Columbians seek slice of rural life

COLUMBIA — Julie Brandt decided in 2004 that it was time to buy a home, but that meant living in Columbia was no longer an economically viable option. Home prices here were just too high.

After a stint as a guest lecturer at Central Methodist University, Brandt decided Fayette was the place to be.

“I just started hankering for ... a house, and there was no way I could afford Columbia because I would be living in a dump,” said Brandt, who does research at MU’s Center for Health Care Quality. “I came out here to teach a class for a friend at the college, and I thought it seemed really nice.”

According to survey results released this spring by Horizon Research Services, Brandt has what one in every four Columbia residents wants: a house in a rural area outside Columbia. Although the 25 percent of survey respondents specifically indicated they would prefer a home outside the city but in Boone County, Brandt had to go a little farther to find her slice of rural life.

Horizon several weeks ago released a sampling of its survey results but is offering to sell its full report on homebuyer and real estate demographics and trends for $2,000. Jason Griffin, general manager for Horizon, said that’s a good deal for development companies and others who can’t afford to do research on their own.

“When we design a research project of this magnitude from scratch, it can cost a company anywhere between $25,000 and $30,000,” Griffin said.

Horizon research associate Paula Carter said the information isn’t intended for homeowners but for businesses that can use it to help develop strategic plans. It could prove useful to developers, real estate agents and other companies involved with homebuying and home improvements.

“Even if people bought into the idea that the economy is bad, so it’s bad here, too, it might not be a black-and-white issue,” Carter said. “It might not impact every industry the same way. If people were a little nervous about selling their house and felt like they needed to do more work on their home, it could be a boon for remodelers, home improvement suppliers and landscapers. It’s possible that if one industry sees a setback, a different set would need to plan to accommodate an increase.”

Although the Horizon survey documents a lot of interest in rural homes, real estate agent Dave Miller of RE/MAX Boone Realty said country properties can be a tough sell. Many people who move to the country like to build a house that suits their interests rather than purchase an existing home. People looking for rural property aren’t just looking for the right home but also for the right atmosphere.

Real estate agent Mary Ann Groves, also with RE/MAX, said rural properties aren’t for everyone. She’s met plenty of homebuyers who initially thought moving to the country would be ideal but later changed their minds.

“What often happens is that people will tell you they want to be in the country, and then they find out they have a gravel road or their own waste-disposal system,” Groves said. “What they really want is privacy, and privacy can be created in several ways without living on acreage.”

Although, after living in Columbia for almost 20 years, Brandt chose a small town instead of true country living, she still enjoys the rural atmosphere, especially the friendly neighbors. One retired neighbor even volunteers to mow her lawn. And Fayette is where she met her boyfriend, Jeff Stockhorst.

A visiting friend from Lawrence, Kan., described Fayette, which is the Howard County seat, as “so Norman Rockwell.”

“The place I lived in Columbia for five years — I barely knew my neighbors,” Brandt said.

The flip side of a rural town, Brandt said, is that the friendly environment can compromise one’s privacy.

“Here, your business is other people’s business,” she said. “If you’re not doing things that are really troublesome to other people, it’s all right.”

The only time Brandt questioned her move to Fayette was when she hit a deer on her drive home from work. The accident totaled her car and, for a time, made her extremely nervous about the commute. Now, however, she enjoys time on the road.

“It’s kind of a wind-me-down drive so you can decompress,” she said.

Brandt is among many residents of rural areas outside Columbia who commute to the city for work. Carter said the Horizon survey found that many mid-Missourians are accustomed to commuting.

“In mid-Missouri, many people live in Columbia but work in Jefferson City, or live in smaller surrounding towns but work or go to school in Columbia,” she said. “So there is a bit of a built-in expectation or tolerance of a commute in our area. The location of one’s job is not the sole factor for the decision on where to buy a home.”

Brandt said she’s not particularly attached to Fayette, but she appreciates the opportunity it gives her to own her dream home.

“I don’t feel attachment to the town,” Brandt said. “I feel an attachment to this house, and therefore, I like being in this town.”