Farm and rural property

A rural home usually has its own water and sewage systems, a longer driveway to clear in winter, and often outbuildings, fences and land to look after. None of that is a reason to stay in town. It just means there are more things to check, and the answers affect what the property is worth to you.

Most of my rural work is in rural Chatham-Kent, around towns like Blenheim, Ridgetown, Dresden and Highgate, and I help clients with country property around London too.

Water: the well, how much water it gives and the quality. Septic: the type, its age and its condition. Land: how it drains, the soil, and for farmland the tile drainage and field layout. Buildings: the barn, the shop and any other outbuildings, and what shape they are in. Zoning: what you can build, whether you can keep animals and whether a lot can be severed. Those rules are set by the municipality and can differ property to property, so I check them for each one rather than guess.

For a working farm, I am also happy to sit down with your lender, lawyer and accountant. Buying farmland is a business decision as much as a home purchase.

Rural buyers come in two kinds: people who farm and know exactly what they are looking at, and families moving out of town for space. A good listing speaks honestly to both. I describe the land and buildings plainly, pull together the information buyers will ask for, and market the property where both groups will see it.

If you are thinking about selling, start with a conversation or a home evaluation.