Media keeps telling us that the trend I call the Exodus to Affordable Lifestyle was caused by Covid and that once the pandemic is dealt with the trend will reverse and everyone will move back to the big cities.

That’s wrong on so many different levels it’s difficult to know where to start.

The trend of people leaving the big cities and moving to the regions or the smaller cities has been under way for a long time.

Sydney has been losing population to internal migration for over 10 years and Melbourne has been losing population to people moving to other parts of Victoria for the past 5 years.

This trend is not about the pandemic – it’s about technology allowing people to work remotely and it’s about accessing a better lifestyle at an affordable price.

It’s a long-term trend and it’s here to stay.