Deborah and Joel Flom left Colorado for Peregian Springs, Queensland, in late 2025, seeking a warmer climate after 15 years in Denver. Their two adult children prompted the move, which led them to explore the Coolum area on the Sunshine Coast. However, the property market presented unexpected challenges. “We had been landlocked in Denver for 15 years, so I wanted to get back to the ocean,” Deborah explained. “Colorado is also beautiful, but after those winters, I thought, ‘If I never see snow in my life again, I don’t care.'”

The Market’s Intensity

The couple discovered the Sunshine Coast market was extremely competitive. “When we got to the Sunshine Coast, the market was very intense,” Joel said. During house inspections, they often found properties already sold or under contract. “So you were basically doing the courtesy walk-through and handing in yet another .We started to get the sense that we were seeing properties too late,” Joel added. They learned about the prevalence of pre-listing inspections, which meant properties were frequently gone before public viewings. This realization led them to seek professional help.

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Working with a buyer’s agent from Vendee proved essential. The agent attended inspections, filtering properties and identifying potential issues. “There were a couple of houses that we loved, for example, and the buyer’s agent let us know that there were issues, including one that was in a flood zone,” Deborah noted. This guidance helped them handle a market where they were at the lower end of the price range, especially after converting USD at a favorable rate. Their budget capped at $1.2 million required strategic decisions about their must-haves versus negotiables.

Finding Their Home

The Floms eventually purchased a four-bedroom, three-bathroom terrace-style home in a Peregian Springs development for $1.13 million, under their budget. They submitted an offer $20,000 over the asking price, which their agent encouraged them to make. “If you like it, you have got to go for it,” the agent reportedly advised. The offer was accepted quickly. The process was exhausting, with Deborah working full-time and the couple staying in an Airbnb while viewing properties on weekends. “The whole process was very exhausting,” she admitted, citing the challenge of conflicting inspection times.