Consider carefully before choosing country life

SO, YOU want to give up the city to move into the country?

Not so fast, says Gerhard Kotzé, MD of the RealNet estate agency group.

He says moving to a quieter life in the country is not a decision to be made on the spur of the moment.

“For example, the technology that means you are no longer desk-bound in the city may not work so well in the countryside, where access to wifi and cellphone signals is often sporadic.”

If you plan to start a new career or business, Kotzé says, your choice of town should not be made while wearing rosetinted spectacles.

“It’s easy to romanticise. A wonderful holiday a few years ago, or the experience of a friend who has already relocated, is bound to influence your perceptions.

“But moving to a town that is wrong for you or your family is an expensive mistake.

“You must exercise caution, and you must do your own research first.”

He says holiday towns may have good work or business prospects during only three or four months of the year, and a town with a high proportion of older residents might mean schools are situated far away.

Kotzé advises wannabe rat race refugees to visit the country town they are considering moving to several times – and during different seasons – before they decide to make the big move.