One of the most important aspects of buying a home is choosing a location. Do you want to live in the heart of an urban community near public transportation, close to everything imaginable? Or would you prefer to be tucked away in a quiet country setting, with big-city amenities located within 20-30 minutes driving distance? Before making a decision, let Buy Owner be your guide to city and country living and inform you of the benefits and drawbacks of each lifestyle.

City/Urban

Benefits

• Almost everything is within walking distance or at least a train/bus/cab ride away.
• You don’t need a car, so you won’t pay for insurance or gas.
• Because you can only carry so many groceries at a time, you shop more often, incorporating daily (or every-other-day) exercise into your routine.
• There is a vastly larger selection of entertainment: bars, clubs, restaurants, theaters and sports venues.

Drawbacks

• If you do own a vehicle, it may be difficult to find parking. And when you do, you’ll have to pay a lot of just a few hours.
• Noises of the city: buses/trains, crowds of people, loud neighbors, etc.
• Most city dwellers live in high-rise buildings, with little privacy due to the close proximity of next door neighbors.

Country/Rural

Benefits

• Wide open spaces and a large distance between neighbors means having total privacy and living in a quiet atmosphere.
• You are more likely to find a farmer’s market, with fresher produce, than if you were to shop in the city at a fruit and veggie stand.
• You may be able to acquire different zoning permit capabilities while living on such a large, open property. There is much more land on which to expand your home.
• Many charming, family-owned businesses operate in small towns, giving you a more personal relationship with your grocer, butcher, etc.

Drawbacks

• With big corporations like Wal-Mart being erected all over the U.S., many country folks have end up driving a long distance to a big supermarket to do all of their shopping.
• While the cost of living in the country is cheaper than living in the city, you will spend more money on gas, as you have to drive everywhere.
• Because everything is more spread out, it may take up to an hour’s drive just to visit a friend or family member.

As you can see, there are several positives and negatives to living strictly in an urban or rural setting. Perhaps you can find a happy medium and live just outside the city limits. You’ll have the charm and tranquility of a small neighborhood with city conveniences just 5-10 minutes away by car. Always consider the location of a home before you purchase one, as it may make or break your decision.