For many people, the thought of buying a country home would be a dream come true. When growing up in the city, being closer to nature with plenty of green space, foliage, and animals is paradise and a goal that many aim for. But a country home can be very different from owning a house in the suburbs or an apartment in the city and there are many tasks and considerations that must be taken into account before purchasing a rural property. Some of the main things you need to consider are upkeep, proximity, and utilities. Many country homes are older than suburban homes and might require more work while being rural might mean you are some distance from the nearest town and this distance also means that utilities might not be as readily available as you are used to.
*This is a collaborative post.
*This is a collaborative post.Regular Maintenance Required
There are many wonderful homes in rural areas and the majority of them are very old and have been built with architectural techniques and materials that aren’t used today in modern house building. Many older country homes, especially in the UK, have been built with straw roofs and regular thatch roof maintenance is a priority for these dwellings. Other concerns might include the foundations and internal structure of the building which, because they are older, might be prone to collapse or decay and need to be regularly inspected. Dry and wet rot are caused by fungal buildups and the beautiful wood used in country homes is particularly attractive to fungi such as serpula lacrymans and fibroporia vaillantii that feed on wood.
In the Middle of Nowhere
One of the many benefits of living in an urban area is that you are never out of reach of any type of amenity or facility that you require. Schools, grocery stores, and gyms for example are all readily available at short distances, sometimes even in the same building, but living in a rural location could mean that you are a few miles away from even the nearest post office. Should you decide to move into a country home then you should consider if being so far away from basic facilities will be a problem for you. It would be a good idea to maybe get a second vehicle or learn to drive if you haven’t done so already because should you need anything, you will have to venture out for it.
Running on One Bar
Urban developments have well-placed utility infrastructures such as water, gas, electricity, and even cell technology, but in country areas, these might not be easily accessible. Should a disaster befall the local area, for example, it could be quite sometime before your utilities are back up and running. Luckily, most country homes come with large fireplaces so keeping warm won’t be an issue. However, rural areas are notorious for poor cell phone reception and slow internet so if you work from home, like many now do, then you need to consider whether you can handle infuriatingly slow internet or poor wi-fi when working on something important for your job. Digital nomads for example might want to give this some thought.
What recommendations would you give when buying a country home? Let me know in the comments below.
*Disclaimer – This is a collaborative post. This post has been pre-written.
