Frequently Asked Questions

Question Are you clear about what you want and can afford?
 
Answer As a buyer you need to be clear about the type of property you’re looking for and the costs involved. Is it timbered property versus pasture, hilly versus flat, hunting and fishing or personal retreat? Decide on what amenities your looking for; example: lakes, ponds, streams or springs. Country properties are also not as cheap as they once were, thanks to modern technology. Technology is bringing more people connected in less populated areas and is playing a part in how property is valued. The same person working in a home office on the farm can accomplish the same of someone working in a nearby city.
Question Do you need to be near civilization?
 
Answer Country air is fine, but the location is key to the occasional itch for a restaurant in the city. When looking at a rural property, decide what your objective is. “That frames your purchase.”
Question What’s your family’s life stage?
 
Answer Make sure to let us know if schools systems are at the top of your criteria.
Question What do you want to do on your acreage?
 
Answer If you want horses, it’s important for us to know, so we can check the zoning laws and any covenants.
Question Are you buying land to build on?
 
Answer If you are planning on buying land to build a home, barn or other buildings, make sure the soil is suitable. If there are designated wetlands on the property, actual building sites will be sharply limited. Knowing the soil structure provides answers to any number of building issues- can you build a basement, will the soil drain storm water, is it suitable for a septic system. Soil studies and perk testing play important roles in determining these.
Question What kind of access does the property have?
 
Answer Easy access to property is generally a great advantage for property values. Short of road frontage being an expressway, property on a hard-surfaced road is best. But access created from easements, pipelines, power lines and railroad is less desirable. You cannot be denied access to your property but that doesn’t mean your neighbor can’t make your life miserable. Deeded access to land is extremely important if it’s surrounded by private or public properties.
Question What are the zoning laws?
 
Answer Zoning determines what you can do with the property now, or down the road. Zoning laws tell you more than the restrictions that apply to your property. They also give you an idea of local intentions for surrounding properties.
Question What’s a wetland and why is it important?
 
Answer Wetlands are home to ducks, geese and frogs. A wetland designation can either be a great asset or a can limit the property’s value and your ability to build on it. You’ll want to know if the wetland increases the potential for flooding on the property. Local, state and federal agencies all have rules regarding wetlands and often additional rules for the upland ground around them and the watershed that directs runoff into them.
Question How can I tell if the property has good drainage?
 
Answer It’s always a good idea to see a property during or right after a good rain. This will help tell if water flows towards houses, barns or other buildings. This can also reveal an erosion problem.
Question What are phase I, II and III environmental audits?
 
Answer A phase I audit, which can cost $1,500 to $2,000 per property, is a professional review of the land’s history to see what transpired there in the past (manufacturing, mining, farming, construction). A phase II audit is more in depth and includes soils tests and other evidence collecting. A phase III audit involves cleanup.
Question Are there enough wells on the property and are they adequately sealed?
 
Answer You want to double check the well site locations to determine if you will have adequate water supply in needed areas. An old board with bricks on top doesn’t seal a well good enough to keep contaminants from running down into it. Another risk to wells is a non-functioning septic field. Sewage gurgling to the surface can migrate over to the wellhead. It’s always good to test well water for chloroform, bacteria, and nitrates, to make sure its safe.
Question Are there any dump sites on the property?
 
Answer Keep an eye out for old dumps and burn piles. They may be home to old pesticide containers, barrels of waste oil or worse. A few items on the surface of the ground may hint at more refuse below.
Question What precautions do I need to know about storage tanks?
 
Answer Look to see if chemicals, fuel or oil has been spilled into the soil around storage tanks. Also check for underground storage tanks. While you don’t expect the Environmental Protection Agency to race up the drive and start removing barrels of toxic oil, spills pose a risk to your drinking water.
Question What are roll back taxes?
 
Answer Roll Back Taxes are taxes that may become due when a property changes ownership. If a property seller has had a property in land use, they most likely have been paying a reduced amount of property taxes by the local authority. The difference between the discounted amount paid and the full taxed amount may become due when the property is sold.
Question What is adverse possession?
 
Answer It’s a legal act in which your property can fall into the possession of your neighbor if you fail to assert your property rights. An example might be a man who built his fences 30 years ago on land you assume to be yours. Even if the survey draws attention to the discrepancy, there may be nothing you can do. Make sure you are not paying for that piece of property in the sale or in subsequent taxes.
Question How do I find out a properties timber value?
 
Answer We would ask a local expert. A professional who cruises timber can give the best estimates. At different times, trees have different values. An example would be: hardwoods may have more value than pine.
Question What’s important about cemeteries on a property?
 
Answer Cemeteries may affect the future use of your property. An example would be: ingress & egress (access to and from) must always be maintained to the public.
Question What is an undesirable development?
 
Answer Say the property boarders a tree farm. The trees are a natural enhancement to the value of your property. But then those trees are harvested. Or more, the trees are harvested, and the owner decides to sell the property to a trailer-park developer. This could affect the property’s value down the road.
Question Why should I get a survey?
 
Answer Modern technology gives you the opportunity before closing a deal to know your boundaries almost exactly. You should know that a new survey may be slightly different for the original just because the surveyors now use GPS systems and lasers, rather than tree lines and fence posts as markers. It’s very important to get it done by a licensed surveyor, and someone best in the county to insure it’s done correctly. Unfortunately, surveys are not always conducted prior to the sale of rural acreages. A thorough survey can cost upward of $1,000 to $2,000 on large properties, which is not prohibitive given the amount of money involved in an acreage purchase. And if the sale involves a lender, a survey will be required.
Question What does a county extension agent do?
 
Answer They are affiliated with the U.S. Dept of Agriculture and hold a wealth of information. They know your soil types, if there are wetlands, how erodible the property is and what trees, plants and animals thrive there. They also have information about local, state and federal programs that might help you make improvements to your land.