26 replies to this topic

[LX 0076]

Hi all, I am currently looking at moving to the Central Coast of nsw with my wife and Kids from rural nsw. I am interested in local opinions on the central coast. I am mainly interested in work opportunities and good areas to live. My wife and I are personal trainers and would like to make this our main employment through our own business, hence thinking of Gosford for population / real estate pricing. I am also a qualified pool technician and can do anything really (jack of all trades), my wife is also similarly skilled and can do whatever. Let me know your own opinions of the Central Coast.

Thanks Jayson

[FastEHHolden]

I'm a Coasty....I can thouroughly recommend Lisarow and Ourimbah.....nice and close to Gosford but without the dero element. I'm living at Warnervale now....on the top end of the coast...I like it here...but because its got less ppl on this end.

[LX 0076]

thanks for the info guys, keen to hear more!

[orangeLJ]

Anywhere om the coast is going to be close enough to gosford not to be an issue.

I live at berkeley vale, probbly a 25 minute drive to gosford town centre (traffic, otherwise its ten)

Id avoid the peninsula all together (woy woy, umina etc)

What are you looking to spend house wise? What are you after etc etc) budget will dictate where you can afford to buy.

Dont move anywjere near the gossy town centre. that said, the coasts version of a "bad" suburb is nothing compared to a "bad" suburb in sydney!

Ive lived in berkeley vale (bought here), bateau bay (east and west), wamberal, shelly beach.

All good places, but even great areas can have pockets of bad shit.

[LX 0076]

Anywhere om the coast is going to be close enough to gosford not to be an issue.

I live at berkeley vale, probbly a 25 minute drive to gosford town centre (traffic, otherwise its ten)

Id avoid the peninsula all together (woy woy, umina etc)

What are you looking to spend house wise? What are you after etc etc) budget will dictate where you can afford to buy.

Dont move anywjere near the gossy town centre. that said, the coasts version of a "bad" suburb is nothing compared to a "bad" suburb in sydney!

Ive lived in berkeley vale (bought here), bateau bay (east and west), wamberal, shelly beach.

All good places, but even great areas can have pockets of bad shit.

Part of the move will be to buy/build a commercial premises to operate our Personal Training business from and also that we can live in as well ( caretakers residence). To start with however we will probably rent for a while to make sure we know the area and the available clientel. We would both need full time jobs to start with until we can get the business up on its feet. Living in a smaller country town (14000 population) you have good streets and bad streets so understand about bad element in good areas. Budget is probably $400000 depending on whats available, would rather go higher and buy the right place than be dissapointed with a bargain. Thanks for the input.
Jayson

Edited by LX 0076, 02 January 2013 - 03:09 PM.

[LX 0076]

Have another question for all central coast guy's who might be into fitness, is there any or many facilities that offer outdoor boot camp training and costs if known. After spending a little time on the coast recently i found heaps of gyms but no outdoor group style training. This might be a hole in the market for us?

 

Thanks Jayson  

[orangeLJ]

A heap of the local beaches have boot camp style stuff running mornings and afternoons.

 

The suburbs where the money is are generally the beach/waterfront ones, so they tend to have the higher concentration of that style of thing (whether their patrons are from that area or not, I dont know, but they seem to focus around there)

 

Terrigal/wamberal beach and lagoon areas are popular for PT work, same with Avoca/north avoca (all in the gosford shire) Copacobana and Mcmasters beach have a similar sort of vibe (people like the think they are a bit yuppy)

 

In the Wyong Shire, Shelley beach, Bateau Bay beach and Blue Bay/Towoon Bay are the best options (lots of stairs, grassy areas, restrooms etc)

 

 

the "fitness" market on the coast is somethign thats taken off in the last 12-18 months. Lots of fly-by-night type small businesses popping up here and there. The BEST thing you will be able to do is attract some word of mouth attention. Attaching or associating yourself with a gym would be a good start around here.

 

Otherwise, I'd say grab a job doing something different, offer some free Personal training to some locals you come accross in that job, let them spruik you to their friends, offer refferal bonuses etc etc.

 

Lots of the coast works off relationships and word of mouth, its a big place, but exceptionally small when it comes to people talking.

[LX 0076]

Thanks for the heads up guys. I agree with you orangeLJ, word of mouth is everything and the way we have built our Business where we are now. We currently dont do memberships, keep our groups small, 2 trainers to no more than 20 clients and charge a casual rate of $10 a session per person. We offer "Free" weekly sessions as well which helps to get people involved and if your devoted can exercise 5 days a week for $30 or less. We use Facebook as our  advertising again electronic word of mouth. Will be working outside of the business to start with (Pool industry) to get off the ground and hopefully going fully into it in the first 12-24 months.

[Scoie]

I grew up and lived at Toowoon Bay for forty years. Great place to live.

[orangeLJ]

Mate, if you can provide me PT for those sort of prices, I'll be one of your first customers (missus too!)

[orangeLJ]

PT at the gym is $45 per session (each, so $90) for a couples session.

 

Thats on top of the $12 a week membership

 

Karlie and I just do our own thing and save the $$

[LX 0076]

Thanks for the replies slrv8 and orangeLJ. The more info we get on local trends, pricing and info in general, gives us more chance of making the move work. Our main aim with pricing is to make sure that everybody can afford "Quality" training. When Gym's/ Trainer's focus on the cash and be business driven, i feel the wrong message is sent, don't get me wrong you need to have cash flow to have a business but our priority is the training/ client's needs first and the business side looks after itself so to speak. Our training sessions and mental philosophy are not something that you just attend but are something that you are part of and practice in everyday life. Both myself and wife were obese and therefore have a real empathy with what it is like to be heavy and unfit but also don't accept cop out excuses.

Keep the info coming it is really appreciated.

 

Jayson.

[orangeLJ]

Agree with slrV8!

[LX 0076]

Thanks for the kind comments slrv8 and orangeLJ.  GTR_069 great to know and thanks. I have worked within the pumping/ irrigation/ pool industry (commercial and domestic) since 1996 to present. I have been running our training business with my wife and still working full time as well. Have not really looked in those areas you have mentioned. Plenty of experience with all types of submersibles. We are not rushing this move and are prepared for it to take up to 12-18 months to happen.

Cheers 

Jayson

[Collo]

have you looked in these areas at all Stockon, Fullerton Cove, ?? have great forshore and attract a healthy lifestyle

 

I live in between these two places. Not a bad part of the world at all.