What I Wish I Knew Before Moving from Dee Why to Bulli
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
In 2021, my family left Dee Why and moved to Bulli.
I've been coming to the Illawarra for over 20 years. I thought I knew what I was getting into.
I was right about the lifestyle. I was wrong about a few things that mattered - things I'd have paid to know before I bought.
This is what I'd tell any Northern Beaches or Inner West buyer considering making the same move.
The commute is more manageable than people think - but it requires planning.
Most Sydney buyers assume the commute will be painful. It's not, if you structure your week around it.
The train from Thirroul or Bulli to Sydney is roughly 80–90 minutes to Central.
That's a long commute by Sydney standards, but the difference is you're sitting down the whole way - not standing on the M1.
If you're doing it 2–3 days a week, it's very livable. If you're doing it 5 days a week, you need to think it through honestly before you buy.
The M1 by car is a different story.
Northbound in the morning and southbound in the late afternoon can add significant time, particularly around Waterfall and the southern end of the Princes Highway through Sutherland.
If you're driving, get specific about your commute time and test it in peak hour before you commit to a suburb.
“The train from Bulli to Central is 80–90 minutes. The question is how many days a week you’re doing it.”
The buyers I've seen struggle are the ones who didn't work this out in advance. The ones who thrive built their week around it.
The suburb you've heard of isn't always the suburb that works for you
Sydney buyers tend to fixate on Thirroul.
It's well-known, genuinely beautiful, and has a village feel that makes people feel they're making the right choice.
But it's also one of the most contested and expensive pockets in the Illawarra.
Bulli, Austinmer, Scarborough, and Coledale each have their own character.
Some are quieter.
Some have better train access.
Some have more land. Some parking areas get messy on summer weekends.
The 'right' suburb depends on how you actually live - your commute needs, how your kids are getting to school, whether you care more about walk-to-beach or walk-to-train.
I moved to Bulli specifically.
It's calmer than Thirroul, better value at the time, and the beach is excellent, with less foot traffic on weekends.
That said, I know people who looked at Bulli and chose Figtree instead because their commute was by car and the lifestyle fit was different.
Neither is wrong.
Get clear on how your day-to-day life will actually work before you narrow your suburb list.
The premium coastal pockets are more competitive than people expect
One of the most common surprises I see is buyers assuming that leaving Sydney means leaving competition behind.
In the best streets of Thirroul, Austinmer, and coastal Bulli, that's not true.
Illawarra stock volumes are lower than in Sydney.
When a genuinely good property hits the market - coastal position, flat, school catchment, original condition with upside - there are typically multiple buyers ready.
Prices in these pockets have held up better through rate cycles than those in many Sydney suburbs.
That doesn't mean you can't buy well. It means you need to come in prepared.
Knowing what comparable sales look like, having your finances in order, and moving decisively matter here.
Due diligence works differently in Sydney.
Coastal properties in the Illawarra carry risks that are less common in northern Sydney.
Flood overlay is more prevalent in some pockets of Corrimal and Towradgi, and areas near Kembla Grange have flood-affected allotments that may not be obvious from a listing.
Check the Wollongong Council planning portal and get a Section 10.7 certificate before you get attached to a property.
Salt air is real. Properties closer to the beach need more maintenance - steel rusts faster, paint degrades faster, and mechanical systems in the house work harder.
That's not a reason not to buy; it's a reason to look at the condition more carefully in building inspections than you might in a more sheltered suburb.
Slope is also a factor in some areas - particularly properties heading up toward the escarpment.
Retaining walls, drainage, and driveways can add unexpected cost.
None of this is a dealbreaker if you know where to look.
It becomes a problem when buyers skip these checks because they're excited about the property.
Off-market is more active than people expect
The Illawarra market is smaller and more relationship-driven than Sydney.
Off-market and pre-market activity is meaningful - particularly in coastal Bulli, Thirroul, and Austinmer, where many vendors don't want the disruption of a full campaign.
If you're searching portal-first, you're seeing the market but not all of it. Agent relationships and local presence matter here in a way they don't always in the depths of the Sydney market.
The lifestyle shift is real - and worth it
I won't oversell this.
The Illawarra isn't for everyone.
If your identity is built around CBD proximity, or you need to be in the office five days a week, or your family's entire social infrastructure is in the Northern Beaches, the move will be hard.
But if you're genuinely after a slower pace, more space, better weekends, and a community that feels like it knows itself, it's a significant quality-of-life upgrade.
My kids are outside more.
We walk to the beach on weekday mornings.
The winters are mild by comparison to what we expected.
We made the right call. I'd tell myself to do more homework on the specific suburb and the specific street before we bought.
If you're considering this move
Work out your commute model first.
Pick your suburb based on how your week actually runs, not just the lifestyle you imagine.
Do your due diligence on flood, salt, and slope.
And if you're targeting a premium coastal pocket, come in prepared - because the best properties move quickly.
If you want to talk through the decision - where to look, what to avoid, and how the process works in the Illawarra - that's exactly what we do.
Book a private intro call → Here
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