What to think about when you are thinking about moving to the country…

I live ‘out here’ in rural north Florida – Jefferson County to be exact for many years. I would say that most of my life has been spent ‘in the country.’ Except for brief periods in college and grad school, when I lived in apartments near the universities, I’ve had a septic system and often well water from the tap as well. As I’ve learned through experience, this life isn’t for everyone. I’ve also learned a few things about selling ‘out here’ the hard way. So, if you are thinking about moving out beyond the city lights, here’s some things to ask yourself, and your family.

1.      Why do you want to live in the country?

I laugh sometimes when people comment about how peaceful it must be to live in the country. On my little farmstead, we have had guinea fowl, goats, dogs, chickens and cats. There is always someone raising a fuss here and it is rarely perfectly quiet. (Just for what it is worth – the guinea birds were great at waking me up when my teenager snuck outside at night. Guinea sounds are the equivalent of a chainsaw being operated wide open.) I don’t hear traffic or the highway at any time though. If quiet is important to you remember that most of the noises are temporary, however, dinner time can be quite loud if you live near a lot of livestock.

Some want to move out here because they don’t want to have neighbors and/or they don’t want to be told want to do with their land. If this is important to you, make sure you meet the neighbors and check all restrictions on the property. I’ve heard of buyers escaping the confines of a militant Home Owners Association, only to find that the deed restrictions keep them from getting that horse daughter always wanted and they can’t put that secondary barn/office they needed for space.

However you picture your country life, make notes about what is most important to you and let those priorities help guide you through the questions or concerns that come up while negotiating your real estate sale.

2.     What do you NEED in order to make that country life happen for your family?

In thinking about what kind of rural life you want to live, what tools are you going to need? Some of these may be negotiable during a sales transaction – like chainsaws and tractors. In Florida, those fruit trees you love, may be considered personal property and removed before closing. If those items are a big deal to your life out here -make sure you negotiate for them. These can’t be included (usually) on a sales contract for real estate but can be negotiated with a bill of sale prior to or just after closing.

If farming is your thing, you can probably count on a tax break as well when your property is partially zoned agriculture. Whatever you want to grow, make sure the property you are looking at can accommodate your desires. If livestock is your thing you will want fencing and something natural for them to eat. If plants are your thing, then maybe a soil test becomes essential prior to purchase. If agri-tourism is your thing, make sure there are no restrictions for home-based businesses. 

Talk to your real estate professional about what is important to you so they can make sure you get the information you need to make important decisions. Also note that not all sellers may have the information you need and it may take additional time and/or investigations to make sure you find the answers you seek. 

3.     What are you willing to put up with in order to live rurally?

If you need your daily dose of Starbucks, you need to be willing to put up with a half hour plus drive to get one. To me, that was never a big deal. Even when we lived ‘in town’ it still took us half an hour to get out of the neighborhood and to the nearest shopping plaza and that was often 20 minutes or more. For me now, that half hour is spent on country roads instead of stopping and going at multiple traffic signs through the drive. For many years I have driven a Jeep Wrangler. They are not exactly known for their gas mileage, but it does give me a peace of mind that I’m going to get to my home no matter what. Which brings me to my next point….

Living ‘out here’ comes with a few annoyances. The dust from the dirt road I live on is frustratingly quick to build up. And that dust becomes pretty deep mud the longer it rains (better have 4 wheel drive on my road). There is increased maintenance if you have outbuildings and a septic system. If you don’t work from home, your budget for fuel will need to increase. It shouldn’t be hard to find a little more in the budget since taxes and price per square foot are lower in rural areas. In Leon County (Tallahassee, FL) for the previous 12 months the average 3 bedroom 2 bath home with 1 acre costs $129.73 per sold square foot. In Jefferson County it was just $84.09 per square foot (Gadsden $93.91; Wakulla $124.69).

I recently helped a couple move out of Piney Z and into Jefferson County. Even budgeting $75 a week for gas, they are still saving money monthly on their living expenses (and building equity!)! When deciding on your dream rural home, think about any deal breakers you may have. One customer I was showing homes to quickly decided that dirt road living was not going to work and neither was living on a rural highway. That helped narrow the search very quickly and we found what she was looking for the next time out.

4.     What community best meets your dream of ‘out here’ living?

I doubt that there are very many locals that would deny that Quincy has a very different vibe than Monticello or Crawfordville. The truth is, pretty soon you are going to need someone local and not all areas are friendly to outsiders. If you are going to work from home, finding out the internet options should be on the list of things to investigate once you go under contract. (Ideally this would be something to think about prior to making an offer, but the information is not always readily available.) If coffee and bagels on Sunday morning is important to you, check out the local retail shops and make sure you can live with what you find. If you want to be within a short drive to your doctor, or if you want a local doctor, do your fact finding (or let your Realtor do it for you) before you close.

Most small towns have quirks that you should try to investigate before making the decision to move there. For example, Jefferson will not be bringing in any large box stores (i.e. Publix or Walmart) and most businesses are closed on Monday. If the personality of the town is important to you, spend time there. Shop the local shops. Meet the local shop owners and their customers and get a feeling for the community standards. Attend government meetings and the tourist bureau and any local tourist attractions that interest you. Most small towns also have festivals and that’s a great time to meet local politicians (you can usually pick them out of the crowd – they are the only ones dressed in business casual clothing).

Speaking of exploring local, make sure your real estate agent is also a local. I’ve had customers tell me they have spoken to multiple people and still don’t have the answer they were looking only to call ‘Cathy’ at the courthouse and have the answer immediately (and a name and number they can call next time). Not all agents know about life out here and how it impacts work and family. If having thoughtful guidance while buying a home is important to you, make sure it is important to your agent as well. Don’t use the seller’s agent. They may have a lot of critical information, but they are not working for the buyer and home transactions are crucial enough without knowing someone has your back. Call me – even if you are out of state – and I will help you or connect you with someone who can.