Tips For Transitioning to Rural Living

Rural living is more than just a location, it is a lifestyle. If you are looking to slow down, enjoy having land to play and live freely or simply looking for a unique home, rural living might just be the right fit for you. With increased popularity due to the rising house prices and demand in the inner cities, rural living is becoming a positive alternative to the suburban lifestyle!

Here are some tips for transitioning to rural living that you should know.

Build a Strong Sense of Local Community

Having a solidified network of friends and neighbors close by is the ideal way to set yourself up for the best living experience. Rural communities are often close knit, and home to many helping hands. They come with long family histories and people with a deep passion for where they are from.

Fitting into this picture is easy, consider spending time at your local community centre, dropping off a sweet treat and introducing yourself to the neighbors or just offering a smile and wave to those on your street as your head home! Establishing a sense of community and trust comes down to the effort you put in to go out of your way and get to know the stories and lives of those living around you!

On the hunt for more advice about buying a rural home? Check out these related blogs next!

Understand Your Properties Infrastructure

Grasping your property and the potential needs and complexities of it is an essential part of navigating living rural. Before you move in, ask your Realtor and trusted professionals about buried gas lines, access to utilities and trusted contractors/resources. Your neighbors will also have strong insights and connections to local handymans, businesses and the best network services for your region!

Consider Investing in Equipment

Think about the hidden costs of maintenance when opting for a rural property. As the winter approaches, consider how you are planning to remove your snow and in the summer months, how you will keep on top of outdoor landscaping. It can be easy to get caught up in the excitement of moving and in the process, weed out the long term costs.

Practical Items Include:

LARGE rakes
A snowblower
A weed wacker
A large lawn mower or riding mover
Chainsaws and basic tools for home projects
A truck, SUV or 4-wheeler to navigate the needs of larger properties

Searching for the perfect rural property? Check out our featured listings here.

Home Security

Depending on how rural you choose to buy, you may want to take precautions regarding home and land security. Have plans to travel in the colder months? You should consider how your home is protected when you are away. It is common for many rural homes to have front gates, some with security cameras (if they are located on busy streets and highways) and others have security systems in use when they are not physically present on the property.

With the addition of more land, it is important to consider how you are keeping, maintaining and taking ownership over your space. While extra security measures are not needed in every case, homes located in close proximity to high traffic areas and main anchors will see more eyes on them then some homes located in suburban communities.

Embrace All Elements of Nature

It is key to remember that you are a guest to the natural habitat/environment of your lands. Maintaining this is the right and sustainable way to live.

Many are not used to seeing wild turkeys, small wild animals like bunnies, chipmunks and various species of birds; however, if you learn to embrace it, you will find yourself enjoying how your little life fits into the nature of your lands. Other important considerations for your land include:

Water Conservation: being mindful of your use and monitoring how you can be more sustainable in your conservation efforts

Learn About The Local Wildlife: Is there animals like fox, bear, coyote etc. in the area that could pose a threat to your domestic animals? In the same way there are pesky Raccoons that will rummage through your garbage on garbage day! Keep in mind your role in understanding what is living around you!

Waste Disposal: Keep your garbage neat and tidy. Ensure that you are storing your garbage in safe bins and double- or even triple-bagging garbage once you put it out. Many rural areas have strict policies surrounding garbage and recycling in order to protect the wildlife around them!

Searching for more home buying advice? Check out these related blogs next!

Pace and Lifestyle Adjustments

Be prepared when moving out of the city that your day-to-day lifestyle will likely change in one way or another. This might be a small change, for instance, leaving the house 10 minutes earlier to make it to work on time or it could be a larger consideration about property management and or ongoing maintenance. It is key to think about the big picture, which can sometimes mean that certain daily tasks may take longer or require more steps in the process.

Small things like taking out the garbage, removing snow, driving to work in the morning, can be hang ups for some. Yet if you choose to embrace these small challenges and use them to find a better way forward, the benefits of living rural and the lifestyle that goes along with it, will leave you feeling evermore grateful that you took the chance and made the move!

Interested in Buying a Rural Home?

Luckily, you found us! Because we specialize in all things rural and are proud to have over 70+ years of experience in various rural properties, from farms to rural businesses and stunning estate homes, we are here to help you and bring forth a bulk of knowledge to help you buy or sell your home!

Interested in learning more about what sets our agents apart from other rural real estate agents in the area? Check out more on Scott Robinson, David Coccia and Michael Christie and why their experience, passion and education on rural properties will guide you through all your real estate needs.

Ready to buy? We can help! Reach us by email at info@capstonereps.com or call 519.824.9050.

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