Should we build a house down the coast, or just rent one instead?

April 19, 2026 — 5:02am

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We own a block of land in a coastal town, plus our home in the inner city. We have no debt. We could build a home on the land in the coastal town which would cost $550,000. We currently have $250,000 in savings and will work for several more years. Should we build on the land and then live between the coast and the city, or sell the land and rent a holiday house in the coastal town each year?

Bouncing between a coastal/rural property, and a home in the inner city is one of my goals, so I come at this with some bias.

On a purely financial basis you are probably better off just renting a holiday house when you need it, although this very much depends on the growth rate of the coastal property in the future, which is uncertain. Renting as needed rather than owning means no........

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