COVID and economic refugees from the east are creating a whole new ballgame in real estate across much of regional NSW and Greater Lithgow is increasingly finding itself trying to keep pace with this great escape.
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Depending where you sit in this tsunami of demand will dictate mixed emotions.
An experienced local conveyancer who specialises in the area from Blackheath through the Lithgow LGA said at the weekend he had experienced nothing like the current situation in 30 years in the business. It's a sentiment echoed by Lithgow L J Hooker principal Jamie Giokaris who told the column the trend really emerged in the final months of last year.
Both the new work from home generation and retirees are in the mix, attracted by the lure of more affordable real estate and the realisation that occasional Sydney workplace obligations are just a couple of hours away by train. Much of the new wave crossing the Mountains is coming from the western end of the Sydney Basin - Penrith, Richmond, Windsor and Blacktown - with retirees finding Portland particularly attractive. And inevitably property prices are rising with the new demand right across the LGA, around seven per cent average towards the end of last year and tipped to be even higher when first quarter figures are available - as much as 10 per cent predicted.
All of which is a bonus for sellers but not so good news for buyers.
More Lithgow news:
Breathing space
IT'S hard to find anyone saying anything positive in the Lithgow Aged Care crisis. Seems critics are getting much of the air time. What we'd like to see is Andrew Gee publicly advocating for a six month moratorium on the threatened closure to allow the new administration some clear air to finally rectify the issues. Seems to me it would be natural justice in a vexed situation.
Not a dog park
CAMPERS and thoughtless locals allowing their dogs to run free and do what doggies tend to do on the baseball oval at Lake Wallace are stirring the ire of baseballers, particularly as there is an off leash area almost next door. It's a daunting prospect to be sliding into third (that's 'third') and find someone's mutt has been there before you. Do the right things folks.
Risky business
THERE'S an urgent need for centre lines on unmarked sections of the Magpie Hollow Road around Lake Lyell. With restricted sight distance and a lot of tourist traffic it's a high risk potential. And while in that area beware a huge pothole eastbound near the Thomas Mitchell Drive intersection. It's at least a real tyre wrecker.
