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Original poster

Would moving to a very rural dream home be a mistake?

180 replies

bluejumperoo · 14/07/2026 10:59

Seen a beautiful house over the weekend, literally my dream home. Only problem is it’s rural. So rural that no Amazon or takeaway deliveries. There’s a little shop. And it’s a tourist area so some parts of the year it won’t be so empty. A small restaurant around the corner but windy scary country pitch black lanes to navigate…

would I be crazy to entertain it. I’m 40 as is my dh with a 13 yo who also loved the house. School is actually 10 mins away and dc will be starting there from September hence us even entertaining it seriously tbh. . Most dc get a bus to the school as it’s out the way, but as the house is really big I’m hoping as dc friends get older they can all come to stay at ours (there’s a whole floor of extra guest bedrooms) and once dc goes off to uni I’m also hoping they can bring their friends back as it has a big cinema room, pool plus it’s in a rural tourist area so hoping that’s an attraction to help ensure we’re not left alone forever once dc has flown the nest. We had been looking for a generic family home until this one came along. Our only dc is close to us and I’m also thinking one day they might come back with their family to live as the house is big and Id love for that to happen so dc and future family doesn’t have to work as hard as we did. Saying that they’d have to wfh!

one big concern is that no one comes to visit us. We do throw massive parties once or twice a year and usually have big gatherings etc I’m hoping people can come and stay but not always possible. I have lots of hobbies that mean being happily at home so I do believe I’d be pretty happy but don’t want to turn into some mad cat lady at the same time!

I think im part mad and part on the verge of offering. Help talk me down out my ideas of being queen of the Manor House 😂

OP posts:
Itwillbefinehonestly · 14/07/2026 18:16

BangBangBangBangBang · 14/07/2026 11:42

Are you sure about no Amazon? We have a house that's extremely rural and at the end of a mile-long unmade track but no issue getting Amazon delivered.

This. It has to be very remote for Amazon not to deliver.

Bex071509 · 14/07/2026 18:36

I loved living in a town as a teenager & having the independence to get myself places. Train station just a 5 minute walk, my local town & school just a 15 minute walk away- so I have raised my children in a similar way.
I have 4 children, they are all so incredibly different, but I have to say - they all make the most of living in a busy town & getting themselves around. I can’t imagine just how restrictive it is for a teenager to always need a lift to do anything. Surely getting yourself out & about is a big development stage?
also, will you be happy once your child passes their driving test as a new driver to navigate those roads in the dark? Cause I would imagine as soon as they turn 17 they will be begging to drive for some independence & will be making the most of that day & night.

daisychain01 · 14/07/2026 18:36

Not a good idea.

how would it be when you come to selling the property. It sounds like the type of house that will take ages to sell, because it doesn't have basic amenity.

CelestialCandyfloss · 14/07/2026 18:42

I wouldn't to be honest. In the middle of nowhere down 'scary windy lanes' which you will have to navigate in the dark for large parts of the year. Plus you will be the taxi service until your child can drive, maybe even longer, and you can't guarantee everyone will want to come to you if you are very rural. I know it's hard when you've fallen in love with a place but I think you might be biting off more than you can chew.

QuietComet · 14/07/2026 19:09

We live rurally, 15 minutes drive from our nearest town / shop / school and we love it!

Things to consider:

  • no takeaway is fine, we order for pick-up
  • how's the mobile reception? We have none and also needed to spend 75 per month on Starlink for internet, however, fibre has just been installed and so we have that now.
  • we have a generator as we live in an area where power cuts are normal in winter.
  • Amazon delivers. If you get royal mail, DPD, etc. you'll get Amazon.
  • We have visitors stay about once a month. We'd easily hold more parties, etc. but one of our dogs is reactive so we don't at the moment. People love coming to visit us.
  • you will have lots of wildlife, inside and out. Be prepared for lots of insects, mice and other things in your house.
  • the darkness at night is not an issue for us. We don't have window coverings downstairs and have installed motion-sensitive lights outside, we don't want permanently on lights as they disrupt insects / wildlife.
  • emergency services - our local town has an out-of-hours for triage / not A&E. My OH drive me to hospital for an emergency as it was quicker than ambulance, but ambulance waits are hours anyway, so that would have been the same in the city. Our nearest hospital/ city is 45 minutes drive.
  • the community is great! Because we're all isolated, we all really look out for each other. I know way more people here than I did living in a city. I love bumping into friends / acquaintances in town / shops!

We have a 4 year old, and have accepted that ferrying her around will be our reality, but that's ok, it's a small price to pay!

