Take Me Home Country Road: Purchasing a Rural Home
In a world where the news flashes daily images of war, terrorism
and crime more Americans are dreaming of a safe, quiet place to
call home. They imagine moving to a small town community where
safety and simplicity are easy to find. Potential homebuyers
between the ages of forty and sixty are the most likely to be
fed up with the fast pace of city dwelling. They are in search
of a renewed sense of community and family. Relocation or
purchase of a second home in a rural area can also be the
perfect idea for homebuyers looking for long-term retirement
solutions. I Was Born In A Small Town
Small town living is especially attractive to buyers who were
raised in a rural setting. Many want to recapture the security
of their childhood and preserve it for their children. According
to the National Association of REALTORS 2003 Profile of Home
Buyers and Sellers fifty-six percent of the homebuyers
purchasing in a rural location bought because of the
neighborhood, while thirty-eight percent purchased in order to
live closer to family and friends. The possibility of owning
more land is also appealing. The 2003 Profile also shows ten
percent of repeat buyers purchased property in rural settings
and most were hunting for more space. In Virginia, rural
counties like New Kent, Middlesex, Gloucester, King and Queen,
Mathews and King William are all seeing this relocation trend.
In my real estate business about eighty percent of my sales in
these areas are buyers moving from metropolitan areas. These are
places where you can sleep with the windows open and everyone in
town knows you. Many locations are only forty-five minutes or an
hour from the city, so buyers still have access to health care,
higher paying jobs, shopping centers and other activities.
Telecommuting: The Wave Of The Future
Technology is one of the driving forces behind the rural
relocation trend. According to the Main Street Economist (a
publication of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank