Hi,
Just a general question about changing lifestyle and pace. I keep wanting to move out of the city to a more country setting and actually build a home but I keep loosing my nerve and am afraid that I may not like it. The traffic where we live now is getting a bit much and if you dare to drive in rush hour you get to experiance the nasty side of a lot of drivers. My jobs pretty cool but I think I may want to get out of my comfort zone. And, to be honest, everybody just seems to be getting on my nerves. I think I really need a change of pace but I’m hoping I wouldn’t get bored. If anybody here as actually followed through with this kind of move I would love to hear your thoughts, or from anybody really.
Thanks,
Mike
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I don't know what your work is, but lot of people are moving and taking the job with them, thanks to the internet etc.
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
About a dozen years ago we moved from suburban Boston to rural Maine.
Pros-l
land was cheap and beautiful. It's still beautiful, no longer as cheap but still cheaper than near the city.
peace and quiet
generally slower pace of life
recreation-snowshoe or cross country ski out the back door, etc.
Cons-
You have to drive everywhere- we are 45 minutes from adequate restaurant, an hour from a good one. I can see how this will be a problem when we are old and feeble. Impossible to live here without being able and willing to drive. No public transportation.
Whatever your job is in the city or suburbia, it will probably pay less in the country and living expenses, except fro housing, are usually as high or higher.
only town provided service is snow removal, which they do well. No trash pickup, sewer, water services, etc.
all things considered, we are happy we made the move.
Mike,
I was born and raised in Memphis, TN. I now live in rural TX about 40 miles from Houston. I love it and would not return to the city. Anything I want to do is in Houston and the burbs around Houston.
Some of the same pros and cons as others (except for snow sports).
I am a builder with less competetion, but less homes in the area to build. Overall I think it is a better situation, especailly if you do a good job......word travels fast.
Cheaper land, but rising cost and passage of time have (at minimum) tripled my real estate investments. I would suggest almost anyone would do well buying as much land as possible outside a major city, and waiting for the growth wave. It is already fast approaching here.
A friend recently told me about an artilce (recently) that the banking / investment industry is preparing to alocate lots of investment money for what they call ex-surbs.....counties one county removed from major cities in rural dirctions.
Are you any where near Krum?
Are you any where near Krum?
I do not know.
Hungerford, about 40 miles from Houston traveling down 59 South.
I hear you. I just bought a duplex that is in the middle of everything. My drive to work is right at an hour - though today was 1:45 counting a wreck on I-80 and impromptu road construction on I-80 (Illinois is really good at that). All the stores we need are really convenient. 2 grocery stores within a 5 minute drive. Lowes, HD, Menards, and 2 local lumber yards all within 10 minutes. 2 Targets and a Wal-Mart all within 15 minutes. All kinds of restaurants right around the corner. The list goes on.
As convenient as it all is, I would like to do exactly what you're talking about in a few years. I'd like a little more peace, quiet, space, and freedom. I just need to convince my wife of that when it's time to buy the next one.
Other than the personal emotional aspects, I would think that property taxes would go down unless you're buying a bunch of land.
One potential negative is the cost of homeowner's insurance. I've heard that areas served by volunteer fire departments have a higher payout rate (caused by slower response time) and therefore higher premium rate compared to a place with a full time paid department. May or may not be true but something to talk to your agent about. Ambulance and police service could also be hindered depending how far out you are. I'd also look at having a back up generator and transfer switch installed unless you have reliable electric service in your area.
Edited 11/13/2006 5:00 pm by boiler7904
<areas served by volunteer fire departments have a higher payout rate (caused by slower response time) and therefore higher premium rate compared to a place with a full time paid department. >Our small town has a volunteer fire dept. and tanker trucks. According to my State Farm agent we're paying a lot more than I would have expected, because we don't have hydrants. On the other hand, the cost of housing is a fraction of what it was in the big city.It's true that restaurants and live entertainment are not convenient. But, high speed internet is available anywhere (via satellite), and more cable TV than you could ever watch, similarly. Although we have NO services, other than a gas station, the time it takes to drive to a nearby town to get groceries, hardware, tools, etc., is no more than it took in the city. The difference is it's highway, with little traffic, vs. city suburbs with tons of traffic.I've found two major differences after moving to a small town. The first is the drivers. There's very little if any tail-gating, horn honking, finger waving, etc. Most drivers actually pay attention to their driving! <g> Driving back into the city almost immediately starts me grinding my teeth. The other is the social life. You'll obviously have a far smaller pool of prospective friends. That may or may not be important to you.
Live on 110 acres outside Toronto, but brought up in suburbia.
Its like this:
If you are a country person, living in the country there is the privacy, the quiet, the critters, the opportunity to walk, ski, etc., on your own land, the clean well water, the garden vegetables, the fresh eggs, the hunting, waking up to see a doe and fawn outside your window. You have your own tractor and a workshop and a barn and you like it that way. You feel safe because there are fewer people around but the people who are around you trust, even if you don't know them well. You don't own an alarm system because nobody would hear it.
If you are a city person, living in the country you have to drive everywhere, there are no good restaurants around, the septic system is a bother, you worry about the well, the power goes off frequently, you can't get high speed internet, your cell phone doesn't work, the commute is too long, and its too far to the gym. You don't feel safe because there aren't lots of people around, and your neigbours are poor, and you have an alarm system with a panic button, just in case.
Unfortunately, there is no genetic test can determine what type of person you are, but it boils down to the fact that if you are a country person (we are) you can't be happy anywhere else but the country. If you are a city person, you'll never be happy in the country.
Your observations are hilarious, but true. I'd say I'm definitely country oriented, but my wife is 50/50.
The only thing I would add to the points above is that moving to the country and building a house requires you to be *HIGHLY* organized. There are no quick trips to Home Cheapo or any other supplier, subtrades are sparse, DIY skills are important, and you have to enjoy the challenges of rural life, and there are challenges. There is less to do for kids (no parks, malls, cinemas, etc...) so if kids are a factor you need to be prepared. There are advantages for kids too though, and ours seem to like it.
