Is the time right to pack up and move to the country?

“Want a horse, I want a sheep,

I wanna get me a good night’s sleep,

Livin’ in a home in the heart of the country.

 I’m gonna move, I’m gonna go,

I’m gonna tell everyone I know,

Livin’ in a home in the heart of the country.” – Paul McCartney

There’s something so alluring about the pull of the country, even Paul McCartney knows it. If you’ve spent many years in the city you might just be getting that itch… So should you do it? Is the time right? You should ask yourself some key questions first, before you pack up shop and trundle off to the country.

Are you financially ready?

What are your finances looking like at the moment? Many people move to the country because it can be cheaper to rent or buy out there, but this is only possible with the right financial setup. If you have a city house you can sell, in order to buy in the country, this may be an option. If you have savings or other assets to finance the move too, it could work. Will you need to work to make money in the country and have you looked at job or business opportunities? These are all very important financial considerations to make.

Do you have big ties to the city?

Some of us have stronger personal ties, that hold us in one place, than others. For many of us, these ties are family. Do you have children, grandchildren, or older relatives that you see often? Do you really enjoy being around them or do you have a responsibility to them? For some of us, the answer is yes… which means that your country-living dreams may not yet be realised. For others, perhaps your children have grown up, moved to Australia, or family doesn’t have a huge impact in your life besides Christmas, birthdays, the usual. In this case, a move would be much less of a change to yours and your family’s lives.

What do you envisage your day to day life will be in the country?

It’s all well and good to have romantic dreams about sitting by the fire in your little cottage in the country, the peace and quiet, surrounded by lush green hills… But have you actually though out about what you are going to do on a day to day basis? Whether it’s getting a job locally, starting your own business (maybe a bed and breakfast), taking a course of study, taking up art, or something else, we all need commitments to keep us occupied. Deciding on something you’re going to do before you make the move is a wise decision.

What’s going to make you happy?

Ultimately, if you’re feeling more and more drawn to the country, then it might be time to bite the bullet. Time waits for no man, and if you have been dreaming of relocating to the country for a while, well who’s stopping you? While many of us become more risk adverse over the years, there can be great reward in taking a calculated risk: it helps you to grow as a person. Is this the next step on your journey? Only you can be the judge of that.