Looking at rural land. Any advice?

[OnionPatch]

I follow this group but don’t post much. I’m posting today because my dream is finally coming true. I’m buying a rural lot to build a house on! I’m looking for around 5-10 acres for one small house, a garage, a barn/shed and of course a chicken coop. 😃 I’ll have a big garden and will plant a handful of fruit trees. I have three dogs that can’t wait to have a huge yard to explore. I want to be surrounded by trees and nature, not neighbors.

Aside from the usual advice on finding land, can anyone give me tips of what to look for and what to avoid?

Thanks!

[Phoenix61]

1. How are the wells in the area? Talk to neighbors

about any changes they’ve noticed recently. Churches and bars are great places to find people happy to talk about the area.

[OnionPatch]

13. I will definitely have a contingency that I find water.

Good advice. Can’t live without water! The lot I’m looking at now has some distant neighbors and they all have good wells.

[GPV]

2. Drainage. Make sure your land has a suitable building site. Also water source. Our community has

a nice deep aquifer but it is seriously iron heavy. We had to put in filters, but it’s still pretty strong.

We built a modular and got a nice house for a reasonable cost and pretty quickly, but some of the work was shoddy and since we were directing things ourselves we overlooked opportunities that an architect or general contractor might have pointed out, such as wiring up for extra outdoor lighting, more heat in the bathrooms, and more lights in the kitchen. We did put ceiling fans in all the rooms tho, and that’s been great.

Good luck on your exciting adventure!

Editing to add, build for the future of climate change. I wish we’d put in even better drainage around house. Super heavy extended rain will back up the system and flood our basement.

[OnionPatch]

14. I'm also buying a modular home.

It’s faster and more economical and no one would ever guess the house I’m buying is a modular. It’s beautiful! I’m not too worried about potential resale value since this is going to be my forever home now. The company has good reviews and there is a ten year warranty. All the work is done by them or their subcontractors. How are you liking your home?

I’m a retired GIS analyst and you can bet I’m pouring over all the flood plain and soil data I can find when I look at a lot. But you’re right about planning for climate change. I hadn’t thought of that too much, thanks!

[GPV]

19. If you live in a drought-prone area, can you do a rain water catch system? That definitely

falls under the heading of future planning. Gone are the days of frequent soft rains here in Maine. Now the heavens crack open every week or two, and wash out to sea. My house is a ranch, so the roof is huge. If I could have afforded it, a catch system would have worked well here.

I love my house. We moved here from a trailer, so it’s been like heaven.

[OnionPatch]

26. I always thought that was a great idea.

This is northern Virginia near the Blue Ridge Mountains. Lots of rainfall!! But a rain catch might be good just in case for watering plants etc. Thanks! I could at least get a rain barrel.

[GPV]

30. I want to get copper rain bells. So pretty!

[CMYK]

2. Late autumn,or winter is best

If you can, wait for the leaves to fall, you'll see the texture of the land better, and possibly decide which trees should go. Also try to look a day or two after a heavy rain, to see how the land drains (look for bent grasses, erosion, water pathways).

(I've been selling land for eighteen years)

Wear boots, enjoy the walks!

[OnionPatch]

16. Oh you're right!

And fall is coming up but I don’t have time to wait until then to buy a lot. However the home won’t be placed until spring so I should have time to choose the best location on the lot before site prep.

I wonder if I can find some winter imagery. That may reveal any water drainage areas.

[randr]

4. Water rights?

Sometimes a piece of land has water rights from some source. These are separate and not always transferred with property.
Find out if there are any old/abandoned wells or septic systems.
Also clear title of egress is needed if the parcel was split off another property.
Any infringements or rights of way should appear at title search. Make sure these are acceptable for your plans.

[OnionPatch]

22. I'll definitely check that.

I’ll probably have a contingency on finding water and being able to drill a well.

[nitpicker]

5. Also check to see if the land floods

Go out there after a heavy rain.

And check with the "neighbors" to see if they have issues too.

[OnionPatch]

27. Good advice.

It’s supposed to rain tomorrow when I visit a lot I’m very interested in again. I was thinking “Ug!” but actually it will be good to see it during rain, you’re so right! I’ll take my boots and rain jacket. 👍🏻

[nitpicker]

6. And decide what you want to do with waste disposal

I don't think you'll be able to tap into county water/sewer, so consider if you will need a septic system or a more high-tech processing system.

[OnionPatch]

17. The lot I'm looking at has had a perk test and is approved.

But yes that a definite MUST HAVE. Lol!!