Good luck,
Scott.Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”
re: less to do for kids...I guess that depends on your perspective. I was raised on a farm (no TV at our house til after I went to college, and can't ever remember being bored because of a lack of things to do. Even now, I'm happy to spend an evening just sitting around, reading or puttering, maybe with the TV in the background, maybe music, maybe nothing. My wife thinks it's boring as all get-out...No malls or cinemas, for sure, but lots of open space to develop an imagination. A creek to splash in, trees to climb in, dirt to dig in... I know some will disagree, but I can't imagine anything better.We live in a small city now (80,000), and I can't wait to move at least to a small town, if not "the country". My wife was a city kid, and she's more content where we are, but even she would like to move someplace smaller. She's definitely more amenity-oriented ;-), so distance to an interstate, mall, restaurants, etc. is a pretty big issue for her...
>>>I'm happy to spend an evening just sitting around, reading or puttering, maybe with the TV in the background, maybe music, maybe nothing. My wife thinks it's boring as all get-out...<!----><!----><!---->
<!----> <!---->
Haha. I agree completely. Our kids do fine, so far. But our urbanite visitors’ kids occasionally melt down after a few days without the relentless pie-in-the-face stimulation of metropolitan life.
<!----> <!---->
Scott.<!----><!---->
Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”
Edited 11/13/2006 10:23 pm by Scott
I was raised in tiny towns in Iowa. I've lived in the economic spheres of three different cities, but never right in the city proper. I did drive into PHX to work for quite awhile. I've also lived extremely rural in Montana. Now I live in a small town in southern Colorado.
I like it here and I'm sure there are other places with similar out-of-the-city feels that are still not exactly remote.
We have low taxes. The area is growing, so the economy is, too. We are fifty miles by mostly-empty interstate highway from a city of around 150,000 and another 35 miles beyond that to a city of 400,000 or more. Takes me 80 minutes to get to the airport.
Do you like to hang out in bars, coffee shops, pool halls, or art galeries? Going rural provides little options in those departments, depending on where you go. The more touristy the place, the more it will have those things.
Oddly, I can be to any big box store, Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, Sam's, etc. in about 1 hour without a single stop. Tinseltown, bars, etc., too. I know that some city folks regularly spend as much time in their cars!
If you like peace and quite and like to entertain yourself or if you like church activities or outdoor/wildlife activities, you'll probably be fine in a more rural place.
A non-city place can be rather urban feeling, depending on where you go. Just spend a week in Breckenridge, CO in the winter and you'll know what I mean. At least in the west, some towns are ranch towns, some are university towns, some are tourist towns, some are farm towns, and some are retirement towns. Each has its own flavor, opportunities and economy. I lived outside Helena, MT for a few years and had a tough time making money. Nowadays I here the economy is much better up there. Take a look at the future trend of the places you consider.
Of course, climate also has a huge effect on you and, after living in Montana winters, Puget Sound fog and rain, and Arizona summers, I have to recommend staying away from the extremes!
Before our last move we took small town newspapers for a year from various small towns. You'd be surprised at what you can learn about a community from its paper.
Best of luck to you.
"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd."
~ Voltaire
Do like my parents did -- wait until you're 85 and then move to the country. Make sure the house you build is inaccessible.
Go for it.
Haven't heard a police helicopter in 2 years. No sirens, no car alarms. No traffic.
No curtains, no salesmen, nobody bothers us.
No resturants as mentioned by several, no high speed internet, no high speed anything actually.
Life is good in the country.
Bought another 20 acres further out just in case.
Joe H
May we add, "I'm goin to the country where the water taste like wine, well you can jump in the river and stay drunk all the time"?
Performed by Country Joe and the Fish at Woodstock (in the country on Yasgurs Farm).
Canned Heat - Going Up The Country I'm gonna leave this city, got to get awayI'm gonna leave this city, got to get awayAll this fussing and fighting, man, you know I sure can't stayNow baby, pack your leaving trunk, you know we've got to leave todayJust exactly where we're going I cannot say, but We might even leavethe USA 'Cause there's a brand new game that I want to playNo use of you running, or screaming and crying'Cause you've got a home as long as I've got mine oh beloved garlic live forever
When we moved to the country, the coyotes and fishers ate our house cats.
You need barn cats. Ain't nothin' gettin' them!
People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. --Otto von Bismarck
the fishers are a cousin of the wolverine.
nasty nasty nasty
to hear one will put the hair on the back of yer neck up and make you want to lock the doors.oh beloved garlic live forever
What if the barn cats aren't fed tuna?
I saw a badger up close (12') earlier this fall. Reminded me of the Little Red Riding Hood's "My what big nails you have!" It had a very powerful looking body, claws everywhere, and a hiss to match.
Too bad Pete wasn't there to patriotically pump it full of holes. ;)
I have split the difference, I have 4 acres in a subdivision of 4 acre lots.Almost all of my neighbors acted as their own GC or built their house themselves.Most have their own pond,tractor and generator we all have wells and septic tanks.I have a herd of deer that camp out in my front yard and hawks,owls,coyotes, armadillos,etc.. I have enough room for my construction junk and a small dirt bike track.I am 800 ft plus from the cove and you cannot see my house from the street.Ten months out of the year I can't even see my neighbors houses so I get the privacy I desire.
I had over 400 acres of woods and farm land that my property backed up to but that has been recently bought up by a developer that is going to build 200 homes behind me.
Yet I live 5 minutes from a big mall and 40 resteraunts, 3 movie theatre, a Lowes and Home Depot.The city has closed in around me and traffic has gotten rediculous.Developers have no respect for the style of living we chose when we moved here, so they are jamming 4-6 houses per acre which has overcrowded the schools that were one of the reasons we built here.
If the developers would have stuck to the small farm communities that was what drew us here I would still be happy camper but the crowding has put a damper on my enthusiasm.
ANDYSZ2
WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?
REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST
If the developers would have stuck to the small farm communities that was what drew us here I would still be happy camper but the crowding has put a damper on my enthusiasm.
The "boondocks" is getting further and further out. When I was a kid, it was 20 mins. Now it is more like 40-60.jt8
"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
We have seen two 8 point + bucks, and a wild hog here on our 100 acres in the past few weeks. Snakes, frogs and turtles in the pond and we get visits from ducks and geese quite often. Loooked out the other day to see two pnk feathered big long legged birds......and they weren't plastic lawn ornaments.
the coyotes and fishers ate our house cats
Out here, eagles eat house cats.
