How To Find Your Dream Farm

So many people say we are living their dream life. Honestly, sometimes it feels like a dream to me, too. But I know we looked long and hard to find our ‘dream farm’. It was lucky we were on the same page because this ‘dream life in the country’ looks different for everyone who pursues it. Ours was a small farm. Yours might be a quaint cottage in a sleepy town. No matter what your needs and desires, there are some essential steps you should follow to find your dream farm. Here’s how we did it.

Be on the Same Page

This is possibly the step that gets overlooked when trying to find your dream farm, but I can tell you now, it’s essential for you to be on the same page as your partner. If you are buying alone then you can go willy nilly and get exactly what YOU want. Most of us, however, go into this life with a partner by our side. We could be empty nesters or young families wanting something simpler for our children. (I often wonder what our kids would have turned out to be if we’d done this when they were young). Whatever your stage of life or desire, if your partner is not fully on board there will be tears.

You need to figure out what you both want and what you are willing to compromise on. It might take looking at a lot of properties to fully realise this. So be prepared to be patient. And even after you find your dream farm or country home, you’ll both need to be committed to making it work. It’s not as easy as it looks on Instagram

Set Your Budget

The next step to finding your dream farm is to set a budget. Yes, it’s lovely to go and look at fancy places you can’t afford and dream a little more. We got a lot of ideas that way. But when it comes down to it, you are wasting your own and the agent’s time. If they think you are a serious buyer and you’re not, you are not being fair. The old saying of having your ‘eyes being bigger than your belly’ is so true when buying property. The bells and whistles can come later to create the home you love. Get the one you can afford that has the bones of what you need. Don’t overstretch yourself and then not be able to afford renovations. Because, believe me, living with holes in the roof and no floor in winter is NOT FUN.

A good way to set a budget if you have never purchased home is to talk to the bank! Get yourself pre-approved for a mortgage if you need it, find out what the repayments will be, and calculate what you can afford. It’s all well and good for the bank to say you can have a certain amount. If, in reality, you don’t want to go without Netflix to make the payment, then don’t borrow that amount. A pre-approved mortgage makes it EASIER to buy a home. Agents know you are serious.

If you don’t need to borrow, then lucky you. Your amount is already set.

Make Your Wish/Want List

This is the fun part but also the part that brings the most pain. Make a list with your partner of what you’d like and what is an absolute deal-breaker. We had numerous conversations about this. When Gavin still worked in WA it was more practical for us to live near a town with services rather than in the middle of nowhere. That’s still the case. We like to have some small luxuries close by like a cafe and supermarket. Neighbours that are close enough to help are great when you have to live alone for periods of time.

If you have a list of needs in your head when you view properties you can be more objective. Yes, we buy with our heart but common sense has to b e part of the decision too if you don’t want to end up with a place you actually loathe.

What do You Want to do on Your Farm?

Your ideas around how you want to spend time on your farm should influence the property you buy. You’ll need access to water for crops or livestock. A farm that’s already established might have this. If you want a vegetable garden you’ll need enough space to plant and a good aspect. Maybe you want to make a living from your farm as we do. You’ll need spaces to do that or some way to attract visitors. You’ll need to work out how to sell and what you want to sell.

Your ideas could dictate what you buy but, in reverse, you might also be inspired once you’re settled. There may be a perfect glamping spot on your new property that could bring income you never thought of when you were looking. Be open-minded to such possibilities.

If all you want to do is sit on your porch and tend your garden with some chickens, you’re idea of a farm will be on a much smaller scale.

Are You Ready For it?

Mindset plays a big part in finding a dream farm. I’ve written about this before. You need to understand all the negatives to country life and not be carried away by the romance of it all. Are you ready for freezing mornings feeding animals? Are you ready for the stress of your garden being eaten overnight? These questions might have you rethinking if a farm is for you. Just be mindful that the reality is completely different and will take some getting used to.