From the sticks to the streets

[Midwestwhitetail]

So I just signed a contract on my first house. My wife and I are both very excited about it. We live in a small town but for the past 8 years have lived out in the sticks. Our closest neighbor has been about a quarter mile away. The plan was to buy the house we have been renting with 40 acres but we were unable to come to a deal with the owner. Now in January I will move to town for the first time ever. It's still a small town and in a nice quiet neighborhood. Anyone else have a similar experience? I am excited to finally be owning my own home but nervous to be in town. What's your advice to make this transition seamless?

 

[pabearhunter]

You can take the man out of the woods BUT you CAN'T take the woods out of the man. Congratulation on the new home.

 

[Dave N]

Show confidence and dominance in your surroundings. Step outside in the morning with your coffee in your underwear. Look around nodding approvingly and scratch your butt before going inside. Should stay quiet for a while!

 

[Nick87]

So I just signed a contract on my first house. My wife and I are both very excited about it. We live in a small town but for the past 8 years have lived out in the sticks. Our closest neighbor has been about a quarter mile away. The plan was to buy the house we have been renting with 40 acres but we were unable to come to a deal with the owner. Now in January I will move to town for the first time ever. It's still a small town and in a nice quiet neighborhood. Anyone else have a similar experience? I am excited to finally be owning my own home but nervous to be in town. What's your advice to make this transition seamless?

I hope it works for you, ive lived in the country with no neighbors my entire life, moved in with my wife in town for a while before we got married. Couldn't do it. Felt like someone was watching me the whole time. Like I needed to ask them if it would bother them if I mowed the grass or something idk hard to explain. Hope it works out not trying to discourage you just my experience.

 

[Stocker]

I hope it works for you, ive lived in the country with no neighbors my entire life, moved in with my wife in town for a while before we got married. Couldn't do it. Felt like someone was watching me the whole time. Like I needed to ask them if it would bother them if I mowed the grass or something idk hard to explain. Hope it works out not trying to discourage you just my experience.

Yep. We finally got the house somewhat remodeled and moved in after we sold our “forever home”. In 33 years on this earth I’ve always lived in the boonies. After 3 weeks I’m ready to get back to the boonies.

People are strange animals, I feel like I’m in a big zoo in town, even a town of 200 people seems way to big to me.

 

[Nick87]

Yep. We finally got the house somewhat remodeled and moved in after we sold our “forever home”. In 33 years on this earth I’ve always lived in the boonies. After 3 weeks I’m ready to get back to the boonies.

People are strange animals, I feel like I’m in a big zoo in town, even a town of 200 people seems way to big to me.

I tried to reason either you lol.

 

[ammo]

I live in the big city for the Summer/Fall and the sticks (45min from any town) in the Winter/Spring. Appreciate town while you're in it! Do 'town things'. When I'm stuck in the city though for S/S I also get a little stir crazy from the heat and lack of trails out my back door so I get out into nature a few times a week if that means driving to the mountains or just driving to a trail in the city that makes me feel like I'm not surrounded by gross city stuff and city people. We have a park nearby that I go for runs in.

 

[MT Bound]

congratulations, that's the biggest investment most people will make in their lives and a good one at that.

 

[Stocker]

I tried to reason either you lol.

It wasn’t me. It was the wife. She’s not to be reasoned with. Most bull headed person alive. She calls it “strong willed”

 

[Jbotto]

Grew up on a 200 acre family farm. Was one of those millennials who moved home after college and worked. Got married and moved back to an apartment and it about killed me. Moved to a small town from there and rented a house. Then bought our own house in town after that. I still think that living in town has some pretty detrimental forces on me, but it’s been ok. 5 year plan is to get out of town with a bigger lot and less neighbors. Neighbors tend to make or break it for me. Good (privacy) fences make good neighbors.

Like mentioned here, I feel like I’m always having to justify everything I do from people around me. Even though the actual comments I’ve heard have been pretty minimal. One of my neighbors is a sweet old lady in her 90’s. Just not sure I’ll like whoever buys her place after she’s gone.

Last thing in town that really bothers me is the cats. If I lived out of town and had half as many cats through my yard as I do in town, I would be taking a very active role in depopulation. In town, with close neighbors and only a chain link fence, people could see what I’m up to, and so I just have to put up the neighbor cats crapping in my window wells….

 

[longbow51]

Well, was never happy living in town, had to, because of my job, but have never gotten used to it after growing up on a small ranch.