Last time there was an eagle perching nearby, (about 5 years ago, to many clone houses going up nearby now, only 4 mi. from where 737s are built) there were numerous "lost cat" signs up, usuallly for a white or tan cat. Found a partially dissected and eaten cat in the back yard out by the sheds, a day later only one tuft of fur was left, some 'big' bird tracks.
Out of curiosity called the Audobon society and asked about eagles and cats.
"Oh yeah" they said, "domestic cats are a favorite eagle food" Further explanation revealed that it seems the cats like to go prowling at dusk, the white and tan ones are like a laser beacon to the eagles, chow time!
Told one lady in the neighborhood what had likely happened to her cat, thought she was going to faint on me - did not bother to tell any other neighbors.
Correct me if I am wrong Professor, but wasn't Going to the Country performed by Country Joe and the Fish at Woodstock?
A few years ago I heard Country Joe tell a reporter that he does not remember Woodstock, and I am having a hard time remembering what he performed.
http://www.woodstock69.com/Woodstock_songs.htm
Canned Heat.
See Professor, I am resourceful, do I get an A?
Problem is, I definatly can not spell.
'69 was a very good year.
be dear years
In a perfect world the choice should only involve prefernce for scenery. However...There are lots of things to weigh on thesed days. Citys although busy and noisier, are considerably more convienient. While roads aren't busy in the country my employee who drives with me drives through the city then I when I go in my house to clean up he's got 40 min yet to go to get home. No big deal, he likes the drive, unfortunately can't figure out why he's always tired, 40 min 2x a day x 5 days, 400 min a week of precious sleep in the morning and family time at night. If he wants anything beyond gas or coffee he's into a 30 min drive. Home depot 30 min away. I've got 5 within 10 min all directons from me, movies, smokes, beer anything, short drive or short walk. My car doesn't move on the weekends. My truck is kind of hard on gas(who's isn't) If I was driving all those extra miles I'd be short alot more time. I know it's quieter, but what good is that when youre never around to enjoy it. I may have a bike or a car stereo go missing, if you live in the country and take a week in mexico you could very well come back to a empty house garage and driveway. I guess I'm kind of biased, I always lived in the country. I got so tired of driving to see friends, to get a movie. When my car was going in for maintenance my life was put on hold. If I was out of gas coming home kind of late I couldn't fill up at night because the gas station was closed, in the moring not open till eight.
Your DW might be able to compromise if you move to, or right next to, a small town.
A town with a population of 6,000 to 10,000 in an area that has a diversified mixed economy usually sustains all kinds of amenities. It also attracts a diversified bunch of folk from which you can build a new social life.
Outside Magazine has a yearly review of the '10 best towns in America'. Some of the towns they reviewed are as small as 3000 folk.
As suggested already, subscribing to local papers is a great way to get a feel for the place, what its concerns and issues are, and whether the community cooperates or fights all the time.
Look at climate records, at real estate value fluctuations. If the town sustains a web site or two - check those out. Is there at minimum a lumber yard/materials supplier/tool rental outfit(s)? How many contractors are there in the yellow pages? Census data re: population age/sex, education levels, income levels, occupation types is also very useful. As is knowing how the area traditionally votes.
Narrow down your choices through research, then do a road trip to check them out.
Do you have children? I lived for 15 years in a very small town 10 miles from Boulder, Colorado. My wife and I are childless, but we were involved with the school and our neighbors.
We could see that living there was great for younger kids. The parents all cooperated very nicely, the community was safe, the school was great. The school only went through 5th grade, then kids went to school in Boulder or Nederland. Both ways are long bus trips.
As the kids became teens it became harder for the families, and many (not all) families moved to Boulder because the teens wanted to have access to their peers and activities.
So the kids are a huge factor in the town/country equation.
Bill
How far out in the country you planning on?
I'm in the middle of a house (one hour out of richmond), and there seems to be a lot of country after living in the city for 20 years.
lets see... at night , you can acktually see the stars, no traffic gridlock,there is even a pizzahut,mcdonalds,cheaper gas,the local newspaper dosn't have war stories-(only the agricultural news-like who grew the biggest cow,-or the recent oyster harvest,
what else, lets see, no trash pickup,i'm on a gravel road, it needs frequent maintanance, when I do move out there i'll have to take less money,power goes out a lot(and can stay out for four-five days), lot's of parking,etc
I think alot of folks think your thoughts... Like Txlandlord... I'm in memphis... I won't bash it until after the Memfest so as not to keep anyone away... all the city issues you already know...
We have friends who have moved "out" most within 30-40 miles but it's still an hour to visit... so we don't.. much... we might be outside the norm... but I have lived within 5 miles of where i live right now all my life... 90% of my friends and family same thing... We go out to dinner with the same folks we did in HS, i can walk to about 10 friends house, one brother, one BIL, MIL, and my parents house... (older parents could also be a factor) my kids go to grade school where both i and my wife went... 3-4 blocks away... I know where to get anything i need and who to see about anything i need done... rare i can go anywhere and not see someone i know.... the point is... to me these things have value and create a comfort zone... i think with younger kids these things matter... and once the kids are older they then have their roots so u are kinda trapped again...
we have a lake house which is less than an hour away and have never spent more than 5 days at a time there... and seems even from there we make trips to the super walmart 25 min away....
I think the things we'd miss are the exact same things that breed the things we dislike...
I know there is a better place but...
thanks for make'n the topic it's an interesting read....
p
I grew up in jersey and moved to the sticks. something may not have been touched on is im always the guy from jersey that tawks funny, be prepared for the good ole boys club, they come across as country hicks but are tougher and meaner then tony soprano,In a city people understand one hand washes the other but in the country they may screw you right away, One family may have other family members help screw you, tough luck if ya aiant the local religon, All in all i like the country but i like the people back east better, maybe im parinod just a different take you will see
Mike - maybe its not for everyone, but I can agree with your "nerves" comment. We have to drive through the Washington/Baltimore suburb area from time to time, and people drive differently/act differently/smile less there. Makes me tense.