CoastalCalm · 14/07/2026 19:24

Would you be happy living there alone especially when old and out of season ? Your ideas about children living with you etc are probably unrealistic and it will cost a fortune to heat and service

S251 · 14/07/2026 19:26

bluejumperoo · 14/07/2026 10:59

Seen a beautiful house over the weekend, literally my dream home. Only problem is it’s rural. So rural that no Amazon or takeaway deliveries. There’s a little shop. And it’s a tourist area so some parts of the year it won’t be so empty. A small restaurant around the corner but windy scary country pitch black lanes to navigate…

would I be crazy to entertain it. I’m 40 as is my dh with a 13 yo who also loved the house. School is actually 10 mins away and dc will be starting there from September hence us even entertaining it seriously tbh. . Most dc get a bus to the school as it’s out the way, but as the house is really big I’m hoping as dc friends get older they can all come to stay at ours (there’s a whole floor of extra guest bedrooms) and once dc goes off to uni I’m also hoping they can bring their friends back as it has a big cinema room, pool plus it’s in a rural tourist area so hoping that’s an attraction to help ensure we’re not left alone forever once dc has flown the nest. We had been looking for a generic family home until this one came along. Our only dc is close to us and I’m also thinking one day they might come back with their family to live as the house is big and Id love for that to happen so dc and future family doesn’t have to work as hard as we did. Saying that they’d have to wfh!

one big concern is that no one comes to visit us. We do throw massive parties once or twice a year and usually have big gatherings etc I’m hoping people can come and stay but not always possible. I have lots of hobbies that mean being happily at home so I do believe I’d be pretty happy but don’t want to turn into some mad cat lady at the same time!

I think im part mad and part on the verge of offering. Help talk me down out my ideas of being queen of the Manor House 😂

I would say no. If you’re not used to living rural you’ll struggle. The fact your mentioning no take away or Amazon you’ll really struggle, and finally you’ve sealed it with the “scary country lanes comment”.

LlynTegid · 14/07/2026 19:31

It may not be an option but the best thing would be to see the place in January or February.

S251 · 14/07/2026 19:31

bluejumperoo · 14/07/2026 14:55

Thanks, re the red flag, we currently don’t have takeaway deliveries where we live either I wanted to show how ‘rural’ it was so I get better opinions. Amazon will deliver some items but no prime and no large items apparently. I didn’t check that much as the estate agent said they didn’t think Amazon delivered and I believed them, but after the replies on here I checked and it seems they will deliver some things.

i already use starlink and know not everyone likes that but it’s fine. Doctors, I have online private healthcare but you’re right maybe as we age we’ll need more in person care. None of us have needed a GP for years outside of the online doctor. But as you say it’s something to think about. dentist I already travel over an hour for the annual check up but generally haven’t needed anything big, braces all finished etc.

I think yes maybe I’m mad to consider it. The one thing that I’ve put thought to, there’s land with the house my dd wants a horse and I would consider maybe getting horses but again it’s a consideration for things like vets etc.
but we’re on the cusp of teenage years so who knows if I’ll end up being the one stuck with the pony! At least I could ride it into town I suppose if the car breaks down.
we do have the all singing dancing 4x4 that gets us everywhere plus an electric car (through guilt of having the 4x4).

Sense is prevailing right now if I’m honest though…

As for the horse. People see rural and land and think oh we’ll get a horse. Coming from a horse person I’d send her to a stables (unless you already do) to actually learn to after one ( not just ride) before you even consider it. It’s a lifestyle not an hobby. Also if you ever go away and it’s that rural, do you have someone who would look after a horse for you.

mylifeisexams · 14/07/2026 19:34

I would hate this but we’re all different. Do you not work? How would you get there? Of if you had to work in the future?

EssCarGo · 14/07/2026 19:35

I think you’re reaching a lot by hoping that your grown up child will want to live with you!

I would be a hard no on this due to the teenage boredom thing - I know lots of people who have moved back to towns and cities as their kids have got to their mid-teens. So much easier for them to have a social life, a part time job, etc.

xino · 14/07/2026 19:44

It sounds bloody amazing OP. I’d hate somewhere that Amazon didn’t deliver to at all but as it does, go for it!

You are me 13 years ago. Fell in love with a big house which was far bigger than we needed but loved the challenge of making it lovely. (It was a wreck). No regrets. I love having a house I can change around as needed, according to children/granchildren’s needs. I feel lucky every single day, because we couldn’t afford to buy this house now.

whatisheupto · 14/07/2026 19:53

Sounds like you've thought everything through and you're being sensible, and you have experience to draw from. Can't see any reason not to do it tbh!

BEAchDays2 · 14/07/2026 20:05

Where is there so rural that there are no Amazon deliveries but with a school within 10
mins. A high school at that.

ProfessorofDarkArts · 14/07/2026 20:18

Sounds like my actual dream, I’m so sick of people that I’d forgo Amazon (don’t use it much) and takeaways (rarely get them) in a heartbeat. But I’m kid-free so it’s a bit different, I grew up rurally and while it was idyllic when I was young I hated it as a teen.

Macinae · 14/07/2026 20:30

Only you know the answer, we're all different, but as you've asked for views I'll give mine. When I look back on my teenage years they were filled with amazing socialising memories with friends. Age 13 it was cinema or bowling often which wasn't far for lifts, 14 it was Saturdays in town shopping with friends that I could take a bus to, 16 it was house parties and staying over friends houses, and 17/18 it was clubbing in town and getting taxis there and back. If I lived as rurally as you are suggesting I would have been very unlikely to have had these experiences so frequently, if at all. Given the age of your DC I'd think long and hard about the kind of social life they'll be able to have living so rurally and how happy they'll be, not just right now but at 16.

