John Mellencamp and Meg Ryan Looking to Buy a New House ‘Out of the Spotlight’ After Getting Engaged (Exclusive)

Just two months after announcing their November 2018 engagement, Meg Ryan and her rocker fiancé, John Mellencamp, bundled up and headed to a small, snow-covered town in Connecticut to go house hunting.

“In Manhattan, they are constantly recognized, so they want an oasis, a haven out of the spotlight,” an insider exclusively revealed to Closer Weekly in the magazine’s latest issue, on newsstands now. “They’re both very private people and love nature, so it’s a mutual desire.”

The places Meg, 57, and John, 67, are considering look nothing like the “little pink houses” he sang about in the ’80s. One, a stunning brick mansion with five bedrooms, seven baths and a heated saltwater pool, is listed for $4.9 million and located just 90 minutes away from NYC. When they finally decide on a home, you can be sure walls will come tumblin’ down for renovation — one of Meg’s favorite pastimes.

“It’s a chance for me to bring my vision to the world,” the actress, who has previously bought and flipped nine properties, has said. Until then, the couple will continue to split their time between Meg’s place in New York City (where her daughter, Daisy True Ryan, 14, goes to school) and John’s home in Indiana. “Meg wants to stay on the East Coast,” the insider said, “so this is making her happy.”

While house hunting and wedding planning can be stressful for some, Meg and John are enjoying every minute. “They’re both hippies at heart and at this age, they want no drama — they want it easy,” noted the insider, adding that they plan “to get married on the spur of the moment.”

One thing is certain: The couple will be surrounded by the love of family and friends on their big day. “Meg is an amazing, brilliant woman,” John’s daughter, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave, recently gushed to Closer. “She’s funny, too — one of those people you like being around.” Aww!

For more on your favorite celebs, pick up the latest issue of Closer Weekly, on newsstands now — and be sure to sign up for our newsletter for more exclusive news!