If you have always lived in the city, then there are some unique aspects of rural living that you need to consider when shopping for rural land for sale. Whether you will be purchasing a bare lot of land for your future dream home or buying an existing residence, it is important that you anticipate the special issues that all rural property owners face, including the following.
Zoning Issues
You can only build a home on a plot of land that has been zoned for residential use. So, if you are purchasing a bare plot of land for future building, then you need to check with the local government office to verify that the land has been zoned for residential use. Since it is nearly impossible to get most properties re-zoned, this step is vital if you are planning to build on the land you purchase.
Electrical Grid Connection
While turning on the power in a city house or apartment generally involves only a single call to the local power company and possibly making a small deposit, connecting a rural property to the power grid is not as simple and can be very expensive. When you are searching for your rural property, ask if potential properties are connected to the power grid and what the cost would be to do so if they are not connected.
Well-Water Availability and Quality
Since most rural properties rely on a water well to supply the household with water, it is important to ask about the availability of groundwater in the area and its quality. Not all areas of the country have groundwater that is shallow enough to tap into with a well, and many places have groundwater that is too contaminated to be used in your home.
Septic Tanks
In order to build a home, you will have to install a septic tank on your rural property. As long as the property has ample drainage, this can be a straightforward thing to do. However, if the ground you want to build on does not have adequate drainage, then a special type of septic system will need to be built, and this type of septic system is not inexpensive to install.
Cable TV and Internet Availability
Finally, as you might imagine, obtaining cable TV is nearly impossible for most rural landowners, except those close to towns or in areas that have been developed into subdivisions. You can also expect rural land to have fewer options for Internet service, and the options available will likely be more expensive.
