated.
Manly was recognized in a study by health insurer iSelect as one of Australia's top family-friendly locations, ranking tenth nationally. The study analyzed government data across key measures including child development, childcare availability and affordability, healthcare performance, and birth rates. Manly's strengths included comparatively affordable childcare costs, with this expense accounting for 22.4 percent of household income, alongside strong performance in healthcare and family amenities. Sydney as a whole featured prominently in the rankings, with five suburbs in the top ten.
Other Sydney suburbs recognized for their family-friendly attributes included Dural-Wisemans Ferry, which ranked second nationally, Leichhardt in third place, Ku-ring-gai in fifth, and the Chatswood-Lane Cove region in seventh. Manly rounded out the top ten, praised for its family lifestyle and manageable childcare expenses.