<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There are moments in your life where all signs point to the need for a major change. This year it seems to be the pandemic that&#8217;s telling folks all over the country that they should stop renting shoeboxes in big cities and escape to a place where they can breath in the wide open spaces. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Thanks to the power of technology paired with the convenience of high-speed internet, and added to the discovery by most employers that you can really do a LOT of jobs without ever coming into an office building, the need to be anchored in a metropolis is quickly becoming an idea of the past. That&#8217;s why we thought we&#8217;d take a moment to show you what small towns across the nation have to offer when it comes to getting away and building a life where you never feel trapped in a concrete jungle again. </p>



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<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Lower cost of living</strong>: Rural utilities are often on a co-op so you get major price cuts and sometimes end-of-year profit sharing. Rural property tends to cost less per livable square foot. Gas, groceries and goods tend to cost less when you&#8217;re closer to the production source, and you spend a lot less when you&#8217;re not parked near all the conveniences of drive-throughs and delivery services. Overall, the high cost of living is usually higher when you&#8217;re living where the population is high. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>No rules! (Well, maybe *some* rules)</strong>: The chances of finding a homeowner&#8217;s association in the backwoods of Tennessee or Oklahoma are pretty slim. City ordinances on house colors or noise or backyard bonfires are something us country folks laugh at. And if you want goats, chickens or other non-standard family animals, the country is your playground! We make our own rules up out here!</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Amazing deals on property</strong>: Often the price of a home in a city is strongly affected by the value and quantity of other homes and businesses within the same real estate market. When your home is being averaged in with the neighborhood multi-million dollar strip mall, of course your place is going to price higher too. Great if you&#8217;re selling, terrible if you&#8217;re buying, and absolutely miserable if you need a rental. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">When you purchase a home in a rural area, you are paying for the true value of the land and the structures on that land with very little outside influence on the price. You often have other resources like homesteading tax exemptions and the avoidance of city fees if you are in a county-only lot. You can see some AMAZING mortgage options and advice by visiting our friends at <a href="https://www.mortgagecalculators.info/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored"><strong>MortgageCalculators.info</strong></a> </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>The convenience of true community</strong>: When times get hard in the city, people tend to seek out social services for help. The lines are long, the assistance is minimal, and the experience is often humiliating. Out here in our small town it&#8217;s the exact opposite. If your house catches fire, or you lose your job, your neighbors are there in an instant to help life you up. The interconnection of a small community means that my neighbor&#8217;s happiness and home stability directly affect my own, so it&#8217;s in my best interest to be there for them in a time of need, because I never know when the need will be mine. We share recipes, livestock resources, food, labor, and celebrations and in that way, we make our family that much bigger and more full of love. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>The chance to build a forever home</strong>: When you own instead of renting, you are continually investing back into YOUR future happiness and a solid foundation for your family. You can make long-term plans like where you want your porch swing for the perfect sunset, or where to plant an apple tree that your grandchildren might climb one day. It&#8217;s about so much more than saving money, and your heart will know the truth of it. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>*Note: Some links in this article are sponsored. All opinions are our own.</em></p>