Is acreage living the right option for you?

What is acreage living?

Acreage living involves purchasing larger blocks of land, usually further away from the city, and building your home there. As the name suggests, you get more space to live your ideal lifestyle, and you don’t necessarily need to be rurally-inclined. Custom home builders on the Gold Coast are required for these types of homes, because you want to make sure your home meets your needs perfectly.

For many people, they choose to build their dream house on an acreage property after their children have left home. However, many younger families are also choosing to ditch the busy and expensive city lifestyle in favour of a more peaceful surrounding.

However, acreage living isn’t without its challenges, so you need to make sure you’re really ready for it. With large open spaces, majestic views and stunning homes to die for, there’s a lot to love. But there are a few things to consider before deciding whether acreage living is right for you.

You’ll have more land

It goes without saying that you’ll have more land than your standard suburban or city Gold Coast homes. They don’t call it acreage living for nothing! This can, of course, be incredible, especially if you have active kids who love getting outside and exploring the natural world around them. There’s more space to run and play, and you’ve got huge amounts of room for whatever activities you and your family enjoy.

With that additional land, though, comes an extra requirement for upkeep. If you hate mowing your backyard lawns now, you’d better be prepared to take it to a whole new level. Of course, many acreage property owners use ride-on lawn mowers, making the job much easier, but owning one is an additional expense.

Get more for your money

One of the great things about acreage living is you’ll get more for your money. Land is generally much cheaper in the country. So, your dollar certainly goes a lot further in a rural setting. The best part about this is the ability to customise your home. If your plot of land costs less, you’ve got more budget leftover for building your dream home.

Most people are looking to custom design homes in Brisbane when they move to an acreage property, and that often means size is important to them. In very simple terms, if your land is cheaper, you can afford to build a bigger home.

Live further from the city

The fact that you’ll be living further from the city is a drawcard for many, but a hindrance to some. For example, if you work in the city, or your family is involved in a lot of city-based activities, you would have to accept the need to travel. Whether that’s a long drive every morning and evening for work, or regular trips to the city for children’s sporting events, the costs of travel definitely add up.

On the positive side, many people these days are beginning to feel suffocated in the city. The urban sprawl seems to get tighter and tighter, with homes jammed up close together, no privacy, and no space for the things you love. City traffic, busy supermarkets – the list of complaints goes on and on. When you move to an acreage property outside of the city, you can say goodbye to all those frustrations.

Acreage living is a lifestyle choice

Usually, the choice to move to an acreage property is all about lifestyle. We’ve already mentioned the benefits of getting away from the city, but it’s more than just that. Acreage living is supposed to be relaxing. Whether it’s entertaining friends in a wonderful alfresco setting, or simply pottering around your large garden areas or vegetable gardens.

Most custom home builders on the Gold Coast build acreage homes to support this lifestyle. Wonderful open-plan designs, with a focus on giving you space for the things you love. Whether you’re retired and want to live a simpler life, or you’ve got a young family who you want to be closer to nature, acreage living is definitely a lifestyle choice.

Learning about self-sufficiency

When we talk about acreage homes, we don’t always mean you’re out in the middle of nowhere. You’ve still got access to power, internet connections, water (although you might likely make the switch from town water to tank water), sewerage and all the rest of life’s modern conveniences. However, getting away from it all does give you the chance to learn about self sufficiency.

Acreage homes are usually great candidates for solar energy systems, for example. You’ve also got heaps of space outside, so if you want to get into growing your own food or even maintaining livestock, you can do so. It’s a great way to explore different ways of living.

Are you ok with travelling for certain services?

The other question you need to ask is whether you’re comfortable travelling for certain things. We already discussed the regular commute to work, but there are other things you’ll need to travel for. The communities around you are likely to be smaller. So, while you’ll still probably have access to things like shops, a post office, maybe a doctor and of course schools, the reality is, smaller communities do have less services.

Each area is different, but it’s likely you’ll need to travel a bit further for certain things. You’re unlikely to find a department store just down the road, for example. You’ll also have more travel involved to visit family friends in the city. If you’re an incredibly social person, acreage living might not be for you.

Amazing views and a laid-back life

Ultimately, it’s only you who can decide whether the benefits of acreage living outweigh the challenges. It’s a very personal choice, and what’s great for one person or family may not be for another. If you love amazing views and a laid-back, relaxed lifestyle, acreage living is perfect. If you love the convenience and closeness of everything in the city, it’s probably nor for you.

So, before you jump into hiring custom home builders on the Gold Coast to build your new home in the country, think carefully about whether the lifestyle is right for you.