Its always a relief to cross the mountain into Western MD. Our house IS our vacation home, in a sense - 7 acres, backed up to 200 acres of national park land, surrounded by farms. We are outside a town of 400 people - if you are short a few $$ at the store, they tell you to bring it in next time you come in etc. Our kids play outside all day. Electricity stays on, no curtains yet (may not ever need them) and our dogs run freely outside.
Walmart, HD/Lowes, Restaurants are only 9 miles away though, so convenience is not particularly sacrificed. We still try and avoid those places when we can. The average income is lower, but builders still do quite well.
But its not for everyone...
Our county actually had to pass a "right to farm" ordinance - city folks were moving out here for the pastoral scenes etc, and began to complain about the smell of some farms (manure spreaders) and the noise during harvest season (late night combines)
Best wishes in your lifestyle decision.
I live inthe country for one reason. I go outside at night, there are thousand and thousand of lightbulbs in the sky. Once you see them its over. Some city people have never seen them.
It will suck and you will be unhappy. I've always lived in a rural area, and I've thought it sucked for the past 45 years. I've never been happy. It would make me even less happy to have another unhappy, bitter person as a neighbor. Don't move to rural Connecticut!
<G>
Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
And don't bring your damn 4000 watt yard light too.
If you're afraid of the dark stay where it never gets dark.
Joe H
4000 watt helll. Most country farms have massive halogen lamps lighting an acre or so. Don't you bring your city ideas to the country.
There's one of those across the valley from me. About 5 miles. Think I'm gonna go shoot it out some night.
So they can replace it with a pair.
Joe H
http://www.darksky.org/
http://www.darkskysociety.org/
People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. --Otto von Bismarck
Wow MBaybut, your words could have been mine.Me and the wife Just started the same discussion.We live in Hudson County,N.J.,the most densely populated,expensive place to live in the U.S. Born and raised here,in our fifties and so fed up.Looking at homes here you are talking $450,000 to start,and that is for older(80 to 100 year old)homes!!!.We're thinking of crossing the border into Pennsy,which would be rural-lite.I've been reading all the replies your posting generated.The wife works,I'm on permanant disability(S.S.)and our son will be finishing high school next summer.The wife will have to find a new job,my son is looking at the Marines,and the reason I'm on disability is my pancreas decided it needed a tumor,we're going to give it a serious shot.I think the hardest part will be finding a place to put the work shop I've put together.Iwas a Master Plumber for 30 years,now it's wood and stained glass.Without tools in my hands I'll ROT. the pros I've read here are cool and the cons are somewhat scarey but ONWARD!.Good Luck.Any replies welcome. P.S. Because of the tumor I'm on heavy duty narcotics 24/7,(with power tools)so I appreciate the patience of all if I don;t get back in a timely manner as this was quite a chore,I'm new at it.
MBaybut,
You've gotten several good ideas but let me caution you about she-who-must-be-obeyed..
It needs to be her idea or you will lose her.. darn few women will follow their husbands to hell and it may just seem that way to her. (at first)
If she feels she gave up a friend or event or social activety no matter what she says she will make your life unbearable. Wiether or not you remain together depends on wiether she feels that she can change you or not..
Relationships seem more important to women. If you wife is the outgoing type who makes friends easily and embraces the dramatic change in life style the move will really be a positive one. However, you sound like you are heading for triple witching hour..
A change in lifestyle, a change in location, and a change in jobs, oh, and as a bonus you want to build your own house!
Many women can handle one or even two of those. I don't know many who could embrace all three let alone 4 .. so to the cost of moving please add the cost of divorce..
Frenchy,
Now you got me really thinking.
Mike
It needs to be her idea or you will lose her.. darn few women will follow their husbands to hell and it may just seem that way to her. (at first)
Good point. Certainly not universal. My experience is not particularly unusual.
My wife followed me. She grew up and enjoyed living in Denver, a city in every sense of the word. We tried, and failed, to find a place that we could call home in the area. I had two businesses that were doing well. Italy for a couple of months every fall? No problem. But it wasn't enough. Took a good look at eastern and western population trends and chose east, very carefully.
When we first moved outside a small city (pop 45k, area 90k) here she was spooked at how dark it was without streetlights. Eventually we moved to the top of this mountain on more than a few acres with a half mile driveway. And now she wouldn't have it any other way. Even though she's not a hiker, unappreciative of guns, and thoroughly dislikes the aroma of diesel exhaust. We found a nice spot and made our nest.
We had a stable relationship before moving, understood each other well. Moving and, especially, building are traumatic undertakings. Not for the faint of heart.
Know yours. PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
I don't think you move to "the country" to avoid nasty drivers. YOu move because you want to let the dog run, have some chickens, love the view, have a boat on the lake, be closer to outdoor activities, ...
Cons? Roads can be gravel, don't get plowed for three days, turn to mud in the spring for two months, nothing is convient (if you want to go out to dinner, rent a movie and return it the next day), the kids have to been driven everywhere and likely have fewer connections (HMM? In this age that is a plus), this sort of thing.
I happen to love it, many don't.
Lots of variables. The trick with both the city and the country is to buy a place in a good location.
We live just outside the city, in a fairly dense suburb. (Arlington, VA) We have sidewalks we can walk on. Bike paths. Parks. Playgrounds for the kids. There are lots of things to do here. Grocery store is two blocks away, and we walk there all the time. Public transportation. We never really deal with traffic because we are on foot, or on a subway car. The traffic is actually a little further out than where we are.
We visit my mother-in-law in rural North Carolina a few times a year. She lives in a house surrounded by farmland. Sounds nice, right? It's not. You can't go for walks there, because the road in front of her house is narrow with no shoulder and cars go 60 MPH. There's no sidewalk. You can't walk in the fields, because they either contain crops or are muddy. It's quiet for a minute or two, then a truck zooms by at 60 MPH just 50 feet or so from her house. If you want to walk around, you have to get in the car and drive to the local high school which has a track you can walk on. If you want to do anything except watch TV, you need to get in the car.
pro...
a lot less stress... you become you again...
con...
none with the right mind set..
