topic Re: Curious About Rural Living in Home

Curious About Rural Living

Julie928 — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 21:56:27 GMT

I'm hoping I might be able to get opinions from those of you who live in the country. I'd like to start by saying I love my house. I love my yard. We put so much of our heart and soul (not to mention pocketbooks) into making this place one we love. Then the neighborhood started to change. The middle-aged people moved away, the elderly ones passed away. The young families started moving in. Don't misunderstand ~ I don't hate kids, but the noise ~ the constant screaming, crying, toy banging, radio blasting ~ I feel like I'm living next to a day care center. It's depressing. Their driveway runs alongside our house and they are always set up in the driveway, be it for playtime, doggie time, barbeques, you name it. They have a huge backyard and are always in the driveway, just outside our windows. I have dogs, but the neighbors let their dogs bark CONSTANTLY outside our window. I've talked to them about the dogs several times. My husband has talked to them more than once. It's everyday, on and off all day. Their garage is basically a playroom (also about 20 feet from our house). I've been looking online at properties on 10 or more acres. It's a huge move and would be a huge change for us so I am curious as to what those of you think of this lifestyle. What are the pros and cons. I simply don't know what to do. I love this place and the thought of leaving it makes me sad. But I need peace ~ desperately. Any advice? Thanks, all!

Re: Curious About Rural Living

hoosieroriginal — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 22:02:44 GMT

I live in the county, right outside my town. I feel like I'm in the country, but only 15 minutes from town. Our road is mainly older people - homes are pretty far away from each other. I love it! I have great neighbors. I don't think I could handle all of that noise either - really sad when people have to leave their beautiful homes because of the noise level in their neighborhoods. Country living is great - but you can have problems there too. We have a couple of good ole boys on our road and they sometimes race up and down the road in their "big trucks". But all-in-all, not bad at all.

Re: Curious About Rural Living

CareBears — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 22:09:25 GMT

@Julie928 We were in a smiliar situation, we had lived in our home for 14 years and absolutely loved it, but the neighborhood changed for us also, things started being stolen out of our yard, the comings and goings of the neighbors at all hours of the day & night, we went from loving our home to hating to live there, we now live in a town of about 2500 people. small local grocery store, library, VFW, 1 local restuarant, a couple of gas stations, feed store, a few other small businesses but that is it, the nearest McDonalds for example is 25 minutes away, at first it was hard to get used to, but as the time has gone by we cannot ever think of moving back to the city. The only thing we have really changed in our lives is to plan things out further in advance as it is not so convenent to run to the local stores for this and that anymore, but when the only noise I hear during the day when the windows are open is the birds singing or the children laughing in the neighborhood, I thank the heavens above for what led us to this point in our lives, I have truly become a country girl!

Re: Curious About Rural Living

Wricardos — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 22:14:21 GMT

We live on 2 acres and our neighbors are close enough but not too close. We have private back yard and our dogs (3) run in a fenced acre. Our yard is a manacured grass with beautiful shade and evergreen trees. Wouldn't ever trade it for "city" life again. We are also within 1.5 miles from grocery and a hospital.

Good luck in figuring it out.

Tucker

Re: Curious About Rural Living

aoldgirl — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 22:19:16 GMT

Hi, I understand your concerns completly. I live in rural VA. I have 6 acres, mostly trees. This being said I will tell you what I love and what I miss, see if that helps you. I love the silence, No noise, no trains, planes, cars going by, no kid noises. I love the darkness at night, no street lights, no car lights, no neighbors lights on. I love my house and yard also. What I'm not crazy about , and what I miss not being in a suburb, Its a long way to health care, also its a long way to shopping, maintaince on the land that we live on, ie: trees need cutting down and grass cutting and because others near by think they can shoot guns on their acreage, that noise is nerve racking. The neighbors we have all respect each others privacy. Getting things delivered can be a challenge. I wouldn't want to live any where else.

Re: Curious About Rural Living

ballyk — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 22:19:52 GMT

I live on 20 acres 6 miles from town in a rural area. Love the relative quiet and no close neighbors. That's the good. We have no Internet access other than satellite dish, tv is direct tv or dish, we had to buy a $600 cell booster to get a signal in the house and still none in the driveway. Forget "cutting" the cord. Fortunately there is a town 60 miles away for limited cultural events and interesting restaurants. Otherwise it's 3 hours to the closest Costco, Nordstrom, major sports events etc. There is a hospital in town but I could only find 1 Dr accepting new patients a few years ago. It took 3 months to get an appointment with one of 2 dentists that take my medicare dental insurance. It's very pretty and peaceful here but there are tradeoffs. Depends what is important to you.