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 14/07/2026 20:32

bluejumperoo · 14/07/2026 10:59

Seen a beautiful house over the weekend, literally my dream home. Only problem is it’s rural. So rural that no Amazon or takeaway deliveries. There’s a little shop. And it’s a tourist area so some parts of the year it won’t be so empty. A small restaurant around the corner but windy scary country pitch black lanes to navigate…

would I be crazy to entertain it. I’m 40 as is my dh with a 13 yo who also loved the house. School is actually 10 mins away and dc will be starting there from September hence us even entertaining it seriously tbh. . Most dc get a bus to the school as it’s out the way, but as the house is really big I’m hoping as dc friends get older they can all come to stay at ours (there’s a whole floor of extra guest bedrooms) and once dc goes off to uni I’m also hoping they can bring their friends back as it has a big cinema room, pool plus it’s in a rural tourist area so hoping that’s an attraction to help ensure we’re not left alone forever once dc has flown the nest. We had been looking for a generic family home until this one came along. Our only dc is close to us and I’m also thinking one day they might come back with their family to live as the house is big and Id love for that to happen so dc and future family doesn’t have to work as hard as we did. Saying that they’d have to wfh!

one big concern is that no one comes to visit us. We do throw massive parties once or twice a year and usually have big gatherings etc I’m hoping people can come and stay but not always possible. I have lots of hobbies that mean being happily at home so I do believe I’d be pretty happy but don’t want to turn into some mad cat lady at the same time!

I think im part mad and part on the verge of offering. Help talk me down out my ideas of being queen of the Manor House 😂

Please send me a link! It’s exactly what I’m looking for 😁

everynamewastaken · 14/07/2026 20:36

We puller out of a house because I had too many doubts about the rural location. It was in a village with a pub and a small school but that was it and the buses were once every 2 hours. I loved the house - it was stunning and the surroundings were great. But we have a 3 year old and planned to have another so the thought of having a C-section and having nothing to walk to on my doorstep filled me with dread. And I just wanted to be close enough to walk for a coffee even if it was a 25 minute walk away. I also grew up relying on buses and later parents and it was tough!

We have ended up moving to a small town which is not as picture perfect but I think it was the right decision. We can walk to a station that takes us to London in 30 minutes. We are a short walk or drive from plenty of things to do. I often wonder if we made the right choice but reading your post I had the same thoughts again. But we are younger and work full time so the connections for work also drive us. Maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal if that wasn't the case.

ByAzureMoose · 14/07/2026 21:20

Honestly OP I think you need to ask yourself if you want to move into this house because you like it or if you actually want a reason to tether your DC to you for the rest of your life because you're afraid of them leaving you. I got on well with my Mum but if she entertained the idea of me bringing university friends back to stay or even moving back in with my whole family, I would look at her sideways. Parents are supposed to want their children to fly the nest and come back if they want/need to. It sounds like you are crafting a fantasy where your DC stays with you for the rest of your life.

ForUmberFinch · 14/07/2026 21:31

Have to giggle at this. In my neck of the woods, next day delivery and takeaways to your door do not exist. Fibre broadband is installed everywhere, or get an unlimited data sim and use a 5G router. Works very well.

I actually think the land will be the biggest pain in the neck for you. Fencing, topping, maintaining etc all costs money and you need to find folk to do it.

we get a lot of”good lifers” in my area and none of them last beyond 2 years.

supercrone · 14/07/2026 21:53

I think you are a bit deluded that you now 13 year old will want to live with you as an adult. You should only buy it if you will be happy living there when she moves on to her own life, perhaps in as little as 6 years.

wherethewildrosesgrow · 14/07/2026 22:15

Tourists, 10 mins from a school, a restaurant around the corner, doesn’t sound that rural and secluded to me…but if does to you, then you probably won’t be happy,

FriendlyNPC · 14/07/2026 22:41

It would be a hard no from me, but I can't think of anything worse than living rurally.

Saz12 · 14/07/2026 22:58

Youre relying quite heavily on other people wanting to stay over - your DC friends, then tgem wanting to live with you when theyre adults. ...and your own ones staying for holidays...

It soubns like you are really gregarious, but unless theres scope to carve out a casual, regular Tuesday-night type social life will ypu be happy?

Calibrate · 15/07/2026 00:01

We live a 20 minute drive to the nearest anything. Small shop, gp, etc.

50 minute drive to nearest proper supermarket. 1 hours drive to the nearest hospital. No takeaways deliver (which I do miss occasionally), but we still get Amazon deliveries, even though we up a mile long pot holey drive.

Be prepared to have to ferry children around all the time, but if you are happy with the isolation, ie not seeing another soul unless you make the effort to go out somewhere, it sounds wonderful.

Isolated rural living is not for everyone though, so it is something to think long and hard about.