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Pros: A few move to the countryCons: That where a lot of them come from
People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. --Otto von Bismarck
Y'all 'scuse me, I have to go out and get a water mocassin out of the pool. Be right back.
Greg
One great thing about living in the sticks is, you can take a leak outside, anywhere, and not have to look around first.
Gene:
I have a friend who says "I won't live any place I can't Pee off the back deck if I want to".
BILL
Mike, you and dw are the ones who really have to sit down and see what kind of lifestyle you have/like and if this would transfer to the country. If your day-to-day lifestyle revolves around city activities (restaurants, shows, shopping, etc), then moving to the country could mean you're going to be driving a LOT.
But if you're the type of folks who spend a lot of time at home, at their kid's school type activities, etc, then that might easily transfer to country life.
On a very basic level, around here moving to the country often (but not always) means septic tanks and wells. Depending on where you're at, maybe your roads don't get plowed all that often after a snow.
There is really a huge variation in 'country' life. I have a friend who lives in the boondocks (just off the paved road), but their area has a very progressive utilities. So they actually have 'city' water and DSL service from their rural phone coop (even though the closest town is probably 10 miles away). Whereas in other areas, you're stuck looking for drinkable well water and have very limited high-speed internet ops, etc. Really depends on the area.
I need to read further in this thread to see if you mention what your job is. That can make a difference too.
jt8
"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
I think I really need a change of pace but I'm hoping I wouldn't get bored
Hmm, I'm trying to imagine what is "rural" and/or "out in the country" from St Pete, that might not be engulfed in some future Florida development (that's not out in the less-nice bits of the Central Time Zone <g>).
That being said, I'd not give up my lifestyle which is more rural than urban, if very urban compared to the local "rural." As a matter of fact, I've made considerable sacrifice to live here with only 175,000 others, rather than millions in the major metro areas. Not only that, but if the pressures of "mid city" life get to me, I can get really in the country (out beyond where the blacktop goes, to quote the song).
If I were to get "bored" of medium-sized city life, big cities are only a couple hours' drive away.
So, it may come down to your definitions. There are those in Orlando, for instance, who think of Sanford or Oviedo as "country" or "rural" (where as either still seem suburban to me).
I moved to a 16 acre parcel with a little 900 sq. ft shack about 40 miles east of sacramento No. Cali. We moved from a medium sized town in oregon where we were able to walk or ride our bikes to stores resturants entertainment etc. Now I drive everywhere. we love the privacy and the quiet, the wild life etc. etc. etetc. The work seems endless. But its often fun and usually satisfying. As sa contractor I have to drive further for work but most of the driveing doesnt involve much traffic. Way more miles but not that much more time in the car. In thhe six years we've been here a ton more eople have built houses. Unfortunately many of the newer houses are just copies of the generic stucco suburban houses they came from (foam pop outs and details) and they seem to love outside lights. The older houses might have 1 or 2 sigle bulb porch lights. The newer ones seem to have a light anywhere they can squeeze one in. I kinda sucks but.... anyway good luck
Depending on where you are and where you move to , you may get a little culture shock. I think people in the country are in general friendlier than people in the city, but they may have different values and priorities than you are accustomed to. Country neighborhoods can be a mixed bag- you can have a double wide on one lot and a 7000 s.f McMansion a half mile down the road.
Win
Pro: Eat alot of peaches.
Have a lot of childrenAndy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
It seems that you have missed one important criterion for choosing where you live: access to medical care. As I get older, I find that I'm thinking more about access to GOOD medical care, and that I'm using more of it. That typically means lilving near a big city, or facing a substantial commute if you live in a rural location.
Bob Chapman
Definitely in general you should consider your age and physical condition. Also, if you're a couple consider what will happen if one of you has to go into a nursing home -- will the other be stuck too far away in the house?
People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. --Otto von Bismarck
I live in rural Ct. Whenever I need to fetch something I put it on the list, then when I get enough reasons to drive into town I take care of business
also the liquor store closes at 8pm, dont bother jumping out of your chair at 7:50 -you aint gonna make it
Where you at Maverick? I'm in Roxbury. I maintain a hardware store list near the door to my shop for those little thing. When I get enough of them, I drive to New Milford or Southbury. Woo hoo!Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
Oxford, life in the big city. I get up through roxbury often enough - nice country
Lots of nice areas in Oxford, too. I keep meaning to hike at Soutford Falls, but I haven't managed to do more than drive past. I occasionally ride my bicycle down there. And you do have the finest ice cream shop in New England.Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
Southford falls is more of a short walk than a hike up to the obsevation tower. My 4 YO son has no problem walking it. 45 minutes each way
Just a few more thoughts from what I am reading in the replies, since many mention inconveniences.
We live in the country, but there are really no inconveniences, no undue suffering, nothing lacking. If you want to pay for it, you can even get trash pickup. (we use the dump) A town of 35K is 10 miles to the east of us, (w/every chain store known to man) nothing but woods to the west for hours, so I guess we are on the edge. Pick your spot carefully. (I am writing from a computer with a high speed cable modem) I moved from an even more rural area, but even there we didn't lack for things to do.
Sure, it is an hour + to the Kennedy Center, and there are no Starbucks for many miles, but I'll count those as positives. Still, our kids do ballet, soccer, gymnastics - my wife meets her friends at Borders etc., all in town. We have never locked our cars or tools and nothing ever goes missing.
A few successful locals have bought up all the farms and put them into conservation/preservation status, so for the most part things will stay as they are...
We greet people by name here, there is no traffic and life is indeed very good.
Lots of good advise so far. If the area you are looking at is not near you, I would suggest going there and spending a week in Feb and another at the end of July and see if you can handle the worst parts of the year in that area - both the weather itself and the driving/road conditions in the winter. See what services are available ( cable or dish tv, internet, cell phone...). How far is it to a restaurant, movie theater...
If the area is somewhat close, still do some driving in the areas you are interested in once each month. And if there is a snow where you live drive out there and see how driveable the roads in the area are.
I lived in a rural town, outside a major city for a long time. I worked in the city and drove 45 min to work at 11pm and 1hr home at 8am. We had 2 grocery stores in town and a video store, a walgreens, 3 restauants, a hardware store and not a whole lot more. We never had too much of an issue. We were used to the drive for work, so going to someplace special for dinner, the museum, plays... was no differant. For getting things from places like HD/Lowes, I would just arrange to pick it up on my way home.
