A couple decided to leave their cramped Brooklyn studio to move into a cozy cabin on a sprawling estate in rural Vermont.
Taylor and Tatum Barnes were fed up with living in a “roach-infested box” despite loving the people and atmosphere of New York City, Tatum said in a YouTube video.
After falling in love with the Upper Valley area of Vermont on a road trip, they eventually found an adorable home in the area for $160,000 which they quickly snapped up, as they explained to Business information.
The house needed updating — it had one bedroom and one bathroom — but the couple was up for the challenge of renovating the address in the tiny town of Pomfret, which has a population of 864 and is 30 minutes from Burlington.
Taylor and Tatum Barnes were fed up with living in a “roach-infested box” in Brooklyn, so they decided to buy a quaint house in rural Vermont for $160,000.
The couple moved from New York to the cabin in the town of Pomfret, Vermont, and have since welcomed their first child, Rafael, into their family.
“I thought it would be perfect for us,” Taylor, an artist, told the outlet.
The 650-square-foot home was being used as an office for a local company and had not served as a residence in at least a decade.
But all the couple saw was its potential as a long-term home for their growing family, with their son Rafael, now a toddler, still shining in his mother’s eyes on moving day.
“I saw the beauty of the natural lighting, there was a lot of sunlight. There are a lot of elegant details with the wood and the cabinets that I thought were really nice. And then most of all, the outdoor space was what we wanted,” Taylor continued.
It also came with a generous 2.6-acre lot.
For the renovation itself, they decided to hire a carpenter while Tatum also took on some of the work himself.
The first thing was to fix the sliding glass door and its frame that led to the porch.
“As winter was fast approaching, we certainly had to deal with that within the first few months of our arrival,” he reasoned.
The 650-square-foot home was being used as an office for a local company and had not been used as a residence for at least a decade prior.
It had needed some renovations, but nothing too crazy, and is now a cozy home for a family of three.
The home also comes with a generous 2.6 acre lot.
They also decided to reduce some of their energy consumption by investing in solar networks.
“I think it’s a good investment because we’re going to save a lot of money in the long run. And I think it’s a sign that we intend to be here for the long term,” Tatum added of the decision.
As another money-saving measure, virtually everything they own has been purchased at thrift stores, given away, or otherwise acquired at no cost.
They also run a campsite on their property which generates another source of income.
In any case, the mortgage on the idyllic property is still only half of what they paid in rent in Brooklyn.
Single people are estimated to need to earn at least $140,000 to live “comfortably” in New York City, while a family of four needs to earn at least $318,000, according to BI.
In terms of connecting with your community, the dynamic is quite different in the Big Apple.
“In New York City, we don’t say hi to everyone who walks by us because if you did, you’d go crazy. There are too many people and not everyone is your friend there,” Tatum said.
Almost all of the items in the house are secondhand, gifted, or otherwise obtained for free.
Now that Rafael is two years old, taking him to various activities has also made it easier for him to meet people in the area.
“But here in Vermont, everyone says hello to you and you learn to say hello back. It’s a very friendly and welcoming environment.”
Your nearest neighbors are across the street, rather than across the hall or even beyond a shared wall, which also allows for much more privacy.
Because they moved during the pandemic, there was a delay in connecting with everyone in the area, but they have since overcome that hurdle and are friendly with many other residents in their town.
And now that Rafael is two, taking him to various activities has also made it easier for him to meet people in the area.
“It’s a slower pace here, but that doesn’t mean we’re not running around trying to get him from playdates to daycare to work. I can’t imagine how we would do that in New York,” Tatum said.
“We met other parents and families through playgroups and things like that, and we got to know our neighbors more,” said Taylor, who is originally from Pennsylvania.
“I lived in New York City for about four years and knew I couldn’t sustain it long-term because of the sensory overload and the pace of life,” she added.