Whilst moving to the country and buying their dream real estate, is a romantic notion that many city dwellers flirt with at some time, only a few go on to take the step to relocate to the country. Visiting the country is a very different experience than actually living there and many people make the move expecting it to be the answer to all of their problems. In reality relocating from high-speed city life in favour of a slower pace, often causes more problems than existed before.
The motivations for moving to the country often come from a desire to escape crime, pollution, noise, rising costs of living, or the desire take life at a more moderate pace. However, the country does not always hold all of the solutions, crime happens in the country, (even if it’s on a different scale, it still exists) and even though the levels of pollution are usually less than that of the cities, foreign smells of muck spreading can permeate the air and hay cutting can affect hay-fever sufferers with even the mildest of cases.
House prices
House prices in the country can be a really good incentive in making the decision to relocate, as often, there is the chance to get a lot more house for your budget. Real Estate in the country can often offer bigger rooms, and more external space, but living in some parts of the country can have costly restrictions on what can and cannot be altered, (in terms of the internal layout and external appearance). This may also mean limitation on what materials and techniques can be used to restore a property. If purchasing real estate that requires a lot of restoration work, (if it’s subject to a lot of restrictions,) then costs can quickly spiral out of control.
One argument for moving to the country is often the “slower pace” argument, it is true that even the most socially active villages do not compare with the culture and availability of entertainment of the city; people often underestimate how quite the country can be. This might sound obvious but often simple activities like going to the cinema can involve a forty-mile round trip.
Retire to the country
An important consideration for people hoping to retire to the country, or couples hoping to raise children, should be proximity to hospital services, whilst a lot of rural areas are served by air ambulances, this should not be taken for granted, some services do not fly when it is dark and land ambulances can be scarce to non-existent. Rural areas are fighting against the closure and centralization of medical and dental resources; when relocating, it is important to consider the future need and access to these services.
The country has many lures and when considering whether relocating is the way forward, a simple “Pros and Cons” list can be a valuable tool, if substituting boutique shopping for a glorious view of the fells and lakes, is one that you look forward to making, then you could be half way there. The country might lack some of the refinements of the city, but its positive points include, fresh food and air, peace and quiet, beautiful scenery, lower crime rates, smaller school classes, and a traditional community feel.