" There'll be no living with her now" - Captain Jack Sparrow
as someone else mentioned, my wife was a little on edge at first. especially when animals make noises at night. now she would'nt have it any other way.
its funny, there have been a few city folk that built near us and every one of them burned mega floodlights all night like they were lighting up newark airport. after a while they all calmed down
The positives are all there if you're self-employed and can avoid a long daily commute. The downside is it's more expensive to live away from a city or suburb, and anyone who claims otherwise is not being realistic. Kids will have friends at school and that usually means playing taxi driver several times a week.
We live ten miles from a small city (46K pop) and used to be surrounded by orchards and farms. It was a nice location with access to city services and a laid-back, quiet lifestyle. Now developers are buying up the orchards and putting stucco boxes on 1/2 acre lots for people moving in from CA who think these setups are "rustic".
I'm starting to feel like a move is in my future, and this time my lot will be at least 160 acres...
Amen, brother! I think 100 acres with the house smack dab in the middle would be a good place to start.
jt8
"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
its cheaper for me to live in the county due to property tax.
> Amen, brother! I think 100 acres with the house smack dab in the middle would be a good place to start.Yeah, everyone should do that.
People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. --Otto von Bismarck
This has been a great thread to read, thanks all. I do recall an article a few years back in The St Petersburg Times (my local rag) about a guy who had similar thoughts about moving out. He said he was sick of the traffic, noise and the general life of the city. He ended up buying some land up in N. Florida and built his house there. He was constantly bothered by hunting dogs running through his property barking all the way. When he asked the hunters not to go through is property they informed him they'd been going this route for years and they weren't gonna stop now. He asked the local sheriff if he could put a stop to it. The sheriff explained unless the guy could identify who's dogs they were that wasn't much he could do, even though the sheriff would have a good idea of who they were, local boys. So, the next time the dogs came running through his property he took it up a notch, shot and killed one of the dogs, removed the collar and tag and delivered it to the sheriff. After a few days the guy comes home to find his house burnt to the ground. Ironic, given the reasons he fled the city.
Mike
It is important to be prepared for some give and take based on the town's history. I don't know that I'd have worried about some dogs on my new property. And one reason I allow the neighbors to hunt my property is that they've been doing it for years. I guess if I was a PETA person, I'd react differently. But I see their hunting as a small favor I can easily grant, and one that's deserved as I'm the new guy.
You want to be accepted, work with the neighbors. Or, you could just shoot the dog. Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
And one reason I allow the neighbors to hunt my property is that they've been doing it for years.
I agree, just so long as they ask me before doing it.jt8
"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
we have that problem right now with our hunting camp.
When he asked the hunters not to go through is property they informed him they'd been going this route for years and they weren't gonna stop now.
I had a similar problem. This property previously had an absentee owner, considered "public".
Took me a couple of years to get it straightened out, no problem for the last decade. ATVs were the worst, hunting second. The guy you mention made a major mistake trying to get an authority to solve his problem. When the sheriff indicated that wasn't how things were done, he should have gotten the message. And dealt with the problem. I did, politely and firmly. Had to ask one guy if he would mind my riding my "ATV" around his house... weighs 4500 lbs and has field tread. He got the message.
Part of my solution was to lease the hunting to a small group, whose primary responsibility is to run off everybody else. I get a little money every year and they know it's a bargain, not to be lost. Last year they gave me a rifle, in addition to the lease fee.
Got land? Somebody's going to hunt it unless you want to devote your full time to policing. Better to know who, and be able to control how it's done. I don't allow dogs, detest the practice. Nor do I allow ATVs. I joke about everybody coming here to get in shape. It happens.
For the (distant) neighbors who do allow dog-hunting, I give one courtesy phone call for any dog I catch. And make it very clear to the dog owner that there won't be a second call. They think I'm a little off, works very well. Occasionally I get a visit from the local police (after a dog owner complains) who want to make sure I understand the legalities. They find it amusing, probably ironic.
Your conclusion makes no sense to me. People are people, and you deal with it. We left an inner city barrio where we had similar problems (parking, instead of hunting). No surprises here.
If you don't see the logic, you might not want to make the move. PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
I grew up in farm country. People hunting with dogs better keep a close eye on them. A strange dog going ANYWHERE near livestock is likely to meet a 12ga shell, and there isn't a thing the owner is going to be able to do about it.
ATVs were the worst, hunting second.
Snowmobiles were the worst thing when I was growing up. AFter a fresh snow, they would be out all night long. You'd wake up to find their tracks all over. jt8
"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Turning into a nice day here after all. Electric grid's back and the horizontal rain ended. Still windy, 70 mph gusts. And none of my hunters showed up today....
likely to meet a 12ga shell, and there isn't a thing the owner is going to be able to do about it.
I prefer considerably longer range. The operative method is SSS: shoot, shovel, shut up. Taking/sending a collar to the dog owner is bound to cause trouble, as the guy in the newspaper found. Fortunately, my one warning to the dog owner(s) generally suffices.
Coyotes are now a larger problem. Didn't know until this year that they ran deer.
Not much snowmobiling in this part of Va. It's ATV season all year. Actually had one clown developing an ATV race track on our property. Nipped that in the bud. He thought I was a spoil-sport. That's fine. Likely today he's around here somewhere trying to poach a deer with a rifle during muzzle-loader season. Not worth worrying about as he knows where we are and is reasonably careful. Everybody's gotta eat. PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Wife and I made this change three years ago--from one extreme to another. We lived in downtown Chicago. Traffic got worse by the day, over 28 years. She had a horse at a boarding barn 40 miles out--sometimes took her two hours to drive there. We enjoyed the cultural offerings, but usually were too busy or tired to take advantage of them.
We traded our townhome on a beautiful old house and some acres. We're six miles outside a small town in central OH. One of the biggest changes from the city is food and diet: we grow, gather or shoot almost everything we eat, with a large garden, an orchard and plenty of deer (too many) running around. I recommend at least three freezers. We eat very well, although I miss being able to ride my bike dow the street to a liquor store for a nice bottle of wine. When I plant an apple tree, it's a fantastic variety you can't buy in a store--I want to eat like a king.
