To think that not everyone can move to the country

[tinkywinkyshandbag]

According to an article I was reading in the paper, estate agents have been reporting a massive increase in people wanting to move out of the countryside, largely facilitated by the increase in people being able to work from home and as a response to the coronavirus crisis. However if everybody moves out of London or the south-east and into the countryside, where will they all live? There aren't enough rural houses for everyone. If we have to build a massive housing estate in the countryside, the countryside won't be the countryside anymore! Also there isn't the infrastructure- schools, doctors etc. I live in a semi rural location and we already have these problems. I do understand this desire for a more rural life but in a small island it's simply not possible for everyone.

There might be an increase but it won’t be that many . I live in London & can’t think of anything worse than living in a rural location, most of my friends would feel the same. A Sunday lunch in a country pub is our limit!

There's quite a lot of countryside IN the south east.

Do you really think everybody is going to move to the country? Really?

Hopefully not I like the country due to its lack of people....

What is a massive increase?

Property prices will rise and suddenly the country being as expensive as London will make it less popular.

You can only be to.a.place if its for sale and.you can.afford to buy it.n

Well, "everyone" is not going to move out of London, are they? So I'm not sure of your point?

Unfortunately many of the people currently furloughed or WFH at a relaxed pace and dreaming of rural life will likely soon find that they are actually just in a slow motion redundancy, their house is worth less than it used to be, and that a move will not be possible. Others will remember that they actually want to live near family and friends, once they can see them off zoom.

Others might come, but not as many as are looking now. Probably the best-off retirees, who are already having a comfortable lockdown and have a better guaranteed income.

Christ no, I'd hate living in the middle of nowhere. I love living in the city, it's so convenient. City centre, large supermarkets and hospital within walking distance, buses every ten minutes. I wouldn't like to be completely reliant on a car either.

They’ll soon realise that even in normal times (it’s going to be a while till we’re back there...) we can’t get takeaways, taxis won’t come here, we get snowed in, the broadband isn’t great and village politics can be vicious

We keep talking about this, in theory. But in practice... nah! Hopefully London will empty out so we can buy a vast Victorian semi in Hampstead Village and take the kids to the Natural History Museum without it being like the Northern Line at 9am.

These stats have been based on rightmove searches and therefore highly flawed. My fav pastime at the moment is looking at houses within 30 miles of where we live (market town). We aren’t in a position to move atm nor will we be able to afford the multi million pound mansions I’ve been looking at.

I think it’s more likely that people have more time on their hands and have been thinking ‘what if?’ with no intention of following through.

I hope not.

The countryside should remain exactly that- and with fewer people.

I'd hate to move to the country. If I was somehow put there, I'd be seeking the help of a new show I'm inventing, called Escape Back to the City.