I could have bought a house with a backyard but instead, I decided to bring my kids up in a two-bedroom apartment in Sydney

By SARAH BROOKES - SENIOR REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 23:54, 23 August 2026 | Updated: 23:54, 23 August 2026 For many Australian families, a big house is often the ultimate dream. However, a real estate agent says parents are better off sacrificing an extra bedroom for a better postcode. Mother-of-two Chloe Hart bought a two-bedroom apartment in Manly, on Sydney's Northern Beaches, in 2021. She says the beachside lifestyle, walkability and family-friendly community have proved far more valuable than extra space. '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. 'My husband and I decided the trade-off of a bigger home for a smaller apartment was worth it because it allows us to enjoy our lives and give our kids the best childhood.' The Belle Property agent said apartment living allows her family to spend less time maintaining a large home and more time enjoying the outdoors. 'We're all time-poor these days. You want to spend your time doing things you actually enjoy, not just housework and maintenance,' she said. 'We kind of eat and sleep at home, and then spend the rest of our time outside doing stuff.' Chloe Hart (pictured with her family) said apartment living allows her family to spend less time maintaining a large home and more time enjoying the outdoors Pictured are Chloe Hart's two sons, aged two and three, who were born in Manly  Chloe Hart (pictured) said buying an apartment in the best suburb was the better option for her family Ms Hart said the shift reflects a broader trend among buyers, who are increasingly prioritising location and lifestyle over sheer floor space. 'It's all about the lifestyle now, location, proximity to amenities, the ability to get the ferry to work,' she said. The real estate agent recently sparked debate after sharing her 'unpopular opinion' on Instagram that living in a great neighbourhood is more important than having an extra bedroom. But she said the response was overwhelmingly positive, with many parents agreeing that community, convenience and lifestyle outweighs the benefits of a larger home. 'The overwhelming majority couldn't agree more,' Ms Hart said. 'The best property investment you can make isn't the brick and mortar - it's the lifestyle and community you make. 'You just can't beat the lifestyle of not having to put the kids in the car. Having Manly Beach as your backyard and being close to all the amenities is hard to beat.'    Her comments come after Manly was named one of Australia's best places to raise a family, ranking 10th in a new study by health insurer iSelect.  Real estate agent and mother-of-two Chloe Hart believes parents are better off sacrificing an extra bedroom for a better postcode Researchers analysed government data across five key measures, including child development, childcare availability and affordability, healthcare performance and birth rates, to determine the nation's most family-friendly locations.  Manly stood out for its comparatively affordable childcare costs, with childcare accounting for just 22.4 per cent of household income, while the suburb also performed strongly across measures including healthcare and family amenities.  Sydney dominated the rankings, claiming five spots in the national top 10. Dural-Wisemans Ferry in the city's north-west emerged as Sydney's highest-ranked suburb, taking out second place nationally thanks to its strong childcare availability, healthcare services and high fertility rate. Inner West favourite Leichhardt, renowned for its Italian restaurants and village atmosphere, ranked third overall, while leafy Ku-ring-gai came in fifth. The Chatswood-Lane Cove region secured seventh place, before beachside Manly rounded out the top 10, earning praise for its family lifestyle and comparatively affordable childcare costs.