There’s been quite a few times in my life where I was positively certain that I wanted a particular item or a situation to happen yet when it did, I realised it wasn’t what I wanted after all. It comes down to the wise saying, ‘be careful for what you wish for as you just might get it!’ After years of conversing with overseas property buyers one major factor that causes ‘buyers remorse’ comes from city or town folk that buy a 2nd home or emigrate to the countryside rather than a more populated area.
We all have an idea of the positives of country life – the fresh air, peace and quiet, no crime, space and freedom. Sometimes those positive thoughts, however, can cloud our rational brain causing us to ignore the negatives too! In this months article, I’ve outlined common complaints that come from people that got what they wished for, but realised it wasn’t what they really wanted after all.
Too Quiet. Readers of my France Guide, John and Susan, moved to a rural area of France last year and at first they loved the country life. It wasn’t long, however before they discovered that life became a bit too dull. Susan explained, “We used to live in a UK village that had something going on every week and we weren’t far from a city that allowed us to get our culture fix. Now that we’re in the country, we really feel this lifestyle is too quite for us.” The couple have put their country home up for sale and are looking to move into a village to find some needed noise!
Fewer amenities and those in the area cost more. One of my Cyprus readers exclaimed that he’s spending more money living in Cyprus than he did when he lived in the UK. Neil moved to the Troodos Mountains to ‘get away from the rat race and depressing UK government.’ Neil wanted to find a simple, quite life – and one that allowed him to live well off his investments. Unfortunately, the cost of his life in the countryside wasn’t what he expected. The amount charged for groceries and basic supplies were very expensive locally, so he had to take a weekly two hour drive to the closest city to stock up. Neil states, ‘I’m still happy about my decision to move – however, if I knew what I know now, I would have found a place a little less secluded – one that’s closer to a more populated area and cheaper groceries!’
Healthcare – the closest medical facility is too far! No one expects to fall ill, nor do they want to speculate what they’ll do if poor health takes over. But what if you buy a home in the country and your health takes a temporary turn for the worse? When you’re unwell, you don’t want to travel hours to the closest medical facility. A reader that moved to Italy wrote to me stating, ‘Everything was going wonderful with our new place in the sun, but then my husband had a heart attack and our lives were thrown into disarray. Thankfully, he survived the attack and is doing well now, but for the past several months we’ve needed to travel 2 hours to the closest medical facility. We never thought about medical issues when we were searching for our Italian country home, but we’re now considering moving closer to a town that can cater to my husbands needs.’
Renters don’t want to rent because our property is too isolated. The Turners purchased a second home amongst some beautiful olive groves in Greece. The property needed a bit of renovation but it wasn’t long before their overseas property ticked all the boxes – or should I say ‘most of the boxes.’ Unfortunately, it took 2 hours and 45 minutes from the airport to the property and people looking for holiday lets weren’t interested in such a long commute. The Turners have since then sold their property and found another within twenty minutes of an airport – they’re having no problem renting it out.
My one bit of advice – try before you buy! If the countryside appeals to you, rent a property for as long as you can to determine if it truly is what you wish for!
Check out http://www.OverseasBuyingGuide.com
Tuesday 20 July 2010
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