Any Regrets On Moving To The Farm ?????

[nc redneck]

I am 57 years old. I have lived on at least 3 acres from the time I was 18. Pee off the back deck kind of guy. I live on 3 acres nice house but sewer was just put in. Large High School being built just down the road, developments everywhere and more to come quickly. It is very convenient to shopping, healthcare or anything else you may need.
I bought a 25 acre tract 20 minutes from home about 8 years ago. Beautiful place pond, road frontage, pole barn and small guest house main house with concrete drive was burned down ( foreclosure ). I turned down a serious 50 K profit offer 2 days after I bought it. I will always question that decision but remember taxes. This was several years ago when real estate was hot. Bought a nice used double wide and moved it where main house was. Goal was to rent for several years to knock edge off not pay for the place. I have been renting it for last several years at around $ 1500 per month. Renters have paid for about 1/2 of original price.
During this time I have added " my retirement shop 30 X 70 steel building, heat, AC ". Also picked up 36 X 36 raised cent isle Barn master barn on craigslist and moved it to property. Nice install concrete floors, lights and ceiling fan in every stall. Also put up all new fencing. Daughter is in to horse's and believe I will get stuck with keeping her horse ( when she goes to collage in 2 years )plus it needs at least one companion horse.
I also have accumulated a kioti 45, Kubota BX and have bought a lot of equipment over the years to take care of the place. Backhoe, post pounder, over seeder, mowers and other stuff. I buy used at auctions and fix and paint so under 10 k on equipment. If I sold today I would probably make the same 50 K profit I turned down years ago with 1/2 the investment. Upside is future selling price looks good as everything is moving that way.
My big question to you guys any regrets. I hear this from friends all the time they want to downsize get rid of stuff make life simpler. Here I am looking at selling 3 acre place and moving into 25 acres.
I have learned a lot from people on TBN and realize everyone here is pro moving to the farm, but I respect everyone's opinion . Any thoughts pro or con are viewed seriously.
Thanks
Scott

 

[japody]

Grew up in a big city, worked in a medium sized city, retired and moved to the farm where my wife grew up. LOVE IT!! Peace and tranquility. Animals appreciate anything you do for them and no neighbors in sight. AHHHHHHHHH.

 

[JBourquin]

Grew up on a farm. Family sold most of it off in the late 90s. Parents still own some acreage. When I got out of the military and started looking at houses, they had to be away from city/village lines and have at least a few acres. Found an 1800s farm house with 5.5 acres. Plan is to keep working my way up till I have a nice hobby farm to retire on.

 

[jaotguy]

if things are going good so far , keep the farm and rent it out .. jump only when the city encroaches too much for you to stand ( and the price for the now "city" place will be a lot higher ) ...

once you jump ( or plan to ) ... get the ducks in order and finances settled .... so there is very little (or none) owing on the farm property ....

life gets a lot easier when there are no big bills coming in ... and you have a "cushion" stuffed under the mattress ....

 

[MossRoad]

My only regret is that I haven't done it yet! We bought the land in '89, then had a child, then moved to a bigger house, then had another child, then they went to good schools, then the economy tanked, then my job got sketchy, then college comes around...... timing wasn't right. I'd say, if you can do it without undue financial strains, do it as soon as possible or you'll be looking for your retirement home before you know it. :laughing:

 

[oosik]

I moved down from Alaska(Anchorage) in 1982 to my current 80 acre parcel. I have my own private 5 acre lake( 80 feet deep) and my nearest neighbor is 4.5 miles by road. By '82 Anchorage no longer retained the flavor that it had when we first moved there in 1965. It grew like a weed and was just like any other big city. Besides, IMHO, Alaska is best suited for younger folks. Here I do what I want, when I want and exactly how I want. Everything that happens here is a direct result of something I have done or something I have not done.

My only regret is that I did not move here in 1965 - instead I chose the adventures to be found in the last true wilderness. I will always think kindly of my years in Alaska but now I realize that living here is much more peaceful and definitely more rewarding.

 

[hosspuller]

I grew up in NYC.. Yes that place. That never sleeps. Have 30 acres and horses now. Dogs & I take our morning pee together.

You're 57 ... What are you going to do at retirement? Sit in a lounge chair all day? That's the quick way to a short retirement and a long dirt nap. Getting up in the morning, deciding on what project to tackle keeps me physically moving and mentally alert. Beauty of retirement means I work at what ever pace I like. Too hot? take a break. Too tired, take a break. Sleepy? Take a nap.

Only kink in this is your spouse... Will she be happy taking care of the horses and other pursuits on the farm? Close friends? Neighbors? Think Social activities for her...

 

[forgeblast]

NC if the wife and i stayed in north carolina we would have moved to apex. It was a slice of heaven compared to Raleigh. When we moved back to pa we found 20 acres of woodland and have been very happy.
The only gripe from my wife is she wishes we were closer to things, we are a 1/2 hour away from just about everything...me I like that.

 

[Duwop]

We got our piece of paradise 6 acres when I was 39, she 30. Our move was at the advise of my Doctors due to accident. Impending disability was in the cards for me but I was able to due most anything. We are 1/2 hour from necessities and 1 hr from the malls for me it's not a issue my wife at times wishes we were closer to the shopping and her work as the job is an hour away. We've raised our children and they have moved away as there not much in rural America for young people. They never took to farm life they longed for the sunny beaches of Florida where we moved from.
Now at 51 and 43 life is much different challenge. My disability kicked in three years ago and finding help for the things that need done is a challenge. Health care is an hour away and givin my condition these are my biggest issues with rural living. All in all I wouldn't change a thing except the disability, I've always thought it could always be worse so I think I got it good.

 

[sherpa]

Wife and I left the city 2001 when I was 53, great move for us. You will never want to go back to city life.
Lots of pros already mention. (I like internet, you can buy supplies and parts online and get them delivered to you.)
Cons: Medical and other is a drive into town and a days time.