If over the past few months you have found yourself longing for wide open space, fresh air, and a slower pace of life, you are most certainly not alone. The recent housing market (both construction and real estate) has been flooded with couples and families looking to take advantage of work-from-home orders to move a few more miles outside the city. They have come to the awareness that they don’t need to wait until retirement to head for the country and that it’s time to take action to realize that dream lifestyle as soon as possible.
Moving to a more rural area like Loudoun County gives you everything you need—including great schools, strong communities, and easy access to DC if you need to work onsite for the day—while allowing you to enjoy a simpler, more grounded way of life away from the frenzy of the Beltway.
For some, that ideal lifestyle may be found in a historic home in downtown Leesburg, with walkability to local shops and restaurants. For others, it may mean buying land in the more rural Western Loudoun County where you can stretch your legs in the fresh country air with your morning coffee. Both have opportunities to participate in whatever your hobbies are…or whatever you wish they were!
Access Adventures
In rural Northern Virginia areas, the Blue Ridge Mountains offer opportunities for all types of outdoor activities. On a given day you can choose to hike the Appalachian Trail, bike down the W&OD, or ride horseback on winding country roads. If you’re drawn to the water, you will find your adventure kayaking, fishing, or tubing on the Potomac. On days when you want to take it a little more slowly, you would be welcome at any number of vineyards or breweries where you can pass an afternoon sipping in the sun. Regardless of the path you choose, you can enjoy the great outdoors nearly every day of the year.
More than Farm-to-Table
Although the number of houses is growing, Loudoun County remains rooted in its agricultural history and working farms are still providing the area with local meat, dairy, produce, and wine. Increasingly, people want to know more about where their food comes from and place a high value on sustainability. Out here you can build direct relationships with the people growing your food.
Honor-system farm stands are cropping up (pun intended!) everywhere you look where you can find cheese, salami, local honey, whole roasting chickens, pasture-raised pork, and grass-fed beef. Organic produce overflows the shelves throughout the growing season. And chances are at least one of your neighbors is raising free-range chickens and will have an “EGGS” sign posted at the bottom of the drive.
Moreover, if you want to try your hand at gardening, you can grow cucumbers and tomatoes right on your own property and get a few laying hens of your own. And of course, there’s always Wegmans for anything else on your list!
The Shortest Commute of All
One of the undeniable benefits of this season spent at home is a shift out of the hustle and bustle of a grueling working and commuting schedule. We have been able to spend more quality time with our loved ones and many working people are finding that they don’t want to give up this “new normal.” Making the decision to move out to the country and work from home allows you to be more present with your family and enjoy the everyday moments happening in the home.
Thanks to the Millennial Generation, working from home has been becoming increasingly popular over the last several years, but the 2020 quarantine orders forced entire company work-forces out of the crowded offices and into their homes. And with every month that stretches on, it has become increasingly apparent that this is not only feasible – it is sustainable. We anticipate seeing more and more employers welcoming continued remote work even after we return to a more normal life. So if the idea of a long commute back into DC has been holding you back from the Country House of your dreams, just think about how nice it would be to shorten it to only 10 steps!
Let’s Make it Happen
Give us a call today to find out more about all the things we love about living and building in our hometown.
Alair Homes Hunt County, Ashburn, Leesburg, Middleburg, Upperville, Winchester. From vision to concept to plan to construction, we take custom home building to a new level. Thoughtful planning. Intelligent design. Personal touch. That’s the Alair Homes Hunt Country difference. Begin making your dream home a reality. Schedule a consultation today!