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Well then make the move and rent a home with some land in a rural town.
Buy yourself a riding lawnmower and have at it for a year and see how you like it.
I've got one pasture (10 acres) I mow down twice a year (tractor) and about 1-2 acres around the house I mow (riding mower). I lease out 30 acres so the cows take care of that grass.
Two ponds, one stocked with catfish doesn't need any care.
I hire out or barter for bigger jobs. Been out here almost 1 year and I absolutely love it.
Got enough projects to keep me busy around here and I love being outside.
Try renting on an acre or two and see how you like it and then go from there. Renting will allow you to change your mind after that year.
The thought of making the move is overwhelming because of all it involves.
Making a big move is a real challenge but if I could do it anyone can. There are two books I would highly recommend when it comes to getting it all together. From them I learned how to break the huge jobs down to manageable pieces. I made detailed lists of all the different steps. Most every night before I went to bed I took a few minutes to figure out and write down what had to be done the next day. This really helped to quiet the brain chatter and enabled me to sleep.
Organizing From the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern &
Getting Things Done by David Allen.
I had a grandmother (never knew her, she was gone before I was born) who at age 15 came from Sweden to America by herself, not even speaking English and so I drew upon her spirit and courage. I also thought about countless pioneer women who came across the country in covered wagons on journeys that took months. That helped me keep perspective on how relatively easy I had it - cell phone, laptop, restaurants, indoor plumbing, etc.
I had originally hoped to retire to the mountains outside Yosemite, about 3 hours from where I lived in CA but I could not find what I wanted/needed at a price that I could come close to affording. So I was forced to look much further afield.
I do think that it is vital to find something that gets you involved in your new community and helps to make friends and build a social network. For me it was the humane society but it could be a church group, a quilting guild, a photography club, a community garden, the food pantry or whatever interests you.
When I drove out to the property a couple of weeks ago, my spirit felt free when I stepped into the yard. It is a beautiful place, peaceful and restful.
practically speaking think seriously before you put yourself in this situation.
when i moved to my suburban house 6 years ago I could do all the work myself. inside and out. loved it. now i can barely make it through the day at work and must hire out almost everything. Still haven't hired a maid, but that may be next. Enthusiasm decreases as endurance decreases.
Just saying things change physically when you hit the 60s. and i was an active strong woman until then, so the physical changes are hitting hard.
Therefore my suggestion is to consider that your life can turn on a dime if your health takes a turn so put yourself in a place that doesn't put you at risk or beyond your resources to hire out the upkeep.
Agree with theoldnorthstate. Rural living is great if you have a family,friends or a spouse to support you. If you are moving alone away from families and friends, don't do it. Emergencies are difficult to deal with if you are living in rural country away from resources. Can you call a cab if you can't drive? Everything will be further away so you will need to drive longer distance. Also, living alone in rural country, you may be more noticed. You also need to hire people to maintain your home and sometimes it's the service ppl that I feel wary because they know you live alone.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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If you are country at heart (and experience), and know the challenges this move could be right for you. (not for others).
I have always lived in the country (except when living / working overseas). There are many benefits and ways to mitigate issues. GREAT neighbors make all the difference. We enjoy helping each other out, often share rides / shipping / errands / tools / vehicles / resources. The right situation can be a 'retreat' for you. BUT(as you know) it comes with work and a realm of potential hassle. I find 'country' folk to be able to age fine till ~ age 75-85 (barring the unexpected). I would have a plan B in place. Preferably (if you love it) build a shop with apartment or nice RV spot for a caregiver or YOU.
Or you can spiff and sell. $250k tax free gains on personal residence every 24 months.
An acre is hardly a large piece of property in a rural area. If I were doing this and moving from a condo where I wouldn't have owned a riding mower I'd pay someone to mow my lawn rather than buy a riding mower. I think it's just better value. If there are flower beds, a garden, if the house takes up a lot of space, or if I were replacing some of the grass with ground cover I'd get a normal power mower.
I don't see much difference in being a man or woman in moving to a rural area. Both sexes get old. Renting is a good idea in theory but if we have pets or just a lot of stuff who wants to go through the moving ordeal one extra time? I believe that if we consider the home and the area based upon our experiences and tastes there's no reason not to make the jump. With few exceptions crime in small towns and rural areas is low, miniscule compared to urban crime rates. Life in general has fewer complications in rural areas.
I tend to agree with those who say either don't do it or really THINK about it first, or maybe rent a place first? I am not single, but am your age, and a decade ago I thought I wanted that same thing - a house on 1.5 acres with lots of places to garden, beautiful flowers, serenity etc. Yes, it was GREAT for a little while. But after awhile I saw how isolating it was, very little good shopping in the small town and a LONG drive for anything else. The acre plus started to feel overwhelming. The flower beds became overtaken with kudzu and stinkvine, I could not keep up. The rest of the property was an overgrown field. We lived there for 12 years and I realized that as I was getting older I really, really wanted to live very near a lot of amenities, and NOT have such a large property to maintain. So today we live in a small vibrant city with everything I could want. A few things in walking distance and everything else a short car ride away, near the bus line too, if need be.
As others have stated, years fly by, you cannot bank on what might happen as you age and it is REALLY difficult to be living alone, in a country setting where you have no family or support system nearby.
I totally think it is doable. I am thinking of doing the same thing, although, not for several years. My mother retired from Northern Va, over a million people, to Montpelier, Vt, maybe 9,000. Granted she had lived there before so she knew the area and still knew some people but she was 67, doing it on her own and today, at 82 still lives in the same place, on a dirt country road and has never had a problem with break ins, or anything else. The only thing that has gotten hard for her is the snow shoveling but she has gotten help with it.
The thing I would personally worry about is the maintainence of the house and whether or not it will zap your resources that you might need to live on. Don't know if that is concern or not. If not, I think you should do what you feel gives you peace and calm. In life, there are ALWAYS tons of things to worry about but shouldn't keep you from doing it.
Making a big move is a real challenge but if I could do it anyone can. There are two books I would highly recommend when it comes to getting it all together. From them I learned how to break the huge jobs down to manageable pieces. I made detailed lists of all the different steps. Most every night before I went to bed I took a few minutes to figure out and write down what had to be done the next day. This really helped to quiet the brain chatter and enabled me to sleep.
Organizing From the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern &
Getting Things Done by David Allen.
I had a grandmother (never knew her, she was gone before I was born) who at age 15 came from Sweden to America by herself, not even speaking English and so I drew upon her spirit and courage. I also thought about countless pioneer women who came across the country in covered wagons on journeys that took months. That helped me keep perspective on how relatively easy I had it - cell phone, laptop, restaurants, indoor plumbing, etc.
I had originally hoped to retire to the mountains outside Yosemite, about 3 hours from where I lived in CA but I could not find what I wanted/needed at a price that I could come close to affording. So I was forced to look much further afield.
I do think that it is vital to find something that gets you involved in your new community and helps to make friends and build a social network. For me it was the humane society but it could be a church group, a quilting guild, a photography club, a community garden, the food pantry or whatever interests you.
Brava!!! I love using the spirit and courage of the past to get you through the challenge of the present. I think that should be inspiring for everyone!! Thanks!!
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