[Broome99]

I'm a New Yorker and I'm in the process of buying a property in Vermont with my parents.

We're from California originally but after I got a job here they came to enjoy the city and to be near family. They're in their 70's and retired and they've really enjoyed the activity and culture. Since the pandemic started it has been a completely different story. My mom has anxiety issues already and this just set it over the top. Every time they step outside they feel fear and the density of people just makes it so much worse— going down the elevator every day, walking on a crowded sidewalk (yes there are still crowds unfortunately), there just isn't space to be safely distant from people.

For years we've had a dream of owning a beautiful piece of property that the family could always come back to— a compound or family getaway. We'd been checking all over, mostly in the Hudson Valley and Vermont for years before this happened. It just became much more urgent in this crisis. I will live in VT and work remotely until I'm able to return to NY. My parents will stay in VT and visit NY when they can. I'm not sure if this really applies widely but I thought I'd throw my story into this discussion. The pandemic may not cause people to pack up and move to the countryside but for those who were already on the fence it could be the final straw.

[EastwardBound]

Originally Posted by Broome99

I'm a New Yorker and I'm in the process of buying a property in Vermont with my parents.

We're from California originally but after I got a job here they came to enjoy the city and to be near family. They're in their 70's and retired and they've really enjoyed the activity and culture. Since the pandemic started it has been a completely different story. My mom has anxiety issues already and this just set it over the top. Every time they step outside they feel fear and the density of people just makes it so much worse— going down the elevator every day, walking on a crowded sidewalk (yes there are still crowds unfortunately), there just isn't space to be safely distant from people.

For years we've had a dream of owning a beautiful piece of property that the family could always come back to— a compound or family getaway. We'd been checking all over, mostly in the Hudson Valley and Vermont for years before this happened. It just became much more urgent in this crisis. I will live in VT and work remotely until I'm able to return to NY. My parents will stay in VT and visit NY when they can. I'm not sure if this really applies widely but I thought I'd throw my story into this discussion. The pandemic may not cause people to pack up and move to the countryside but for those who were already on the fence it could be the final straw.

The current situation has also made us decide to finally sell and move as well. I also feel we are at the peak of a very good real estate market and that it may begin dropping all over, so we want to cash out while we can. I wish you luck on your move!

[EastwardBound]

Was reading about the 14-day quarantine rule for visitors. Thoughts on how to handle that if one needs to purchase a property?

[tkln]

You can lie like everyone else is doing and claim you quarantined...otherwise your only option I'm guessing would be to do virtual tours with a realtor, or find someplace to stay for 14 days to quarantine.

[EastwardBound]

Originally Posted by tkln

You can lie like everyone else is doing and claim you quarantined...otherwise your only option I'm guessing would be to do virtual tours with a realtor, or find someplace to stay for 14 days to quarantine.

Yes, thinking we may have to do some virtual tours. Would be odd to buy a place unseen, but this would be an investment property, so I guess it could work with all the necessary steps and usual protections like the inspection, and so on.

[vter]

Realtors say out-of-staters buying up Vermont homes online
https://vtdigger.org/2020/05/26/real...kr_1d9zxb2hSUY

[EastwardBound]

Originally Posted by vter

Realtors say out-of-staters buying up Vermont homes online
https://vtdigger.org/2020/05/26/real...kr_1d9zxb2hSUY

Yes, I read that this morning. Seems like many people have similar thoughts in mind!

[BeekeeperVT]

We moved here about a decade ago and love being away from the city. I work in technology and was somehow able to keep my clients after moving. The biggest obstacle was internet connection but I knew that going in and made sure the places we looked at had something I could work with. Upgrading to business DSL solved any early issues I had.

[Biker53]

Originally Posted by vter

Realtors say out-of-staters buying up Vermont homes online
https://vtdigger.org/2020/05/26/real...kr_1d9zxb2hSUY

I saw that too. With VT having had one of the lowest death rates in the country, and especially given our neighbors NY, MA, NJ, & CT have been nothing short of disastrous, I think people are seeing VT as a safe haven.

I will admit that when we moved here my thoughts on what the future held guided me in selecting my property. No surprise that others see it too.

[Biker53]

Originally Posted by Broome99

I'm a New Yorker and I'm in the process of buying a property in Vermont with my parents.

We're from California originally but after I got a job here they came to enjoy the city and to be near family. They're in their 70's and retired and they've really enjoyed the activity and culture. Since the pandemic started it has been a completely different story. My mom has anxiety issues already and this just set it over the top. Every time they step outside they feel fear and the density of people just makes it so much worse— going down the elevator every day, walking on a crowded sidewalk (yes there are still crowds unfortunately), there just isn't space to be safely distant from people.

For years we've had a dream of owning a beautiful piece of property that the family could always come back to— a compound or family getaway. We'd been checking all over, mostly in the Hudson Valley and Vermont for years before this happened. It just became much more urgent in this crisis. I will live in VT and work remotely until I'm able to return to NY. My parents will stay in VT and visit NY when they can. I'm not sure if this really applies widely but I thought I'd throw my story into this discussion. The pandemic may not cause people to pack up and move to the countryside but for those who were already on the fence it could be the final straw.

When I initially bought my property as a 2nd home it was with the thinking that it would become fulltime, which it did 3 years later. Part of my thinking was that I wanted to create a homestead for my young adult kids and future grandkids to come to in an increasingly fragile world. My son has since moved to VT fulltime himself into a new home they built. My son-in-law down in NC hopes to hold onto my place as a family property after we're gone.