Buying a rural home is only a little different than buying a suburban one. In fact, if ranch home buying is on your wish list for 2022, here's what you need to know.
1. Well: Rural homes are typically on a well, meaning they pump their own water from the ground. While this does mean that you no longer have to pay for water, you need to take care of the system on your own. For the most part, wells are self-sufficient and only need to be inspected every ten years or so. Be sure to keep chemicals and other pollutants away from the area and keep your well pump house above freezing in the winter.
2. Septic: Buying a rural home almost always means buying a home on a private septic system instead of the municipal sewer system. While being on a septic system may be unfamiliar and even a little scary at first, it really isn't all that different from what you are probably used to. Be conscious that everything you flush down a toilet or rinse down a drain will end up in your septic tank. Don't clog up the system with things like dental floss, grease, and cigarette butts, and have the tank cleaned and inspected every three to five years.
3. Cellular: Many people that are interested in ranch home buying are also interested in getting away from big city life. This doesn't mean, however, that they no longer want to call friends and family. Make sure you understand just how good (or bad) the cellular service is at your potential ranch home. Talk to your real estate agent about options for the area.
4. Access road: At first, the idea of being out in the middle of nowhere may appeal to you, but understand that the long and winding access road that leads to your ranch home may not be maintained by the county during the winter months. In other words, you will be responsible for plowing the access road if you want to run out to the grocery store.
5. Acreage: When buying a ranch home, you should know that 100 acres is not always 100 acres. In fact, large parcels are often described by how many types of acres they encompass, including tillable acres, fallow land, woodlands, and even low-lying lands. A 100-acre property that has only 50 tillable acres may not work for your needs. When you are serious about ranch home buying, you need to understand exactly what type of acreage a potential piece of property includes.
When you are interested in ranch home buying, you need to understand that you have to give up a few city perks to live in the country.
For more information, reach out to a company such as Thomas J. Real Estate.