Being an empty nester is a new and exciting chapter in one’s life, as children have moved out of the house and there are fewer responsibilities to focus on.
Couples who spent most of their adult lives in a suburban or urban setting for so long may be looking for a change of pace. There are many reasons why people choose Kurk Homes to move to rural areas, especially to Texas Hill Country, as it brings benefits while adapting to lifestyle changes.
Moving to a rural area can bring less stress for empty nesters compared to the hustle and bustle in urban or suburban settings. Wide open spaces, less traffic, and more land can all help empty nesters exhale.
Relocating to a more rural area can also provide space to acknowledge the feeling of letting your children go and move out. A 2024 study, “Empty Nest Syndrome: A Concept Analysis,” identifies the transition as a process, not an event. It defines a "two-year window" where parents move through mourning, resistance, and eventually "self-regaining." It explicitly mentions the feeling of being "swallowed by the empty house" as a psychological stage.
Moving to a new house can also offer a fresh start as part of the process of adapting to children moving out. A recent article, published by the University of Texas at Austin’s College of Natural Sciences, suggests that a relocation can help empty nesters find a new purpose without kids in the house. In fact, household changes can bring opportunity as couples are now given the freedom to spend more time nurturing their relationship.
A possible sign of the COVID-19 pandemic’s lasting impact is the ability of many people to work remotely. This contributed to the fact that the country’s fastest-growing places are increasingly likely to be far-flung exurban communities on the outer margins of metro areas, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
And Luke Rogers, a demographer from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Population Division, elaborates: “With many more people in working ages now able to work from home at least some of the time, it’s likely that some people are more willing to live further away from their place of employment than they would have in the past.”
Ample research exists illustrating that rural settings bring a litany of health benefits when compared to suburban and urban settings. For example, a 2018 study, “The health benefits of the great outdoors," a systematic review and meta-analysis of greenspace exposure and health outcomes, found that greater greenspace exposure was associated with lower salivary cortisol, heart rate, and diastolic blood pressure, plus lower risks of outcomes like type II diabetes, and all-cause mortalities.
Homes surrounded by nature and in proximity to trees, lakes, rivers, ponds instead of crowded people, traffic or loud noises offer much more and much greater access to greenspace.
At Kurk Homes, we believe your home should evolve with you. We build smarter, designing custom spaces specifically for rightsizing—the intentional process of aligning your home’s footprint with your current lifestyle.
Our rightsizing design philosophy focuses on:
Adaptive Space Planning: We create multi-purpose rooms that shift with your needs—transforming from a productive home office by day into a comfortable guest suite by night.
Strategic Storage Solutions: By integrating custom built-ins and "hidden" storage, we eliminate the visual noise of clutter, which can reduce daily stress and improve focus.
Curated Living: We design layouts that prioritize your most meaningful possessions, ensuring your "core collection" of memories has a place of honor without the burden of excess.
Intentional Flow: We design homes to allow you to optimize furniture placement and traffic patterns to ensure your home feels spacious.
It seems obvious, but there is more land available in the rural areas of Texas outside of the major urban areas. This surplus almost always means lower costs for land purchased for a new custom home.
Recent evidence backs up that Hill Country-region rural land is typically less expensive per acre than Houston, according to the Texas Real Estate Research Center.
Empty nesting and right-sizing often mean reduced or no childcare responsibilities; rural/suburban moves are often led to simpler lives and feelings of freedom.
In rural settings, there are fewer people, which means that community members tend to get to know each other. This ready access to friends and neighbors can provide a boost in empty nesters’ social life.
Also, living outside of the city just feels different from many empty nesters. The sense of community can often be strong distant from the hectic life that often accompanies urban living.
There are plenty of beautiful communities in and around Hill Country for empty nesters. And they offer a rich variety of recreational opportunities for residents. These include (but are not limited to):
Pickleball
Trail walking
Photography
Hiking
Boating
Picnicking
Fishing
Horseback riding
Community events
Golf
Tennis
Wine tasting
Check out all the communities in which Kurk Homes is a preferred builder to learn more about what activities and amenities are available to residents.
For many empty nesters, the Texas Hill Country represents the perfect blend of tranquility, purpose, and possibility. Its wide‑open spaces and slower pace of life offer a welcome contrast to the bustle of urban living, while the rise of remote work makes it easier than ever to relocate without sacrificing career flexibility.
With lower land costs, abundant natural beauty, and countless opportunities for recreation—from hiking and wine tasting to golf and community events, the region provides both comfort and adventure. Most importantly, the Hill Country’s strong sense of community and restorative connection to nature make it an ideal place for empty nesters to embrace this new chapter with renewed energy, belonging, and a fresh sense of home.
Empty nesters choose Kurk Homes because they are given the opportunity to build dream homes that are tailored to their unique needs and style. “Our clients are our top priority!”, said Melanie McGinley Sparks, President of Kurk Homes. “We’re a family-owned company that builds beautiful homes for families across Texas, with a strong focus on service and care. Our clients can feel at ease knowing their ideas are truly listened to and their vision is thoughtfully brought to life, so they can settle in and begin their next chapter with confidence.”