So we’re thinking about moving out of the city (one of us is rather more keen on it than the other). And as we ponder the pros and cons, I find that people tend to fall into categories when it comes to this kind of thing. Sort of a Green Acres, Oliver vs. Lisa. So how about you? Cityscape or countryscape? And if you’re a low density kind of person are you suburban or village? And if you love that urban vibe are we talking small city or big one like Manhattan? Apartment, townhome or house? One story or two? New or old? Hate a basement–couldn’t live without it? Ideal number of bathrooms? Ideal kitchen? Man o’ man the questions are endless! So now how about some answers? Opinions definitely welcome!
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{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
I will definitely end up in a home in the country one of these days. Hopefully not a nursing home, but you know – a house home. A few acres, fenced in so the dogs can roam but not escape, some woods, away from highways. Only city I’ve ever lived IN was Mexico City. Hated it to death. I am 20 minutes away from Dallas and 20 minutes away from Fort Worth, and I never go to either one of them.
I grew up in a suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area and now live in a much smaller town in the Sacramento Valley. It could be considered the suburbs but it only takes a 10 minute drive to get to the center of town from my home. Although I still go back to visit friends, I could never live down there. There are just way too many people and the traffic is horrid.
well see now, that’s a whole ‘nother story. Big cities without public transportation with lots of traffic. I’ve only ever lived in big cities where I didn’t have to depend on a car (except Austin, and I don’t think we qualify as a really big city even with all the expansion).
I was brought up in a city of over 2 Million people and ten yrs ago moved to a city of about 120,000 people..We are up to nearly 180,000 now I think.. It is a small Unviersity city, but it has a rural feel about it too. We are on the cusp of Ontario Heartland.. Lots of farmland around me. So for me this was like moving from the big city to a small village, so to speak… But I guess no matter where we live, we make it a home… I love it and would not move back to the big city again.. I
You know I think you have the right idea. As long as we have our family and the people we love around us–it’s home. Not to mention all ten billion little bits and bobs that make up my stuff.
I love the idea of living in the city– New York City. I think two bedrooms with a moderate or even small kitchen and two bathrooms would be lovely. But I’m not sure I would love the reality. I do love suburbs, and I love my quiet country surroundings now. I’m ten minutes drive to anything, but surrounded by woods. At night, the stars are amazing. Last night, an owl kept hooting outside my window, and something else, something wild, don’t know what but it was fun to try and guess then go back to sleep. I love having a house big enough to find my own space though I’m living with three or four others. I want it all! City. Suburbs. And nature. Oh, and maybe a beach house.
Yeah…that’s it…a whole fleet of houses in different locations. The beach, the mountains, the city. The Italian coast (that’s Jacquie’s fault). Ah….the possibilities.
I’m a suburb girl–or at least I always have been. But I love visiting cities and it never fails that when we’re in NYC or San Francisco or Washington, D.C. or some other cool city I end up saying to the DH, “It would be cool to live here.”
That said, we now live in a small town and absolutely love the peace and quiet and the gazillion stars we can see at night. So, yeah–not a city-living girl. But definitely a city-visiting girl.
gazillion stars is a definite plus… There are some serious advantages to both ways of life. Maybe I just need to be a billionaire and have a little place in both!
gazillion stars, really nice- I share Jacquie’s love of seeing so many stars. And Dee’s idea for places everywhere.
My ideal home is one in our name and not someone we pay rent to. If I had my choice, it would be a house in the country with wonky low ceilings, rooms at different levels, beams, a kitchen with a fireplace and enough room for me to bake/roast/etc, a huge back garden that will keep my husband busy and my dogs active, at least 3 bedrooms so we can have guests stay with us, and if my mom has her way a bedroom downstairs with a bathroom, oh and a thatched roof, of course. And the views have to be spectacular. Believe me, I have seen many of my dream houses.
OR an old manor/keep/church/barn conversion. Keeping the old with a twist of modern. No matter what I want it to be pre-Victorian.
We all can dream.
Okay…if I could live in England–well, then there are so many options I can’t even imagine! Too cool about an old manor. A girl can definitely dream! But then there’s the whole desire for a modern kitchen. What can I say, I am a complicated woman!
I was born and raised in the “burbs”, but we weren’t too far from San Francisco. As an adult, I lived and worked in SF, and enjoyed the different kind of surroundings. Now, I’m in eastern PA about half way between Philly and NYC, but I’m still in the suburbs. That said, hubby and I are looking for property farther out where we can have some land and horses.
Now land…that’s a whole ‘nuther situation. Fresh air…
I’m a born and raised city girl but I am enjoying the suburbs just a little out of the city. That said I don’t think I could live any further than I do now fm NY. My DH talks about moving to the south and the thought scares me. I’m a city girl that way. A New York City girl. Good luck.
NYC girls rock!!!!!
I am not a huge fan of the suburbs, to be honest (altho I live in one). The pro is, you get a bigger, nicer house. Mine is too big. The con is, you have a yard and driving to do.
I lived in the center of Austin for a long time. The pro was that there were things within reasonable walking or driving distance. the con was the noise and the crime (which may have had more to do with where I lived than being in the city).
All I know is that I am set for awhile. The thought of moving is enough to keep me in the burbs!
There are pros and cons to both. But think I fall on the non-suburbs side!
We are doing just the opposite–thinking of moving into the city from the suburbs. I’m concerned about the noise but I like the ideal of everything being within walking distance.
The noise fades with time. It’s funny how little I notice it now. Although at night we do use a fan to keep the noise at bay. What really weird is how dark and quiet it is when we go to my mom’s house now.
I have noise out here. I believe I mentioned the owls and other critters. The city noise never bothers me. Traffic sounds are soothing. I might belong there more than I think.