Couple who were priced out of New York transform $160,000 cottage in Vermont into their dream home

A couple decided to trade their cramped Brooklyn studio for a cozy cottage on a sprawling estate in rural Vermont.

Taylor and Tatum Barnes were tired of living in a “cockroach house” despite loving the people and vibe of New York City, Tatum said in a YouTube video.

After falling in love with Vermont’s Upper Valley area during a road trip, they eventually found a cute house in the area for $160,000 that they quickly snapped up, as they Company Insider.

The one-bedroom, one-bathroom home needed some work, but the couple was interested in the challenge of renovating the address in the small town of Pomfret, a town of 864 people located 30 minutes from Burlington.

The couple moved from NYC to the cottage 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 60-square-meter building was used as an office for a local company and had not been used as a residence for at least ten years.

But the couple only saw its potential as a long-term home for their growing family. Their now toddler, Rafael, still looked radiant in his mother’s eyes when they moved in.

“I saw the beauty of the natural lighting, there was a lot of sunlight. There’s a lot of nice details with the wood and the cabinets that I thought were really cute. And then the outdoor space was especially what we wanted,” Taylor continued.

It also included a generous 2.6 hectares of land.

For the renovation itself, they decided to hire a carpenter, while Tatum also did some of the work himself.

The first thing we did was repair the sliding glass door and frame that led to the porch.

“Since winter was fast approaching, we absolutely had to take care of that in the first months after arrival,” he reasoned.

The 6,500-square-foot home was used as an office for a local business and had not been used as a residence for at least a decade

It needed some renovations, but nothing major – and it is now a cozy home for a family of three

The house also comes with a generous 2.6 hectares of land

They also decided to reduce some of their power consumption by investing in solar energy grids.

“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 an indication that we plan to be here for the long term,” Tatum added of the decision.

To save even more money, they have gotten virtually everything they own from a thrift store, given it to them as a gift, or otherwise obtained it for free.

They also run a campsite on their property, which generates an additional income stream.

Regardless, their mortgage on the idyllic property is still only half of what they used to pay in rent in Brooklyn.

According to one estimate, single people 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. BI.

In terms of community connection, the dynamics in the Big Apple are very different.

“In New York City, we don’t wave to everyone we pass because if you did, you’d go crazy. There’s too many people and not everyone is your friend there,” Tatum noted.

Almost all items in the house come from the thrift store, were donated or obtained for free in some other way

Now that Rafael is two, taking him to different activities has also made meeting people in the area easier

“But here in Vermont, everyone waves at you, and you learn to wave back. It’s very friendly and very welcoming.”

Their next-door neighbors live across the street, rather than across the hall or even behind a shared wall, which also provides much more privacy.

Because they moved during the pandemic, it took a while to reach everyone in the area, but they have since overcome that hurdle and are now good friends with many other residents of their city.

And now that Rafael is two, we can take him to different activities. That way I also meet people from the area.

“The pace is slower here, but that doesn’t mean we’re not running around trying to get him from playdate to daycare and back to work. I just can’t imagine how we would do that in New York,” Tatum said.

“We met other parents and families through play groups and things like that, and got to know our neighbors better,” said Taylor, who is originally from Pennsylvania.

“I lived in New York City for about four years and I knew I couldn’t sustain that long-term because of the sensory overload and the fast pace of life,” she added.