Swapping City Life for The Good Life

From traditional chocolate-box cottages to stunning manor houses, Michael Graham has properties for sale in some of the most picturesque and sought after villages in the region. But what is it that makes village life so special?

• ‘Better quality of life’ is usually the first phrase that comes to mind when contemplating a town to village move. Space and silence are huge draws, with beautiful views and the sound of birdsong and church bells a balm for the soul.
• Community spirit is alive and well in villages, with cheery greetings taken as a sign of friendliness rather than oddness.
• You’re quite simply safer. Rates of violent crime, burglary and vehicle thefts in villages are half those of urban areas.
• Many villages boast great amenities. Village halls regularly put on cultural events, a great local pub means dinner out is a stroll away and award-winning farmer’s markets often provide fresh produce to the village shop.
• Education is high on the list of parental priorities, and primary school children statistically do better in rural environments.
• Moving to a village is the perfect opportunity to take up new hobbies, or devote more time to old ones. Cricket on the Village Green is a perfect way to spend an afternoon, whether as player or spectator, and the range of clubs, societies and events on offer will exhaust even the most sociable and energetic of residents. From harvest suppers to safari suppers, duck races to dog shows, and village fetes to festivals, you’ll be a million miles from city life, but quite possibly happier for it.

True, the broadband can be dodgy, and you might sometimes wish a walk to the village shop for a pint of milk didn’t take quite so long (people like to stop and chat in a village), but road and rail links to the city mean you can be back there in a trice anyway. As a lifestyle, slowing down and living in the moment is a way of life that’s hard to beat.

Michael Graham would love to help you find your dream village home. Log on to our website at michaelgraham.co.uk to see our village properties for sale.