Why Predictions of the End of Rural Development could be Premature

I recently met with Tom Peckett, mayor of a rural township (McNab Braeside) about 8 minutes north of Arnprior, itself about 25 minutes north of Ottawa. We talked about the future of rural property. 

I am now moreoptimistic than ever about its future both for residential development andindustrial. Here’s what I said to the mayor—

From: Bruce
Firestone 

Sent:
Saturday, February 14, 2015 9:34 AM

To: Tom
Peckett

Subject:
rural lifestyle

Mayor, not
only will Elon Musk’s less expensive Tesla models keep rural living/lifestyles
alive in the next generation, his home battery will one day (soon) make
sustainable off-grid living a reality.

So here’s
my thinking…

1.         Many city planners believe everyone should
live in a highrise downtown (no thanks)

2.         They also believe that oil prices will
rise to make rural living too expensive (wrong)

3.         They think commutes are already too
long and too costly (wrong, wrong)

4.         But, in reality, work-from-home and micro
businesses are making downtowns obsolete not rural lifestyles (eg, my OBJ story on Life Without Plastic, a home-based business approaching 7 figures in revenues)

5.         People will work from home and shop
from home as well as get their entertainment at home

6.         Later on 3-d printers may mean they
can manufacture at home too

7.         In a few years, solar panels and batteries will be so
good, and home insulation so fantastic, that net zero homes will be everywhere

8.         Tillable land and grow local/shop local play to the strength of rural areas

9. So rural living may be cheaper than urban…

Those are
my predictions.

I am going
to use some of this in my speech in Alberta
this month on growing rural tourism. 

Our
discussion the other day helped crystallize this for me.

Regards, 

Bruce

Bruce M
Firestone, B Eng (Civil), M Eng-Sci, PhD

Century 21 Explorer Realty Inc Broker

613.422.6757 x 250

bruce.firestone@century21.ca

www.brucemfirestone.com

@ProfBruce

“Making each day count”