Tips for Loooking at Rural Properties
It would be wasteful to request a suitability analysis on every potential property you may visit. Ideally, you would only perform one analysis and on a property that largely appears to meet your needs. The question is: “What are the fundamental site requirements that I should look for that might rule out a property?”
Some of the following items may exclude some property from your consideration. Others are only intended to allow you to get a handle on some costs early so you will not be blind-sided later. If most or all of these factors seem to be acceptable, a suitability analysis can provide the information you need to make the final decision. It will help you identify the best areas for buildings, roads, pastures, utility routing, and many other issues.
Access
Be carefull of dirt roads. These are roads that use powdery soils or sand for a driving surface. Look for a well-drained (crowned) all-weather road surface. Tightly-packed gravel or asphalt is good but gravel may be preferred if it is a county road since they are easier to maintain. A poorly-maintained asphalt road can be filled with potholes, especially if logging or oilfield trucks use them. Clay roads can be slippery in rains. Look for ruts in a dry road for evidence of how they react in the rain. Driving home at 11:00 pm in a dark, driving rain on a slippery road is no fun. Getting stuck is worse.
Utility Access
Ideally, electric service should be near the edge of the property. You will have to pay for extending power to your building location. Routing alternatives can be important since you usually would prefer not to have powerlines in the view of your homesite.
Drainage
Having a creek on your property can be an asset but it may also be an area of active erosion or potential flooding. Erosion is a natural process but having it where you don’t want it can lead to an expensive fix. Crossing creeks is not too expensive if they are not too wide but wide drainage channels can mean lots of water and significant more expense for culverts, dirt-work, or bridges.
Large areas of flat terrain noticeably surrounded by higher ground may indicate an area that floods or is poorly-drained and too wet for roads and buildings. This type of land might make a good pasture but if there is little higher ground left over for buildings and roads, it could render a small property unusable.
If you intend on having a pond and none exists, one can be built on most any property. The flatter the land; the less watershed available to supply the pond. Look for land with a noticeable slope. Also, not all creeks are suited to be dammed for a pond. You don’t want to back water on to someone else’s property and large creek-flow can wash out your fish and bring in undesirable weeds.
Wildlife
If wildlife is an important goal for your country lifestyle, look for properties that have a diversity of habitat. You’ll need grasslands as well as forests. A forest interspersed with grasslands and dense understory vegetation is ideal habitat. If the small trees and shrubs have been cleared or grazed off, replacing this cover will take years and money. Sometimes the land just needs time to heal itself. Land that shows heavy abuse that might require heavy equipment to repair and should be discounted in price.
Livestock
If you plan on having livestock, buy property with lots of grass. You can clear trees later if you wish but this is an expensive step. Horse and cattle are hard on the land if not managed properly. You need to have enough area to allow you to move your livestock off an area to allow re-growth of the vegetation. The one-horse-per-acre is an often-heard rule that should be ignored. Using three-acres as a minimum would allow you to better manage your grass and reduce your dependency on hay (now around $10.00 per bale or more). Animals need room; give it to them and they will cause less damage and be healthier to boot.
Water
If the prospective property does not have access to a water utility, you will have to drill a well. Ask a local resident about their well; how is the water quality and how deep is it? If you can get a sample, have it tested. Deep wells usually have better water and greater dependability but are more expensive. This shouldn’t keep you from considering the property but at least you’ll know before you buy. If the water has a high iron content (red stains on everything) and better water is not available, you can buy some filtration systems but they can be expensive. Water is important, check it out as early as you can.
Neighbors
This is an important issue that is often overlooked. Rural areas usually have few or no ordinances regarding pet control, firearm discharges, noise, outdoor burning, control of trash, etc. If these become an issue in the future, it will be up to you to deal with your neighbor to resolve it. It is a good idea to meet a prospective neighbor(s) before buying. It allows you to learn more about the history of the property and give you a chance to see if you would enjoy living in the area. My experience is that most residents are pleased for the opportunity to meet a prospective neighbor and are usually happy to give you all sorts of information. (Like finding out the guy down the road is thinking about raising chickens for Tyson Foods.) And don’t forget: if your property is really out there, your neighbors are your first and fastest source of help when you really need it.