 

[Nick87]

so I just have to put up the neighbor cats crapping in my window wells….

Sounds like a job for hunttalkman.

 

[Nick87]

Like mentioned here, I feel like I’m always having to justify everything I do from people around me.

It's a weird feeling isn't it?

Neighbors tend to make or break it for me.

Same when we bought our house we live in now the wife has a list of pros and cons for looking. Only one for me no neighbors otherwise I didn't care Two story, three story, hell mobile home whatever! We do have one neighbor somewhat close but when the crops are up and or the leaves are on you really can't even see there place from here. Sure added to my commute but I don't care so much.

 

[Jbotto]

It's a weird feeling isn't it?

Same when we bought our house we live in now the wife has a list of pros and cons for looking. Only one for me no neighbors otherwise I didn't care Two story, three story, hell mobile home whatever! We do have one neighbor somewhat close but when the crops are up and or the leaves are on you really can't even see there place from here. Sure added to my commute but I don't care so much.

Yeah, I know that most people are too self involved to pay attention to their surroundings but it’s different with neighbors. I just feel like they have nothing to do but watch me out their windows. Even though I have little reason to believe that. There have been comments though said that make me wonder. I don’t mind people looking out for us or something like that but being nosy just pushes me over the edge.

I would triple my 7 minute commute to live out of town. LOL!

 

[Nick87]

my 7 minute commute

Your killing me

 

[FI460]

I always tell my girlfriend that if people are looking in my back yard or through my windows whatever horrors they see are their own fault.

I spent the first 26 years of my life living an hour away from the nearest stoplight surrounded by national forest. Neighbors were any of the 70 folks within a 15 mile radius. The hardest part of the town transition for me was the noise, but I got over it in about 2 months. I thoroughly enjoy getting to appointments in 5-15 minutes vs the 1-2 hours I grew up with. I wish I had enough room to shoot my bow at home, but there is a nice range about a 10 minute drive from the house.

 

[JLS]

We used to live out of town about 15 years ago. Circumstances changed and we moved to a different state, and into town.

Two moves later, still in town and don’t mind it. That said, there is a park trail system very close by and I have public land within a 20 minute drive for dog training.

Yes, people are odd. Always will be. Our neighbors are absolutely awesome, couldn’t ask for better.

 

[SaskHunter]

Congrats!

Just moved into town too, big city life for this guy in this town of 650 people!!! Used to live in the boonies but now Subway, the gas station and local dive bar are all within walking distance!!! SaskHunter is moving up in life!!!

 

[MarvB]

Did the town thing when I was raising my three girls, at their age I had a 37 mile drive to school (grew up on about 120acres), didn’t want them to have to repeat it. House was fine to start, only a half-acre but easy to care for as a single dad and behind us was a couple hundred acres of oaks, deer, turkeys, etc. ( though you couldn’t hint them in the city limits). Only a neighbor to the left/right and they were good people.

Then about year eight that what was behind us sold, stripped off, “developed” into postage stamp sized lots. My two neighbors turned into SIX. Couldn’t wait to GTFO of the people zoo.

Now retired just on a few acres but abut tens of thousands of acres of BLM. Life is quiet. Life is good.

Best of luck to you and yours, hope it works out as you need it to.

 

[westbranch]

I grew up on a farm where we had seemingly endless acres to roam. Our whole township (36 sq miles) had about 140 population. Closest gas station was 12 miles, wal-mart 40+ miles, so really had to plan to do anything. Would likely be a 60 min commute to do the type of work I do now.

Since going to college, starting work, etc. I have lived in town and tried to focus on convivence for short commutes and easy access to things that towns have. Most houses that would be affordable for us in our area would be on 5 acre lots with tons of other 5 acre lots around, which seems like a special kind of hell for me. 5 acres to maintain and you can't do shit with it. I'll stick with the convenience of town until we can find a dream property. Or just find a weekend cabin/camper type lot someday.

We live in a quiet neighborhood with nice neighbors, private backyard (can shoot bow about 30 yards comfortably), 8 min drive or <25 min bike ride to work, multiple grocery stores and restaurants in <10 mins, <15 mins bike ride to breweries, <5 mins to national forest trailheads where I can get 1,800+ ft of elevation hiking, public land deer and elk hunting 15mins-2 hrs depending on what I am looking for, lake/warm water fishing <15 mins, cutthroat trout fly fishing ~30 mins. So tough to beat.