The peace and quiet of the countryside versus the buzz of life in the big city?
It’s a dilemma for anyone looking to buy or rent a house.
So we’ve put together a list of pros and cons to help you decide whether you want to be a country dweller or a city slicker.
City living: the pros
More variety
From a studio flat to a spacious penthouse, or a detached house in a residential area close to the city centre, you have lots of properties to choose from.
Cut down on costs
You can save money by not having to run your own car with all the associated bills –use the city’s public transport or, if you’re lucky enough, simply walk to work.
Party central & convenience
For culture vultures and social butterflies being in the city means having art galleries, museums, eateries and pubs on your doorstep. You can decide to go out on a whim. Plus, there are no hefty boundary charges if you need a cab home.
Run out of milk at the witching hour? If you live downtown, there will always be somewhere open to pick up a pint or anything else for that matter.
. . . and the cons
Forced to rent or pay higher price if you are buying
Because of all the pros, prices do tend to be higher in the city. This means many city dwellers rent, while homeowners or house hunters will focus on smaller properties.
Shared property
City dwellers are also more likely to have to share things such as entrance halls, roofs, communal bin areas. Most of the time this is fine and dandy, but sometimes shared aspects can cause conflict between neighbours. That’s where good property factors come in.
Outdoor space
Space is premium in the city so, if you have a garden, it’s more likely to be a tiny terrace than rolling acres.
Country living: the pros
Good value homes
Generally, you get more brick for your buck the further you are from the metropolis. Properties are more likely to be detached and have both front and rear gardens – making the countryside ideal for families.
Escapism
If you work in the city, you can look forward to getting away from it all every night. Watch the big city get smaller as you head for the hills. What’s not to love?
Peace and quiet
Imagine waking up to the sound of birds cooing, as opposed to traffic rumbling. Bliss.
Community
If you like the idea of the local barman knowing your tipple and the shop-keeper putting your paper aside, then country village life is for you.
. . . and the cons
The commute
If you want the rural idyll, unless you work from home or make your living off the land, you’ll have a longer commute (if you enjoy driving or losing yourself in a book on the train, this might not be a bad thing).
Future sales
You should bear in mind that, looking ahead to the future, a property in the country can be more difficult to sell than in the city, especially if it’s in a remote area.
Maintenance costs
If you live in the country, you’ll probably enjoy having a bigger house but this also means paying for all of the necessary repairs that may crop up.
Winter weather
Your city cousins will have the gritters out at the first snowflake but a rural postcode means you can be affected even by wild weather. The closure of a vital road because of snow or flooding can mean a tedious detour.
The darkness
Long summer nights are great in Scotland but the flip side is, if you’re a daily nine to fiver, in the winter you’ll only see your home during darkness.
Why not take a look at the very best countryside and city properties on s1homes?