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bagofpucks · 08-13-2018, 02:02 PM

Warning...long winded post coming!

I’m born and raised near the area and bought an acreage three years ago. I’m a bit farther south, but I think the experiences will be similar.

1) internet - we are very fortunate to have Telus high speed in our community as xplornet has just horrible service for our specific lot. Before we bought our place I asked the realtor for specific internet details (provider, speeds, etc.). Our lot also does not get cell service, so we had multiple hurdles to get over. I can see how this would be a deal breaker and my biggest advice is just to get as much information as you can from other people in the area.

2) commute - my commute is 40 minutes door to door to my office downtown, but I go in very early and try to get out before rush hour hits. One thing I do like is since I just need to get out of the city I have a lot of different routes to take if there are any accidents or issues. For me, the highways in the winter are generally in better shape than the roads in the city. I take the extra 20 minutes of highway driving to unwind, but I know not everyone likes driving.

3) lifestyle - since I grew up in the country, this was an easy transition for me, but it is not for everyone. The joke is the 5 year rule: people move to the country and either only last five years and move back to the city or live there the rest of their lives. It does take some extra planning for groceries and “trips” to the city and that seems to be a big deal breaker for folks as well. I’m in the city every weekday, so grabbing groceries isn’t a big deal. We’re closer to Turner Valley/Black Diamond, so we are actually closer to a hospital than we were when we lived in the city. For us, having our own space and “country lifestyle” is well worth many of the negatives. My family has always been part of this community, so that is a big piece for us too.

Some other things I’ve learned:
- any job will take twice as long and cost twice as much it seems.
- a work truck and a chainsaw are a must have.
- if you like gardening you will learn what flowers/plants are deer resistant.
- reading the gear grinder thread about parking and neighbours makes me chuckle.
- always always always do your reasearch on welll water, septic tanks, and possible flooding.

08-13-2018, 02:02 PM	#9
bagofpucks Scoring Winger Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Calgary, AB Exp:	Warning...long winded post coming! I’m born and raised near the area and bought an acreage three years ago. I’m a bit farther south, but I think the experiences will be similar. 1) internet - we are very fortunate to have Telus high speed in our community as xplornet has just horrible service for our specific lot. Before we bought our place I asked the realtor for specific internet details (provider, speeds, etc.). Our lot also does not get cell service, so we had multiple hurdles to get over. I can see how this would be a deal breaker and my biggest advice is just to get as much information as you can from other people in the area. 2) commute - my commute is 40 minutes door to door to my office downtown, but I go in very early and try to get out before rush hour hits. One thing I do like is since I just need to get out of the city I have a lot of different routes to take if there are any accidents or issues. For me, the highways in the winter are generally in better shape than the roads in the city. I take the extra 20 minutes of highway driving to unwind, but I know not everyone likes driving. 3) lifestyle - since I grew up in the country, this was an easy transition for me, but it is not for everyone. The joke is the 5 year rule: people move to the country and either only last five years and move back to the city or live there the rest of their lives. It does take some extra planning for groceries and “trips” to the city and that seems to be a big deal breaker for folks as well. I’m in the city every weekday, so grabbing groceries isn’t a big deal. We’re closer to Turner Valley/Black Diamond, so we are actually closer to a hospital than we were when we lived in the city. For us, having our own space and “country lifestyle” is well worth many of the negatives. My family has always been part of this community, so that is a big piece for us too. Some other things I’ve learned: - any job will take twice as long and cost twice as much it seems. - a work truck and a chainsaw are a must have. - if you like gardening you will learn what flowers/plants are deer resistant. - reading the gear grinder thread about parking and neighbours makes me chuckle. - always always always do your reasearch on welll water, septic tanks, and possible flooding.