Re: Curious About Rural Living

PurpleBunny — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 22:29:01 GMT

@Julie928

Argh. I hear ya. I have done a ton of work on my garden, my windowboxes and my patio to make it a beautiful, relaxing outdoor space. My next door neighbor sits outside and smokes 24 hours a day so I can't sit out there or leave open my windows. And the rest of the times he's out there with his four-year-old who just constantly likes to scream and squeal at the top of her lungs while he chats away on the cell phone - oblivious. I was Always very conscious to make sure that my kids were considerate of the neighbors, and now that it's "my turn" to relax, I only want the same consideration.

Re: Curious About Rural Living

Snowpuppy — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 23:04:07 GMT

Why 10 acres ? You dont have to maintain/mow all 10. Most people only maintain 1-3. You still have to pay taxes on the rest.

You learn to grocery shop differently, I stock a deep pantry and a freezer. There's no running to the corner store, there isn't one. I'm not a die hard shopper so the drive to a real mall isn't a big deal to me. UPS is my friend!

Power outages can last days so you'll learn about generators and living with propane fuel. Most people also have a secondary heat source like a fireplace or wood stove.

Everyone that works has a long commute if you need a job that pays anything.

Re: Curious About Rural Living

tobe — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 23:24:33 GMT

I love the country! We had lived in town in a two story historic home for 35 years. Then, slowly things began to change. Older neighbors died and younger ones moved in. No more quiet neighborhood. Cars drove too fast down our street, noise was constant. The 4th of July was a nightmare with kids out in the street throwing firecrackers into our yard and street until the city cut off time at midnight. In time, we lost our good next door neighbor to a bunch of hoodlums, with coming and going all the time. They kept dogs chained in their yard and starving. We threw food over the fence to feed them, and I found a home for one of them. In the house behind us, there moved in a 20 yr. old drummer. He got so loud one afternoon that I went over and knocked on his garage door to nicely tell him to be quiet. He came ungluded! Thankfully, in the meantime, we had bought 18 acres 15 miles away and had built a one room cabin, thinking we would stay in our historic home and use this for a get away. When this drummer started cussing and carrying on, I said I had had enough. I grabbed my cats and right then and there went to the country, telling my husband that we were moving! I have never been happier!

Re: Curious About Rural Living

software — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 23:43:54 GMT

I feel your pain, I'm in the same situation. Loud cars, loud music, kids screaming, sirens, train whistle, barking dogs-- no peace here, but like you, I love my house. Before my husband passed, we had our property in the country, 6 acres and a modest home. I had to sell it. I didn't want to live there without him. I don't regret it and it's 4 years later.

You may have to give up conveniences, work may be farther away. And trust me, there can be inconsiderant neighbors anywhere. Moving to the country is no guarantee.

And 10 acres is nice, depending on how your house sits on the property. If you are again close to a property line, you may end up in the same situation.

I've been searching the realty websites and dreaming.

@Julie928

Re: Curious About Rural Living

jaxs mom — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 23:56:30 GMT

Ten acres sounds like a lot when you've never lived on that size property ( I have) and are coming from the city. But it's really not.

The thing is, unless you live in an area with a lot of trees, you tend to have less privacy in the country than in the city. In the sense that almost no one has their property fenced with solid fencing. So anyone can see in your yard. Since there isn't solid fencing like block wall or even wood fencing that means that in the vast majority of cases dogs in the country will roam off their property unless the owners keep them inside all the time, only walk them on a leash or have a dog run. And there are still kids that walk to and from school or are picked up by the bus.

You have less access to shopping, have to drive more and have less options for services like super fast internet. We had a well for water and propane for gas. Don't get me wrong, I loved it and we had lots of livestock and raised our own food and had a huge garden plus pasture for our horses and other stock but not enough land to not have to buy hay and feed. You also will be further away from Drs, hospitals, the EMTs will take longer to get to your house in case of emergency.

