A Guide for Your Move to the Country
If you’ve chosen to homestead, chances are you want some space and more quiet. Chances are you want to build something long term for you as you age and for your children (and grandchildren). You’re not alone—many are making the leap to create a more sustainable life for their families. So, as you embark on this journey and find a site, what should you look for in your new homesteading property?
Let’s look at some of these key considerations:
- Local Regulations
- Livelihood options
- Local Economy
- Access to Resources
- Like-minded Community
LOCAL REGULATIONS
First things first: pay attention to local regulations. Look for land outside city limits, where you won’t have to deal with additional fees, regulations, permitting and also avoid those pesky homeowners associations (but you know that by now). Being outside city jurisdiction means more freedom to build and create your dream homestead. You’ll still need some permits (like a septic permit), but you’ll have far fewer hurdles to jump through.
Also, check if there’s a chance your property could be annexed by a nearby city. You want to avoid being caught in their future plans! Most cities will provide this online – you just have to know where to look.
BALANCING YOUR LIVELIHOOD WITH THE COUNTRY LIFESTYLE
For many business owners like us, income generation is an important factor when relocating. Some of us have the blessing of working remotely, while others may still need to commute. If you have a career that requires you to travel to an office, it’s important to assess your daily drive. For me, commuting to Dallas remains a part of life, but we made sure to choose a property where the commute was reasonable.
Even if your current work requires in-office presence, it’s worth checking out local opportunities that match your skills. Many areas, even rural ones, offer work possibilities that align with your experience, especially if you run your own business. It’s always good to be prepared, and diversifying your income in these times can provide stability. Even today, I am learning new skills that I think may be valuable in our community outside of my day job skill sets.
I remember when we found our property, we drove the route multiple times to ensure it was a manageable commute. Keep in mind that rural areas might offer different types of work, depending on your skills.
UNDERSTANDING THE LOCAL ECONOMY
Before choosing where to settle, consider the main economic drivers in the area. For us, we avoided towns whose economies were overly dependent on local colleges or government entities. This decision was rooted in a desire to invest long-term in a community where we wouldn’t be tied to trends or policies outside of our control.
It’s very important to choose an area that is stable and reflects your values. Some towns have local businesses or agricultural roots, which better fit a lifestyle of faith, family, and independence. These communities are more likely to prioritize self-reliance, and you can feel confident that your neighbors share similar values.
ACCESS TO RESOURCES WITHOUT COMPROMISING FREEDOM
Access to certain resources—like lakes, parks, or a good local entertainment area can enrich your life depending on what you are looking for. A lot of homes flourish as a lakeside community or a golfing community – I get it. On the other hand, most of these are tied to an HOA. I’d say it is crucial to balance access to these things but not be trapped in the policies that may not be helpful to homesteading. I will suggest that we stay far away from properties that have any kind of HOA in general. This alone removes so many possibilities with what we can do to our homestead.
Where possible, I’d recommend staying outside of city limits. Not only does this lower your property taxes—a big win for any homesteading family—but it also simplifies the homebuilding process. With fewer regulations, fees, and oversight, you’ll have more freedom to build the way you want. You can hire your own trusted inspectors and make decisions that align with your values, instead of being forced to follow city mandates.
I would suggest choosing a place where you can enjoy nearby resources, like lakes, large open markets, and local shops, without being hindered by them. Our family makes trips to the city , to markets and other towns as needed, but we don’t feel like we need to live there to enjoy the things we love. The key is having the flexibility to access those resources when it works for you, without letting them dictate your lifestyle.
FINDING A LIKE-MINDED COMMUNITY
Lastly, and possibly the most important, is to be around like-minded people.
One of the biggest blessings of moving to the country has been the people we’ve met. It’s important to be surrounded by like-minded individuals who share your faith, values, and goals for raising a family. While it can be tricky to gauge a community before you move, we found that older, established neighborhoods often have deep roots.
In our case, our neighbors are not only self-reliant—they know how to fix things, grow food, and are always looking out for each other. We usually already have similar goals for our families and children, just wanting to be left alone to raise them in the ways we know is best. We’ve built strong relationships through simple acts, like sharing produce or helping each other with projects. We even have a homeschool community we’re becoming more involved in, which has been a huge support for us. There is a myriad of local businesses that we enjoy, coffee shops, chicken wings, shooting ranges and very large open markets.
Finding a place where people share your values increases the success of your relocation – the trick is getting an understanding of the area before you move there. Spend some time there, go to the open air markets, visit the stores regularly and chat up people. You will be surprised at where the random conversations will lead.
SEEKING WITH INTENTION
Relocating to the country is a major decision, and it requires prayerful consideration. For us, the move was driven by a desire to protect our family, simplify our lives, and align more closely with our values. Leaving behind our homestead in the Dallas suburbs wasn’t easy. I spent many afternoons watching my neighbor’s tree bloom, thinking how I loved those white flowers, and that this is the last autumn I will see them. I was mourning about having to move, but it was the right decision for the peace and freedom we were seeking. I just had to focus on being courageous, knowing what I had to do to care for us long term.
If you’re thinking about making the move, take your time to reflect on what’s most important to you and your family. The area you choose will play a big role in your success and happiness in this new chapter. And remember, it’s not just about the land—it’s about the life you want to build for your family, rooted in faith, hard work, and community.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to share what I’ve learned along the way. I will be more than happy to help you build yours for your family.
Blessings,
Chris
Note from the architect: Please keep in mind that I cover select topics for these blogs. Each project will include significantly more concepts considerations and applications, all of which will be reflective of a client’s specific needs and wants. This is a process of discovery which is innate in each custom home design.
Alt-Ark 