Should I do it?

[B7500]

This is going to sound like a truly dumb question but I'm torn...
I lived in the "city" all of my life. It's not a big place (30,000) but it's home to me. I have a nice house centrally located in town. I bought property last year 70 miles from here to have a second home with room (5 acres). Now, this woman whose husband died two years ago wants to move in the city and loves my house. We could make a deal for, are your ready, her 250-acre place. Trouble is it's a 20-minute drive from everything I felt has been normal. Don't get me wrong the isolation, peace and quite is tempting but will we like it?
This is a huge decision. I don't want to be sorry but it does sound tempting.
How is "rural" life with no neighbors? It sounds great right now but it also sounds a bit scary.
Told you this was a dumb question.

 

[MossRoad]

Not a dumb question at all. A big decision. If you can afford the hidden costs(taxes) etc, go for it. Land prices will never go down.

If you don't like the isolation you could carve it up into mini ranches and get some neighbors /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Bird]

Not a dumb question at all, Terry. The trouble is that I doubt anyone can answer it for you. I've known lots of city folks who moved to the country, stayed the rest of their lives, and loved it. But I've also known some who tried it, didn't like it, and moved back to the city. And of course, I've known some (like myself) who moved to the country and had to move back to the city for family and/or health reasons. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Of course, I started out in the country until I was about 15 and knew I wanted back out there, but my wife was a city girl and didn't really think she'd want to live in the country, but quickly found that she liked it, too. I think it just depends entirely on the individuals involved and you'll probably never really know whether you would have liked it unless you try it a few months.

 

[lamarbur]

Have to pick up on what Bird offered.. Learn to ask unusual questions. For instance, where we live, the city folk from Hartford and East Hartford are constantly moving in and moving out about a year later. I blame most of it on realtors as they don't say a whole heck of a lot while someone is buying. In other words, trash removal is on you, pump a septic every 18 months, etc, etc. Are you on a private road and have kids req's to attend school. All of the above is what (Causes) major problems when changing your life style. The realtors around here are interested in their 6% and not much more. They should tell people, get a dumpster that gets emptied every other week. Septic gets pumped at 275.00 every 18 months, and yes, you are on a private road not req'd to be maintained by the hwy dpt.. They, hwy, will go in in emergency, fire, ambulance, etc when the need arises.. I've monitored this problem over 20 years as the towns selectman and other positions I've held. You want to swap that property for property, ask a lot of questions that you wouldn'
t normally think about.. There is no city water system, sewage system, etc. Telephone line and electric power, how are they? Cable TV if req'd, Does everyone have a back up generator and if so, how often used. Check the ISO fire rating for insurance.. I have found that EVERY SINGLE family who have asked these questions will stay for ever and not have problems. The ONES who won't ask or aren't interested in asking, are the largest complainers and cause the most problems, ALL HAVE moved within a year or just over, back to a city..

 

[JohnMiller3]

Hi Terry,

How about this…?

With the woman’s approval… go on “vacation” for a few weeks out at her place… kick the tires, drive the property around… see if ya like it…

I realize two or three weeks won’t tell “all”… but it should give you and your family some idea… if it can be your cup of tea…

(while you’re up there… ask around with realtors and the tax assessors offices about “real” property values…)
/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[cowboydoc]

It sure wouldn't take me long to say yes!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif A 20 minute drive is nothing. We drive 30 minutes one way everyday and its never bothered us.

 

[glennmac]

B7500,

Your question isn't dumb, but your circumstances are dumbfounding. Your profile says Tupper Lake. But I knew Tupper Lake, and 30,000 ain't no Tupper Lake. More like 3000. And it is great country.

For the geographically impoverished, Tupper Lake is in the midst of one of nature's most wonderous interconnections of lakes, rivers, mountains and forest. In that greatest of all country masterpieces--the Adirondack Park.

So, you really aren't in Tupper Lake, but in a "city" of 30,000. Sorry, but for those of us born and bred in NYC and who have lived near Boston, LA and San Francisco, I have stress-relieving news for you: wherever you are, your 30,000 person burg is not a city. It is merely a large town. Further proof that you are not a city dweller follows ineluctably from the fact that you think 20 minutes is a long drive. HaHaHa! When your commute is 120 minutes each day and you spend 20 minutes to go 10 blocks in traffic gridlock, then you are in a real city.

So the good news is: you don't have to worry about moving from the city to the country; you merely have to worry about moving from a large town to the country--a much simpler decision.

But the correct answer is: no, don't sell the house where you have been forever and feel comfortable. You are being seduced by the idea of owning 250 acres. You already own 5 acres--possibly in God's country of Tupper Lake. Follow through with your idea of keeping your town home and building a second home. That gives you two options. When you are aged or ill or alone, you may wish you had the option of living in town rather than on an additional 245 acres out in the woods.

Of course, I could be all wrong. Since I don't know your age or family circumstances. Or even where you really live!!!!

Just intended as spicy food for thought.

 

[monkeybreath]

Bird is right - no one can really answer this for you. But I can share my / our experience. We moved from the "city" (LA) 17 years ago. Sold house, sold the Benz and bought a big diesel pickup, sold everything, and took a huge drop in income - and bought some cows and started learning about all things rural. Important to us was fact that we did not want to raise our kids in LA. Now from time to time I have LA and other city folks visit and they marvel about how nice it is, love the views, the peace, etc. But I always tell them the same thing - that now they are relaxing on a deck with an adult beverage and looking all around and enjoying the scenery - and that is great but there is another part of all of that. It took a lot of work - A LOT OF WORK - to get it that way and keep it that way. So I tell them - because many start asking about land prices etc, - that if they are thinking about relocating, that they will have to like both halves of the sandwich. Unless someone is very rich and can have someone else do all of the work (the fun things for most of us) then they have to be ready to work as well as enjoy the view. I am absolutely certain that many of those who visit would not be able to do both. To those who visit TBN, I imagine that we recognize this circumstance and don't even thnk of all the work as a burden - it keeps us young and interesting. But it is not so for many others. So, again, as Bird said, no one can answer this but you. You know what you like to do and what you like to avoid. I do not think you will miss living in town - 20 miles is not far, and it will become more of an occasional treat to go to town, and soon you will miss very little of that BUT the real quesion will you enjoy the work (fun) of keeping a rural place up and the thrill of solving problems and finding new projects and so on and so on. and so on. And that is the real question. I love it, and only occasionally second guess the hard work part of it. . .

 

[BubbaJr]

This opens up a lot of options for you. If the land is farmland, you could rent acreage out to other farmers. If it is woodland, you can harvest some trees. If it is land with a view, you could sell off 5 or 10 acre plots on the far end. Or you could just sell off what you don't think you could use. But like another poster said, it is a lot of work to keep up that much acreage. We moved out here several miles PAST the boonies, and we just love it. We are 20 miles from a town of 15K people, and everytime we need something unforseen, it involves at least a 1 hour journey. Our phone service is sporatic, our power is pretty good, but we installed a generator just in case. Cable TV is nonexistant, so we went with a satellite dish, and we now have to pay every 3 months to get our trash hauled. But we knew all that going in, and we were prepared for it. Would I go back to the city? <font color="red"> NO </font> . Would I do it all over again? <font color="red"> YES </font> . Would I change anything? <font color="red"> A FEW </font> .

I've taken an interest in the local wildlife, and I've been amazed at the variety. Birds for example. We have cranes, egrets, baltimore orioles, golden finches, killdeer, bluebirds, swallows, woodpeckers, and a lot more that I never saw in the city. Its the same way with wildflowers, trees, and mammals. It's been a wonderful education, and I can sit on the front porch and just watch nature around me and be totally content. There's no Harleys, honking horns, sirens, leaf blowers, thumping stereos, lawnmowers, screaming kids, traffic, or many other noises you take for granted now. Around here we have to smell the hogs and chickens on occasion, but you can get used to it 99% of the time, the other time you just go back in the house and close up the holes.

No one could have told me whether we were making the right decision or not, and I expect you are the same way. Just do as much research as you can, and go with your gut.

Dont rush into it, but don't wait too long or the opportunity will vanish. Best of Luck to you!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[kubotasaurus]

Where do your friends live? Are they the type that will come and visit or do they consider much past the end of the lane to be an epic trek in the wilderness?

I grew up in the country, lived in town as a young adult, then we moved back into the country. I was amazed at the number of people who SWORE that they would come and visit (and who we had many wonderful times with in town) - who have never been out here. We have been back to see them once in a while and it's like we were coming home from a desert island. It took us a while to make new friendships out here in the country - but they are ones we value. You know, I think it was actually people seeing me out there on my property doing some hard work to improve it that opened up some of the friendships here in the country. It's like some of the other guys here have already said.

It's not just you though - I don't know if you have a family, but it can be tough for kids to move from town especially if they have to change school district. Especially tough if they are not particularly popular / academic / athletic and they get thrown in a new school. That can be the start of a lot of problems.

Also, I don't know your age. If you were in your 30s or 40s then 250 acres could be a lot of fun for a couple of decades or more. If you are in your 50s or 60s then you may be thinking about winding down on the kind of labor that could be involved in a place that size. Boy, that comment could get me in some trouble.

I tell you though - that's a good size tractor you can justify for 250 acres. Don't make the move if you're left cash poor and can't afford the toys/tools to go with the place!

Off my soap-box now - I hope I haven't been too in your face but you were asking for opinions. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif