BY RYAN DE LA ROSA

Open skies, surrounded by lakes, and the kind of neighbors you instantly connect with. These are all facets of living in bountiful, rural Minnesota.

2020 left many looking for a new direction, with shifts in work, school, and social life. It is no surprise that more folks are finding their way out of the city and starting fresh.

You can own a house on a lake, have a fish camp on the river, or buy hunting land. Mark your spot in the rural countryside. Rural regions and urban areas are pretty much polar opposites.

There could be several reasons people move from the country to a big city: Three of the top reasons are jobs, education, and lifestyle.

Here's our guide to help your transition to living rural.

The Countryside Life Awaits

Convenience certainly marks the spot in a large metro area. And that comes with a cost. Moving rural might be an opportunity to sell high and move into a lower-priced market. Often a lower-priced market allows you to create instant savings account for yourself through the sale of your old house.

·    Supply and Demand: Rural properties tend to be less per square foot because most people choose to live in the city, thus driving up costs.

The Statistics of Rural Realty

Homebuyers are increasingly purchasing properties within the suburbs, small towns, or Rural Areas. NAR's October 2020 REALTORS® Confidence Index Report indicates a demographic shift from the cities to the suburbs, or to smaller counties, less dense counties.

Lot sizes decrease in the city; maybe one could own a half-acre in the city or suburbs. Rural areas typically offer homes that sit on multiple acres, giving you the ability and freedom to build, remodel, and expand.

Larger lots provide another layer of privacy simply because there are fewer people around. Obvious? Sure, but there's a sense of privacy that even a seven-foot fence can't deliver.

Imagine your break from working at home, punctuating your day with a nature walk. There is something to be said for peace and serenity. Noise and light pollution be gone! Crickets, the sound of birds, and the night sky are open for stargazing.

When you can take away pollution, traffic, stop lights, and everything else the city offers, it helps you relax and de-stress. In Lakes Country, you'll enjoy the sunset over a tree line instead of many buildings. Nature alone can bring with it a sense of serenity that is unmatched.

No one has ever complained about having cleaner air, and most people would probably agree that country air is more sanitary than city air.

Adventure in A New Lane

Living the rural life provides you the opportunity to own things that you couldn't use in the city, snowmobiles, boats, cross-country skiing, or whatever your heart's desire. Nearby recreation is just outside your front door. Generations of Minnesotans have enjoyed the outdoors and built traditions with the four seasons in mind.

The great outdoors has more to offer than just recreation:

City dwellers who have a green thumb grow herbs or may have a tomato plant or two; however, you can grow as much of your own food as you'd like in the country.

Whether it's growing your own vegetables, raising your own beef, producing water from a well, or even implementing solar panels, living in a rural area allows you to rely on yourself as much as you would like. You could even go off the grid altogether!

Remember that living rural isn't just about a house and property; it's an adventure. Rural life can require some self-sufficiency, which builds unforgettable memories and creates a strong sense of identity for our family too. I can deal with some ugly walls for a few years for that!

Looking to buy land or a home in Lakes Country?

Whether it's for recreation or your family's future, our land experts and residential realtors will analyze all available properties for sale to identify the right place for you and guide you through the purchase process. Get in touch today!