An outcome of COVID-19 has been a reported surge in house buyers wanting to move to a rural, countryside location. Clearly, there are benefits to moving to a countryside location including more open space, fresh unpolluted air, and sometimes, depending on the location, you can get more bang for your buck. However, swapping the hustle and bustle of city life for the peace and quiet of rural living can be very different.
Get familiar with the local area:
As with any property purchase, it’s always best to scope out the local area. Even if you’ve been on holiday to your ideal location, spending a week there is considerably different to living there day in day out. Therefore, take your time to really get to know the place. Tips such as driving there on a weekday as well as a weekend can also help you understand what the traffic is like there during peak and off-peak times. Also, do you still get the same vibes for the area in autumn and winter as you do in spring and summer?
Local amenities:
Are you currently within throwing distance of a local coffee shop, gym or supermarket? Chances are you may not be as close to your morning latte as you were before. However, if you’re willing to drive or there are good local transport links you may be happy to compromise and travel a little further to get to these places.
Transport links:
Again this is likely to be another compromise. Whether you like it or not you need to be willing to drive whether that’s to get to your place of work or to stock up on your household essentials. Transport in rural areas isn’t always reliable and as regularly as city locations, therefore having a means of transport, such as a car, will help aid you greatly.
Community living:
People that live in the countryside often are closer and have a stronger sense of community spirit. This isn’t a bad thing and something you may grow to appreciate as time goes on but you should take the time to get to know your neighbours, especially if you’re thinking about making major home improvements – it’s always polite to forewarn your neighbours.
Schools and childcare:
As a family, one of your top priorities will be scoping out the local school and/or childcare facilities. You’ll first want to check which schools fall within your catchment area before weighing up the time it’ll take to drop off and pick up from school, you should expect this to be considerably longer than within a city or town location.
Broadband:
Since the global pandemic has seen an increase in people working from home and this being another reason that a rural location seems appealing it’s always worth checking what the broadband is like in the area. Years ago it was overlooked by many utility providers but has improved greatly over time, yet it’s always worth checking rather than being an afterthought.
Frequent flyers:
If you regularly fly for business or for pleasure it’s worth weighing up the pros and cons of potentially a long drive to your closest airport. A few hours travel may not put you off but having to do this regularly and at peak travel times or at unsociable times could take its toll in the long run.
We hope these top tips help you in your decision making on whether countryside living is for you or whether the city life suits you best for now. If you’re looking to move home get your free conveyancing quote here.