Re: Curious About Rural Living

AuntG — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 01:23:30 GMT

10 acres might not provide the peace you desire. Neighbors could still have loud parties, dogs will still be barking and running loose, plus people drive fast on rural roads so even a daily walk can be dangerous. Your home sounds like an investment that you truly enjoyed up until now. I say hang in there and don't be so quick to get out.

Re: Curious About Rural Living

Nomorebirthdays — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 01:41:34 GMT

I have lived in the country all my life, I have privacy, but there is sometimes noise tractors, mowers, roosters, cows. But it is better than traffic, beeping horns, sirens. After dark it is almost silent.

We have to drive if we need anything, no pizza delivery, snow plows are slow to get out here. We maintain our water pumps and septic.

Unless you live in the woods grass mowing is non stop in the growing season. So you have a tractor to maintain.

That said I would not have it any other way.

Re: Curious About Rural Living

Julie928 — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 01:45:21 GMT

Thanks to everyone who responded! From reading here I have learned there are many things I have not thought of, and I admit the guns going off thing would make me crazy ~ even crazier than I am now (scary, huh)? On a positive note, our neighbors are nice people. It could be worse and they could be jerks. Nothing is perfect, and I sometimes think there is this magical place where nothing will annoy me and everything will be perfect. Of course, I'm realistic enough to know this is just a dream, and as one of you mentioned, moving to the country is no guarantee of peace. Someday I hope to be fortunate enough to have a second place somewhere ~ something small where I can escape to during those times when I need some peace. Thanks again, everyone!

Re: Curious About Rural Living

Nomorebirthdays — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 01:58:16 GMT

@Julie928 do not be scared off by occasional gunfire in the country, yes every one out here has guns to shoot critters or hunt but it's safe. I see a police car go by about 4 times a year.

I do not know what work you might need or do but no public transportation.

Read up on homesteading to get an idea about the amount of work needed to maintain a place in the country and the joys. If you have a partner they need to be committed to the life style also.

Re: Curious About Rural Living

Mominohio — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 04:43:36 GMT

Let me try to give you some perspective that others have and some new ideas.

I was raised in a city of about 50,000 people. Not too big, not too small. The houses in our historic neighborhood were very close together with very small yards, but a nice mix of older and families, and pretty quiet for being off a main road in town.

I moved to a much bigger city (Columbus Ohio) for a year while in college. I hated it. I hate being in and living in big cities. I hate the noise, I hate the traffic, I hate the drive time to get from one side of town to another.

So when I graduated, I moved back to my hometown, and bought a house just a few streets away from where I grew up. Loved it...until the church next door (which was small, older congregation with only Sunday morning services, quiet and calm the rest of the week) decided to rent to a daycare facility that brought in 60 kids per day to run and scream from 6am to 6pm. Motivated us to find a rural property.

First, there is true 'country' living, then there is just out of town with a few acres.

Many people from cities and towns move out on a few acres, surrounded by other properties of just a few acres, and think they will have privacy and quiet. You often don't. There can still be a lot of traffic, and it is shocking how far you can hear things in a more open setting. The sounds travel miles when there aren't buildings and other sounds to block them. That can include many of the things that bother you right next door (voices, music, loud cars etc.).

Real 'out in the country' life can be very isolated (think dirt road with no other houses for miles) with a lot more privacy and quiet, but still the need to monitor your surroundings as people seek to get out and treat your property like it is a public park.

Many rural areas have little or no zoning, So while in town, barking dogs or loud music can be reported, jacked up cars in the driveway might be against zoning etc and can be addressed, many places in the rural areas have no such regulations. Makes for more freedom for you, but when others have/do things that you don't like, you have less recourse than other settings.

We got used to not having a store of any size or any fast food/gas stations for at least a 10 minute drive (to a really small town, but the nearest decent size town is closer to a half hour away), but many people would freak if they had to be 'inconvenienced' like that. Think that part of it through. Jobs are usually farther away too, and will the commute time (especially in bad weather) be something you can handle?

You are farther from hospitals and big/good fire departments. It takes much longer for response time from law enforcement ( I had a drunk guy who's car broke down in the road in the middle of the night, banging on my door and wouldn't go away. It took over 20 minutes to get the only deputy on duty for the whole county to come and get him). Be prepared to deal with that and be somewhat responsible for your own protection.