Seeing the horizon means you can watch the sun rise and set--I feel much in tune with our world. We also live by the weather. Projects are put on hold until a better day.
In the city, our property manager took care of the tiny grass strip in front of our house. Here, the growing, mowing and blowing never ends. It's good to have a strong back and a strong wife--and a wife who wanted to make the change. The list of chores in the country in an old house is endless, but we have plenty of fun, too. I climb trees, we have our horses in the front yard, a target range in the back yard, a bass pond, a large shop...plenty of storage space for just about any hobby you can imagine.
You can make trips back to the city and not pay the high tax to live there.
I don't think a lot of people would enjoy this life, but it's a wonderful option.
Marc
I don't think a lot of people would enjoy this life, but it's a wonderful option.
Thank God for the small mercies.
Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein (or maybe Mark Twain)
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom
"Everything not forbidden is compulsory." T.H. White, The Book of Merlin
Bump. I'm thinking of doing this and actually have wife's family in WV. I need more input. Thanks
82 posts and you need more input? What else would you like to know?
Scott.Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”
Is it diffucult fitting in, in a small town?
Children help.
"Is it difficult fitting in, in a small town?"
It only takes ten or twenty years. ;-)
And your house will always be referred to by the name of the previous owners - "T. White? Yeah, he lives up at the old Jones place."
Around here is sometimes two owners ago.Now I live in Kansas City area. Out in the subburbs. With a city of 50k bordering my city and two others much bigger just on the other side.So this is not a small city area.But I live on a lake that was developed for summer cabins back in 28 and at that time it was out in the country.It has about 250 homes and 750 people. And while it is not true small city when it comes to houses it is.Many people have moved from one to the next one or moved away to the fancy subdisions only to move back 5 years later..
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Pros:
Less Traffic
Fewer a__holes per square mile
Slower pace of lifeCons:
Everything costs more
Less access to fine arts
Air travel takes an extra day & costs 2XIn '02 we moved from a metro area of 3 million to a town of 45,000.
>>>>>>>>>>>>Fewer a__holes per square mileBut, there's the same amount of a$$holes per capita.http://logancustomcopper.com
http://grantlogan.net/
It's like the whole world's walking pretty and you can't find no room to move. - the Boss
I married my cousin in Arkansas - I married two more when I got to Utah. - the Gourds
True, but it's not the same.
An AH I can't see from my place is an AH who doesn't exist.
Joe H
But, there's the same amount of a$$holes per capita.We only allowed one a hole per square mile, but boy is he an A hole. You really get your money worth too. And since I live in the center of the square mile, Mr A hole is twenty feet the other side of my fence. And the Ahole has an Ahole pit bull for a dog. Ten feet the other side of my fence.Good thing about living in the county, there no crime, because of the A hole, and if they was a burglery it will properly be the A hole doing it. Oh how would I know, becuause the A hole dog will not quit barking.But other than the A hole, its life in paradise.
And the Ahole has an Ahole pit bull for a dog
That dog can disappear pretty easily - well a lot easier then the Ahole owner!!!
I,m hoping for the dog to bite the hand thats feeds him
there's the same amount of a$$holes per capita.
That's not what I found. When I lived in the sticks for 20 years, I found some real head cases that moved away from the city because they simply could not get along with anyone. Course they're everywhere, but out there (between Deetroits and Flint) there were herds of certifiables. Seemed like a lot more than other snobdivisions or 'burbs I've lived in.
Cons:Everything costs moreLess access to fine artsAir travel takes an extra day & costs 2X
In '02 we moved from a metro area of 3 million to a town of 45,000.
My experience has been the country costs less...?
But my nearest town has 400, not 45K, but just 50 miles from DC. (where we can go for air travel and fine arts, but seldom do)
One more thing: everybody in the city please stay there...
Treat every person you meet like you will know them the rest of your life - you just might!
Where are you Brian?
I live near DC and think about moving all the time. Mike
I live west of Hagerstown, MD, in the woods...
In the past few years, property values have doubled, lots of my neighbors commute to DC, and the county is trying hard to not be the next Frederick. I get tense just driving around down there (DC/Balt metro), and before long desire to return west of South mountain. But I am from the eastern shore of MD - much less populated than even here.
Hagerstown has plenty of restaurants, culture etc...
I don't see the cons.
Treat every person you meet like you will know them the rest of your life - you just might!
I was born in Chicago and lived in the greater los Angeles area till I was 29. At that point moved to a small town by So Calif standards the whole county had 35,000 people. Cheerfully called the Imperial Valley where in the summer 105 is a nice day.The pros where a slower pace of life, you get know everyone or someone who knows them. You have a good excuse to head to the coast especially in the summer time, which lasted from May to Oct. But you could wear shorts in January and averaged only 2" of rain a year. Mexico was ten minutes away and if you had anything stolen that's where it ended up.The con's where a lack of privacy, way to many people knew your business. Bugs and more bugs. Crickets by the shovel full, cockroaches you could hear coming and trophy size black widows. A lack of consumer goods from A to Z and you waited for ever to get something shipped there. Better now, they have a full selection of the big box stores.
If at all possible, join the ambulance squad or the fire dept. If you can't do that, at least support all thier fundraisers, etc. Give money. Give time. Be modest.
If at all possible, join the ambulance squad or the fire dept.why
Why join the ambulance or fire department? I'm guessing that it's a way to get exposed to the locals real quick, and at the same time expose yourself as somebody that's interested in the good of the community. Typically that's a good thing, unless you come across as a snob or a suck up...
Then again, if one wants to just stay private all they need to do is stay home. Sooner or later somebody figures out who you are.
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
I don't know that privacy is what you lose in a small town, I certainly can't see in any of my neighbors windows, or hear them fighting accross the street..(my sister's place in town can).But you do lose anonyminity(?)...most people know each others names, and have some inkling of their business, but not nearly so intimately, as in town.No houses within 1/2 mile and only 3 within a mile here where I am.
Town (10k pop) is 8 miles.
