The offer seemed too good to be true: a two-storey, six-bedroom Sydney home with a pool that the owner was willing to swap with anyone in Melbourne. He would even, he said, "trade for less".
Hidden in the bottom of the letters section of The Age on Wednesday, the offer came as part of a message telling Melburnians they didn't know how lucky they had it.
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Grant Taylor was only half-joking about being willing to trade his house in Greystanes, 29 kilometres from Sydney's CBD.
After spending the Anzac Day long weekend in Melbourne – his first visit in 30 years – the Sydneysider was dumbfounded by the city's vibrant nightlife and free public transport.
"I'm not sure you Melbourne types fully realise what an awesome place you live in," the letter started.
"As a visitor last weekend from the Police State (formerly known as Sydney), I was almost in shock at the sight of all the people on the streets and the general friendly vibe."
The Greystanes man, 55, enjoyed his time in Melbourne so much, he decided to shoot-off a letter to the Editor on a whim.
"We came down to see the Book of Mormon," he told Fairfax Media on Friday.
![Grant Taylor out the front of his Greystanes home.](/web/20170502160532im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/u/u/3/7/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gvufog.png/1493529062333.jpg)
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20170502160532im_/http://www.smh.com.au/cqstatic/12z7v7/cityTearout353px.jpg)
"Everyone was standing outside the theatre with their drinks. If that had have been Sydney, the riot police would have been called."
![Sydney man Grant Taylor has offered to house swap with a Melburnian.](/web/20170502160532im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/u/m/i/p/image.related.articleLeadNarrow.300x0.gvufog.png/1493529062333.jpg)
"I couldn't believe the laneway bars, to tell you the truth.
"Sydney is not what it used to be. They've just ruined the place. It's a ghost town after 10pm."
Mr Taylor is referring to Sydney's controversial lockout laws, which were introduced by the NSW government in 2014 in a bid to reduce alcohol-fuelled violence.
As the owner of a draught beer system business, Mr Taylor says he's been personally affected by the new laws.
"There's so much business in Kings Cross that we used to do that just hasn't been there in the last few years."
"You could never have a little thing like laneway bars here because after 10pm it's like a punitive society.
"In Melbourne, you have free trams in the city and there's parking everywhere," he said, although locals might disagree with the latter half of that statement.
Mr Taylor isn't alone is his sentiments. Melbourne has become a magnet for Sydneysiders moving south.
About 500 people are making the move each week, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Those heading south cite more affordable housing, a booming jobs market and better lifestyle in the Victorian capital.
Melbourne's population has grown by 2.1 per cent in the past 12 months compared with a 1.5 per cent rise in the rest of Australia.
Mr Taylor said he hasn't received any offers from Melburnians looking to upgrade and cash in on Sydney's heated housing market – yet.
"I'm not sure my wife would be too happy with me anyway. I'd love to move but we're entrenched here," he said.
"Sydney has worn thin for me. The population seems to have grown tenfold but the roads are exactly the same."
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