Ok Tannign,
I understand the attitude towards the rest of Sydney you describe, having grown up a "Shire boy" myself. I left, and now I think a little differently, but many friends and family are still there and have a strong sense of place. I get that.
So if you want to consider moving at all (and it doesnt sound like you do) and can't tolerate western Syd (and want to be close to beach) then you could think about either central coast in the north or Illawarra and South Coast to the south.
Price range is highly variable, and you can find something to suit your budget. If you look.
If you don't want to move and are actually happy renting in the shire long term (which will probably mean working on the income front at some stage or that rent will overtake you) then you can really consider anywhere the numbers stack up. Many investors are catching the Sydney ripple up or down the coast, others are looking interstate in markets such as Brisbane etc. You just need to develop a clear set of goals and understand what you want to buy and more importantly why. Finding properties is easy for those that know how, or are in the market, the first question is what you actually want. Once you know that work backwards from there.