...join the fire dept. otr the ambulance squad...because they usually need people, as more & more of the locally-employed folks they used to depend on during the day work farther & farther away.
Volunteering shows that you care about the community, that you just weren't looking for cheap land to put your McMansion on...
It might not be everybody's cup of caffeine, but I found it the best way to get connected to the community quickly. It's about 20 years since I lived where I was on the rescue squad, but when I was visiting back there this fall, people still remembered who I was, & in these days of shallow roots, I was surprised & pleased.
Mostly depends on your personality and the percentage of newcomers in that specific town.We had no problem fitting in to a town of 4,500 (moved 12 years ago).
"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd."
~ Voltaire
"Is it diffucult fitting in..."
I couldn't tell you. I moved from a large metropolis (Dallas, then Chicago), to a city of 200K (Rockford, IL) to 12-1/2 acres, 2 miles from the nearest town, an it has a population of maybe 900. Most people move away from the city not to fit in, but rather to gain some (or a great deal of) solitude.
You already "fit in". Do you want to "fit out"?
Well said Tim.
Another consideration is employment. Jobs in smaller towns tend to pay less and be lower level. Lots of waitresses, store clerks, etc., but no so many engineers, for example. If you are close enough to commute to a larger city, though, that can work.
That is true. It took me six years of looking to find an engineering job in rural Idaho. Finely found one about a year and a half ago, at about 45% of what I made in Vegas. But, I am doing something I enjoy and not building subdivisions in Vegas.
Moved from the brightest spot on the nighttime satellite photos of the USA (Vegas) to the darkest (Salmon, Idaho).
In Vegas there were six supermarkets, a Sam's Club, a Costco, three Home Depots, and two Lowes within ten minutes of the house. Here, I have a grocery store, a hardware store (broader selection than the big boxes, but not as much depth), two lumber yards, and an Alco, (If you haven't seen an Alco store think junior Wal-Mart).
One of the Home Depots, and the Lowes around the corner were open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Grocery stores were open 24/7/365. In Salmon, the hardware store is open 8 to 5:30 six days a week, and the grocery store from 9 to 9 six days a week.
I have to plan things more. You can't just run to the BigBox because you need two wire nuts to finish off rewiring the lights in the garage. The hardware store stocks flake shellac and alcohol, but not the precut bullseye in the can. They also have a huge array of bits and pieces to fix things with, and a knowledgeable staff to give advice.
I can see the stars at night, and even set up my telescope on the front porch with out it being washed out by the background light. Vegas the glow washed it out even sixty miles away.
I can buy a deer tag and go hunting after work. Vegas it takes six years to get a tag, and then it's a weeks minimum vacation time to get somewhere set up camp, and get in a few days of hunting. I can fly fish minutes from the house, and am with in an hours drive of any outdoor activity I want to do.
Basically. The pace is slower here. The wages are lower here. The people aren't friendlier per se, but the folks at the lumberyards, and hardware store know me by name, because they see a lot less people. If you are straight up and honest, they know it, respect it, and will treat you that way. If you are trying to con them they know that and will treat you accordingly. There is no way to be anonymous.
I don't know the new neighbors any better than the old neighbors. But there is a difference between 8 to the acre subdivisions, and two acres per house. We know each others names, and will walk over and give each other a hand if it looks like someone needs help.
Ive read this thread all along and after scanning it one more time Ive learned a few things .
We really havent learned much.
There is so much difference in where we live as to what we work on and what we build plus the difference in prices.
Anyway most of the time I think of gasoline , fuel costs , time driving , and convience. Normally if we are talking country the yards are much bigger to acreage . I think about things out side the house like shops , gardens , and such.
Tim
Edited 2/16/2007 6:26 pm by Mooney
We eat very well, although I miss being able to ride my bike dow the street to a liquor store for a nice bottle of wine.
If you know what you like, you can probably get stuff online. That old house probably has a damp basement that would have a corner that would make a nice wine cellar :)
jt8
"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
I noticed one of your chief complaints about living where you do is the traffic. I have lived in rural areas and in cities and agree that traffic is a major headache in urban areas. I now live in the Washington, DC area within the beltway. The Washington, DC area is famous for bad traffic. Still, I don't mind the traffic because I am not in it. I have found ways to get around without a car. My wife and I have one car and put only about 4000 miles a year on the car. The rest of the time we, walk, bicycle or ride public transportation. Many cities and close-in suburbs can be great places to live if you live close to work and get out of the driving habit. Consider moving inward instead of outward.
I live in a midwest city of about 50,000. I wasn't born here (first knock), as my dad was in the Air force and stationed in California when I was born. I came here after I retired from the Army. I'd been here two times before -- when my dad was in Korea (first grade) and when my dad was in Vietnam (senior year). All of my American ancestors on his side, going back to the mid 1800's, are buried within twenty miles of my house, yet some people think I'm a newcomer. My wife and I joke about it a lot.
Did the same thing. But I'm not sure what out to the country means. I only live 40 minutes from you, and twenty minutes from Sarasota. Nice acre lot which gives the wife and kids people to talk to and gives me room for shop and toys. All the land around us is five acre parcels and will not change. Six miles from nearest gas station. But when you go back, you hit civilization like a brick wall. Five acre parcels right into six per acre. Two of my neighbors commute to St. Pete.
All the pro's that everyone has posted are correct. And if you pick the right place all the cons go away. Tell the wife it's only thirty minutes to the Brandon Mall, she'll be fine.
Just a personal observation given my experiences in very small towns (pop 1000), Suburbs (pop 30,000) and inner city (pop 400,000);In very small towns you really have to like face to face time with people because they will expect personal interaction. If you sort of like people keeping their distance or you are not adept at the whole "let's all get along" chit chat BS over a cup of coffee thing, this is not the life for you.In Suburbs people interact with whoever they invite to interact with - whoever is invited to enter the fenced kingdom of their back yard enclave. If you are not invited, you are SOL. If that's how you like it, go there.In the inner city, life is everywhere. If you're not the chit chat type, you can sit and watch the bustle all around you without being bothered. But if you like face time, there is plenty of that to be had too.If it matters to you, racial, religious and cultural diversity varies a great deal too.