Get educated about rural property. Know flood plains, look at how the land sits (we sit much lower than it looks and deal with a lot of soggy property and flooding that we had no idea of when we bought). Understand what there is to having, using and maintaining a well and septic system. A lot of people think "yeah! Free water and sewer!" It isn't free by any means.

Realize that bugs and critters only get worse in the country. Small animals like squirrels and raccoons can create a lot of damage to property, and it seems every year, we have a different bug infestation, flies one year, bees the next, ants the next, and spiders the next. It seems it never ends (but we do have woods and a pond, which feeds that cycle a little more).

Realize you will see things that may bother you. Wildlife animals that are sick or suffering may cross your path. We have had to shoot more than one sick raccoon or possum over the years, because of it's suffering, and because it is a danger to us and out pets to have them around ill.People dump dogs and cats a lot, then if you have half a heart, you have to either take them in or find a place to take them (and that is easier said than done).

Be prepared to have fewer 'services' in the country. They don't plow the roads as quickly or as often. We get no salt on our roads (till you get to the state highways) and when they get icy, they stay that way for many days until the weather warms up and it melts naturally. No one is sweeping the streets or even paving them in this county. A paved road here can become darn near impassable with pot holes and crumbling asphalt, and stay that way for years.

Realize that if you don't understand the zoning and regulations in your rural township you could buy what seems like a huge property to you at this time, and the guy next door can still start a junk yard or a dirt bike track right next to you, and you will have to look at it or hear it, and there may be nothing you can do about it.

All that said, I don't mean to discourage you. We love a lot of what comes with rural living, but it isn't for those that haven't thought it through and really looked into the specifics of some of the things I've listed. It can end up being very disappointing when people have an uninformed view of what their life will be like.

I know that one thing I would do if I could afford it next time is to buy property on both sides of the road, so I don't have to look at a house or anything else I didn't want to, across from me. I'd also buy much more acreage, lots of room on both sides and behind me. We currently have two houses on five acres. It seems like much more because we have a huge woods behind us that belongs to the farm up around the corner, but is vacant and quiet. It is like we own the woods and use them but technically they aren't ours, and it will be not so nice if the owner ever decides to develop them or use them in some way. You cannot assume that if you buy a house or a property surrounded by farm fields and woods (that you don't own) that it will stay that way. Just because it is like that now, it can change in a heartbeat.

Re: Curious About Rural Living

ID2 — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 10:19:33 GMT

We retired up to our cottage, very rural living, going on 2 years ago. I lived my entire life in the big city. It was a very huge decision for us to pick up and move. I love our rural life now. So quiet, serene, lovely friendly people and finally a view of something other than another house across the street (we live on a lake now)! I'd say the biggest obstacle for me is missing my children, but they are only a 4 hour drive. But I do miss shopping! All the stores were within a few miles from me before. I actually used to walk to a local mall! So close! Now its a day trip to go just about anywhere. Thank goodness for the internet is all I can say. OP, go for it! You won't regret finally living where a gentle breeze is your next door neighbor!

Re: Curious About Rural Living

Witchy Woman — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 10:38:08 GMT

I am fortunate enough to live on 8 acres in an area that is mostly rural. However, I have everything I need within 10 minutes.

We built in the woods and have a minimal yard around the house. Very little maintenance.

I've lived with neighbors and this is better no matter how nice they are.

We cannot be seen from the road leading to our neighborhood and I like it that way. The "main" road is 5 minutes away.

I could never live with all that noise, but that's me. I don't want to see or hear anyone during the day unless I chose to.

Re: Curious About Rural Living

AuntG — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 11:16:47 GMT

@Julie928 the idea of a small place on a lake appeals to me. When I've visited my friend's cottage, it was so quiet on weekdays. On weekends, more neighbors would come up from Milwaukee and Chicago, but they were very nice people who were looking for peace and quiet. If I ever came into money, I'd buy a two bedroom cottage as my retreat.

Re: Curious About Rural Living

software — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 13:34:26 GMT

All these posts remind me of a story. I was born & raised in the city, raised my kids in the city. So when we were staying at our home in the country, my daughter wondered why whenever someone was going to the store, it was announced!

It was about 10 miles away so when you go you don't want to forget anyone or anything and you sure don't want to have to make a return trip. So you make the announcement "I'm going to the store"

That means load up or hand over a list, this will be your last chance for a while!

The kids loved it, things can get boring in the country so a trip to the store is a treat.