Does the pandemic have you seriously considering leaving the city and moving to the country? It could be an exciting adventure and at the same time be a huge endeavour for you and if you have a partner and dependents, your family. It will require a lifestyle change of course but if you are looking for more space and a quieter life, this is a step in the right direction.
Your Commute
You will spend less time in traffic and commuting to and from work especially if you have been moved to work from home indefinitely. If you do have make the trip into the city for work occasionally, you may want to consider moving near a GO Station instead of battling traffic. Also consider that the more rural you live the more time you will spend driving to the places you need to go.
Shopping, meal planning and your transportation
You and your family will need a transportation plan, as public transit is not readily available other than the school bus and if you are the one making the adult decision to move, you probably don’t qualify to utilize that service. Speaking of school bus routes, if you have school age children or plan to have children ensure that your new home is on a maintained year-round road. If not, who will drive the kids to school?
It is a good idea to ensure you are stocked up on basic ingredients and consider having a meal plan in place, so you pick up all the ingredients or household needs at once on your weekly trip into town. It can seem like a long drive back into town for the milk you forgot. The good news there shouldn’t be traffic.
Connectivity
Reliable internet has been a real deterrent in the past for folks that are looking to relocate to a rural setting. Things are improving and many communities have reliable internet and cell service so you can stay connected in many cases work from your new home office in the country. Before purchasing your new home ensure you have reliable service if you plan on working remotely.
Winter
You will need a snow shovel, and a snow blower is super handy but depending on the length of your new driveway you might want to budget for a snow-plow person to keep your driveway cleared. Typically, there are 16-22 snow falls a year. The current rate of about $40 per plow it could cost about $640 -$880 a winter.
You also will need snow tires on your vehicle throughout the winter season
Municipalities in rural areas are usual efficient in getting the municipal roads cleared and salted after a snow fall but the more remote and off the beaten path you live the longer you may have to wait. Check before you buy that your road is maintained year-round if not you may have to factor in plowing your road as well as your driveway.
Wildlife
Bears, moose, wolves and deer are found throughout the Muskoka and the near northern region. While it is uncommon to sight these animals and they don’t really pose a threat it is best to respect their space and leave them alone. These animals are more wary of you and usually run away once they know you are near.
You shouldn’t leave food or garbage in the open as it does attract bears. The quiet shy bear loves a free meal and will make it a habit to revisit the area it found food the first time. It only takes a few times to become a habit for the bear and things can get dangerous especially for the bear. The bear will become a nuisance and if the relocation plan for the bear doesn’t work out it will mostly likely be killed. Be kind to bears, leave them alone.
Bug Season
Depending, where you relocate in a rural setting, there are different seasons of bugs in northern Ontario, black flies, mosquitoes, deer flies, and horse flies? They don’t come all at once each season is followed by another until they have run their cycle. The friendly dragon fly is a welcome insect as they feed on all the bugs that feed on us.
But don’t let the bugs stop you from enjoying nature at its finest just put away any of your perfumes and scented products including laundry detergents, switch to unscented products and that should make you less attractive to the little critters. Bug sprays do help keep the bugs away.
Making connections in your new community
The best advice my mother gave me when I moved to a small town when I was 14 was to never talk badly about anyone as they will probably be related to the person you are telling. Small close-knit communities can feel a bit daunting to attempt to be a part of but the one thing they all need are VOLUNTEERS. Get involved, it is a ton of fun to help in organizing a community festival, be part of a community group or association. Find the group that interests you and reach out. It is a great way to meet like-minded friends and get to know your community. What is more important than finding the perfect home is finding the community that will serve you and your family’s interests. Do your research!
One of the biggest benefits of living the country life, is that time does move slower. With less distractions, like shopping and entertainment options you will find you have more time for hobbies and doing the things that you always wanted to do.
We both have lived in a small town and a big city so if you have any questions about moving to the country, or want to start looking at your options, please give us a call.
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