[importsmasher]

So my wife and I have been talking about moving to a more rural area. We found some property about 45 minutes north of us. It's 2.4 acres in a little town of 400 people. My commute to work would go from ten minutes to almost an hour, all freeway with no traffic concerns. We want to raise our 8 kids (plus any future foster kids we get) in a safer, more laid back environment. I just thought I would pick the collective brains here for any pros/cons of such a life. We would be building a garage ( oops I mean house....with a garage of course). This would also give me a lot more space for cars. I am not a complete novice ; I grew up in what was then a rural area outside of Phoenix. I have owned several homes, but this will be my first experience with building a new one. Any tips, advice, or other input on rural life is appreciated!

Thanks,
Importsmasher

[gary bennett]

I was born & raised in rual N.J. (Country) as I got older I bought houses in the country. I dont like neighbors looking in my pocket. I retired 9 yrs ago and moved to the country in SC. Ten acres & no neighbors. Always loved the country.Just my 2cents.

[69goatboy]

Other than the physical nature of being a long distance from most everyone else and possibly limited services (water. sewer, cable, emergency, etc..), I don't see that there are many cons to living in the sticks.

[GT182]

I'll take rural living over city living any day of the week, as I grew up out in the country.
This day and age city living sucks. Always some kind of crap happening.... shootings, murders, hit and runs and so on. It seems people in the city don't give a crap about anything anymore. A week ago this past Sunday someone backed into our car and didn't have the common decency to say anything to anyone or leave a note... 1400.00s worth of damage. Was a 'hit and run'. Last Saturday night a drunk hit my neighbor's pickup in the left front. Bounced off that and just about totaled the neighbor's car across the street. He broke the right front wheel and dragged it on down the road. Another 'hit and run'. but a double. Not the first time and surely won't be the last. Plus shootings and murders all over the news for here and Philly.

And if you like living 15 feet from your neighbor, then city life is for you.

Besides that, cities are dying. Look at Detroit for one example. And Baltimore for another.

[77 Canamman]

I grew up in rural upstate NY. The taxes are high, the dirt roads were absolutely horrid, and it was 20 mins. one way to a store. I live in town now, and really don't regret it, since it is a pretty quiet neighborhood.

[Cerberus]

Pros - everything
Cons - nothing

[David Jones]

Do not assume that small town USA is any better than anywhere else as far as drugs go.

[RocktimusPryme]

I live in a smallish community in south central California. This may sound silly, but the biggest reason I think I am going to move away.....I cant get good internet. Best I can get is 3mb DSL, or similar Satellite. Drives me insane.

I didnt realize how much I relied on broadband until I didnt have it. I pay for both the NHL and MLB streaming packages over the internet, useless with crap internet.

[Chris65LeMans]

Spending 2 hours driving to and from work every day takes a big chunk out of your life. I've done that before- never again.

[tigergto]

I moved to the country 25 years ago and would never move back to the city. But country living isn't for everyone. Many pros and cons. Also that 2 hr commute each day can get old in a hurry let alone expensive.

[tekheavy]

Originally Posted by David Jones

Do not assume that small town USA is any better than anywhere else as far as drugs go.

Good to know. I was worried about finding my drugs when I retire and move to a small town.

[David Holmberg]

Eddie Albert loved it, Eva Gabor, not so much.

With less to do the kids do tend to drink and play with drugs a lot in small town living. I see it here all the time, plus a lot of parents have the "All kids do it" attitude.

[68BeaumontSD]

I live in a small one traffic light, no post office town and really like it. It is nice and quiet. The neighbors look out for each other. Very little traffic.
James

[Stuart]

As mentioned, crime can occur anywhere - big city, small town or country. I grew up in a small farm town and now live in the inner city of Minneapolis; in many ways it's not all that different. I have a big house and yard, I know (and like) my neighbors, I can walk to the store or the restaurant or the local bar. The point is, it isn't necessarily an either/or decision. One thing to think about, you have eight kids and that commute will take away two hours of every day you could otherwise spend at home with the family.

[grrrrregg!!!]

emergency services, might check how far to the nearest

[69goatboy]

Originally Posted by David Holmberg

Eddie Albert loved it, Eva Gabor, not so much.

With less to do the kids do tend to drink and play with drugs a lot in small town living. I see it here all the time, plus a lot of parents have the "All kids do it" attitude.

My wife has a lot of family in farmland county, not much for kids to do. There is a LOT of teen pregnancies, underage drinking, and drugs.

[67gtospud]

I was born and raised in the country. I love it. Privacy and freedom to d what I want. Naturally I'm pretty curious and I did buy a house in the city about 40 minutes from where I grew up. It is closer to where I work and cut my commute in half but I can't leave my car unlocked or garage open when I'm not working in it. I don't live in a big city but I just can't come to trust leaving anything open here. I bought a house vs renting simply because I like to think ahead. In a couple more years I will have enough paid off to rent it out vs sell. All in all, I will be moving back into the country in a couple of years because I miss it. I've also noticed from the multiple jobs I've worked that there is a huge difference between work ethics and attitudes from people who grow up in the city vs country. I will stop at that though.

[importsmasher]

Thanks, everyone! I do appreciate the input, and the different perspectives on things. I hadn't thought about Internet availability. My wife just checked with our current Internet provider, and they provide service at the new location. Water/power is available (this is a small town, so there will be neighbors...there are neighbors across the street in two directions). I am assuming I will have to install a septic system. Ii want to have a large garden, fruit trees, and animals (like a cow or two) and I have been told that I can sink a well, and then I will have water to support that, rather than paying for city water for that.

There is a hospital/emergency room about ten minutes away. There is a small grocery store about 2 miles away and a real grocery store about 15 minutes away, but we would have to go about half an hour to get to a place like Walmart or Sam's Club (or an all you can eat sushi place! ).

I do understand the concept of bored teens getting into trouble. That is something we will have to try to prevent. We do a lot of camping and trips and such as a family, and I hope to have at least my boys involved in cars as they get older, so hopefully "a family that plays together stays together," and we can keep them involved. What I see as an advantage of rural life is that some of our kids (adopted from foster care) have run away before, and there would be nowhere for them to go out there.

I think my biggest issue is the commute. I have done a 2-hour round trip commute before (in Phoenix in heavy stop and go traffic). That commute was about ten miles shorter, but took longer due to traffic. I would buy a cheap beater that gets good gas mileage for the commute, and there are van pools available (then I could work on my laptop on the trip, and count it as work time). I leave for work early, before my kids get up, so it would mainly be the trip home that would be taking time away from the family. My work is very flexible; I work 4-10s now, and I may be able to work from home one day a week, so it shouldn't be too bad.

We are meeting with the property owners on Friday, so we'll see what happens....

Thanks,
Importsmasher

[71GP76TA]

I'm on 1.5 acres on the edge of town... the only cons I have... I'm in the country... but live on a busy road... In the summer time... the dust kinda sucks...

I'd go nuts if I had to live in a neighborhood... housing development or an apartment..

[Brewster]

Were live an hour from Home Depot or a Walmart. You learn to make good shopping list thats for sure. Ahh dont shop at Walmart
We wouldnt change it for the world and thats coming from our kids. There are bad kids and drugs any where one goes its all about parenting... Not enviroment. As far as things to do if walking in the woods, fishing, hunting, biking, chopping wood, gardening, peeing off your roof is for you then go fir it
Been here for over twenty years and will never go back. Either way hope you and your family find a place you can call home.