You’re right that I will almost definitely need to install a septic system. I have the cost planned in my budget. Also assuming I’ll need a well.

[nitpicker]

7. And check to see if it will grow anything

You may need soil remediation, such as manure, to do that.

((There's got to be reason(s) someone would sell up.))

[Nay]

8. Yes! Get soil tests for different areas on the acreage. Also, see if there is a slight rise

somewhere in the middle of the property that is suitable for building. My DIL's relatives bought a cute house on 7 acres, only to find that the front yard filled up with water and flooded the crawl space at every rain, making everything so moldy that it was unlivable even with mold remediation in the crawlspace.

[OnionPatch]

28. That would be awful.

One of the reasons I’m building new is because I have mold sensitivity that affects my health. I really don’t want any water pooling around my house.

[OnionPatch]

18. That's what the chickens are for. Lol.

But it will take them awhile to create that much fertilizer. I’ll start slow. First, a tomato patch!! Everything else can come later since I can grow lettuce and such in containers.

[NoMoreRepugs]

9. Spend time in the local towns. You may or may not

find the people to be as desirable as the property. Just an opinion.

[OnionPatch]

20. I'm assuming I'll have a lot more Trumpster types for neighbors.

But that’s just a sad fact about rural life.

I’ve been reading that a lot of more educated, diverse people are moving to rural areas since working remotely has become popular. Maybe we will be starting a “take back the country” movement. Country as in moo moo. 😊

[samnsara]

10. make sure you have water rights and mineral rights...

..are you sharing irrigation water with rural neighbors and how far down the line are you? does your land flood?...and what are your neighbors like because sometimes in the boonies you have to depend on them. Buy a generator. Learn to live without daily trips to the grocers. What wildlife will you share your space with..skunks, rattlesnakes, large predators? Keep a shotgun handy.

I live on 5 forested acres about 15 miles from town on a curvy cliff road so takes 30 min to get to town just for milk. In the winter we go to town about 2 times a week as my driveway is steep and needs to be plowed after every snowfall ( and sometimes that doesnt happen). We've had all the animals that live in the woods, wander thru our land including rattlers and a cougar that stood in our driveway and stared at us thru the window. So fence your pets in!!



Buy several freezers and install solar panels. Have fun and let us know what you decide..and keep us updated on your progress

Not all the wildlife you will encounter is scary.. i have a deer feeder and right now I have a buck in velvet, three spotted fawns and their moms and about 15 wild turkeys that show up several times a day for snacks. We also have eagles, hawks and an occasional bear ( altho I have never personally seen a bear here). Most likely you will have coyotes..watch your cats.

[OnionPatch]

21. All good advice!

I would like to get a freezer so I can buy local meat in bulk. Solar panels are in the long term plan for sure. I do have a small generator.

I grew up on a farm and lived somewhat rurally often during my life (just never owned much land) so I’m used to wild animals. I dealt with bears and bobcats in my chicken coop in California but some of the wildlife is different here in Virginia. We see deer and foxes here daily. We didn’t see those much in CA. They say there aren’t any cougars here but who knows for sure. They scare me more than any other wild animal. I always watched my back in CA. Bobcats, coyotes, etc. don’t scare me at all. I love watching wildlife and am an avid birder.

[Midnight Writer]

29. And easement. My buddy spent years in court with a neighbor who blocked his access road.

[Kali]

11. learn how to build decent fence

learn to slow down and make do with what you have. errands take longer, enjoy the chatting. learn to tell stories.

[OnionPatch]

12. I have fence experience

😀 My late husband and I put up a wood plank fence around our entire lot (an acre) at our old house and I’m a pro at tee posts and woven wire. I can put up some of that kind but I think I’ll hire out for the more decorative (and labor intensive) wood fence this time. I’m getting too old for that kind of work.

I recently retired, so I’m totally ready to slow down and enjoy the little things.

[Rebl2]

15. Don't know

where you are, but in the state I live in many in rural areas burn their trash.

[OnionPatch]

23. My sister burns her trash.

She lives rurally. She recycles everything and composts so it’s mostly just paper that she burns. I can get tips from her.

[Tbear]

24. GIS

Electronic plat maps. Has a terrain feature that shows high and low spots. Allows for daydreaming when you are not on location.
Here I log in to “fetch gis” then select a county.

[OnionPatch]

31. Yes!!

I’m a retired GIS analyst so yes, I’ve been messing with terrain maps and 3D maps and every other
thing I can find! I used ArcGIS online and created a map that shows everything I can think of, including watershed, flood maps, contours, traffic and air noise, median income and home values, land use, CAFOs, schools and hospitals and yes, election outcome maps to help me avoid the reddest of areas. I feel very lucky to have this expertise to help me find a new home but most people should be able to do some basic map sleuthing. I totally agree it’s a great idea! Thanks for mentioning it.

[bello]

25. Finding land as opposed to evaluating land

While I agree with most if not all of the advice for evaluating land given here, that was not the problem we faced when buying land forty odd years ago. We could not find anything on the market that met our desires. Owners didn’t think to even put it on the market. We didn’t have anything to evaluate.

So, we got in Bella’s airplane (she was a flight instructor) and flew back and forth over the area to make a first cut on what we wanted to buy. One parcel stood out. We contacted a real estate agent, who convinced the owner to sell. We still consider ourselves to be the luckiest buyers in the world.

In today’s world, you don’t need an airplane to do something similar. Scan the desired area on Google earth. Also, there are GIS pictures available for most of the U.S. Look for these sites that cover your area with an internet search. Drone’s may be able to winnow down the first cut to a more manageable number. Drone services are available. Don’t forget you county assessor, USDA and just a plain old internet search.

Good luck out there. -b

[OnionPatch]

32. I've thought about doing something like that.

I have a couple of promising lots I’m looking at now but if neither works out, I may do something similar. Good idea. And congrats on finding a great piece of land!

[OnionPatch]

33. Thanks so much for all the responses!

You guys are great! I never thought I would get so many responses and such great info so quickly! I’m looking forward to being a regular here. 😊

I’m supposed to be packing to move, so I’d better get off the computer for now and check back later.

[flotsam2]

34. I'd like to recommend a book

It is titled "Back to Basics" and is published by Reader's Digest. The book is written with the premise very much like yours of going back to the land starting with choosing a home lot thru siting, water systems, and and other basics and includes all manner of chapters on gardening, canning, animal husbandry, and many other near lost skills. Local libraries should have copies and in minutes you'll know if it is worthwhile for you.

[OnionPatch]

35. Oh my gosh, I have that book!

I’ll dig it out and start reading the chapters about land again. I’ve usually concentrated on reading the garden section. Thanks for reminding me. 😃

[flotsam2]

36. YVW-it was one of my favorites N/T

[OnionPatch]

37. I've spent many hours dreaming over that book.

But it’s been a long time ago. I almost forgot about it. I just went looking for it and couldn’t find it. My daughter had it in her room! 😃 She’s as excited as I am.

[Kaleva]

38. Keep us updated as to how it's going!

[OnionPatch]

39. Thanks for reminding me, Kavela. I do have an update.

I finally found what I want after a whole lot of looking and am about to close on a lot purchase! I am so excited and just love the lot I found. It's 8 acres of fairly flat, wooded land right at the base of a mountain and bordering Shenandoah Natl. Park! There are trails right there leading into the park. I'll have a couple of nice mountain views, one to the west, so I anticipate some beautiful sunsets. There is a small town with a few stores only a few miles away and Waynesboro, VA is only 20 minutes away but the property is about as far away from the highway as you can get in that area. No highway noise is important to me. I can, however, sometimes hear a train in the distance from there, which I love!

All the advice here was so helpful for getting to this point, knowing what to look for and think about. I'm purchasing with a contingency that I'll be able to dig a well and build a septic for a reasonable cost and effort and the contractors have recently confirmed I shouldn't have a problem with any of it. There are a few cons to the land, it's fairly rocky, and it's totally tree-covered. I'll have to have a lot of clearing to make a nice yard for my three dogs (and future grandkids) and space for a garden and some chickens. I plan on leaving the rest forested for now at least. There's a beautiful 100-year-old stone fence that I'd like to keep as the border of my back yard but I do worry about snakes that might be living in it. I saw bear scat in a few places while I walked around, which was not at all unexpected given the location. I love wildlife and being surrounded by it but will need to be extra careful to protect my pets and chickens of course. One of the good things is the lot is currently totally fenced with barbed wire and heavy-duty t-posts. I plan to replace the barbed wire with 2"x4" woven wire fence. Although I'll use wood for the fence in front of the house for the curb appeal, the existing t-posts around the rest is going to save me a ton of $ and work on fencing.

Now it's basically a wait through winter until they can put the house in. And I'm impatient. If winter wasn't coming I'd go down and live in my camping trailer on the lot! I'm going down there this week and will try to remember to post some pics.

[Kaleva]

40. Thanks for the post! The property sounds great!