Country Living Guide: Six Things You Need to Know Before Buying Land

From the mountains of Western Maryland, to the rolling farmland of Pennsylvania and the quaint coastal towns on Delmarva, the mid-Atlantic region has something for everyone. With some careful planning and research, you can make the move to somewhere with a little more elbow room, confident and ready for your next adventure. To help get you started, here are a few things to consider before you make the jump into country living.

1. How will you use the property?

This may seem like a loaded question, but it’s an important one. Knowing how you want to use your land will help you narrow down the property features to look for as you begin your search. Think about it like this: if you’re passionate about hunting, your main priority may be to find wooded acreage, as opposed to someone interested in raising horses, who may prefer level, cleared, and/or fenced in pastures. If you want to buy land to build a future home, you might look for other important features like proximity to utilities and roads. Specifying your intended land use will also help guide decisions on determining how much acreage you want, the locations you want to look into, and can help your Realtor prepare you with pertinent zoning regulations. Certain animals and activities require minimum amounts of land and/or specific zoning or permitting. 

2. Where do you want to be located?

If you intend to use this property to build a future home in the country, you’ll set the stage for new opportunities, like developing a hobby or enjoying a less stressful environment. But if you’re looking for something more permanent than a summer or weekend country home, remember that your daily routine will need to move with you. This could mean becoming a more conscientious traveler as you plan errands to the grocery store or shopping trips. Most of these places may be a bit further away, so advanced planning may be required. In addition, if you commute to work each day, determine how far you are willing to travel, and limit your search to that area. Don’t forget about a few other factors, like proximity to schools (if you have children), airports, health care providers, and recreational resources (your gym or favorite coffee shop). For some, the farther off the beaten path a property is, the better. Others feel more secure with neighbors close by. If you’re used to hustle and bustle, make sure to visit the properties you’re interested in at different times to know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. The difference in the environment during the day and at night are, well, day and night. A beautiful green pasture under the hot summer sun might look a little less appealing after it floods following an inch or two of rain.

3. What is the surrounding area like?

If possible, spend some extended time in your chosen area before you commit to buying. This will give you the opportunity to get acquainted with the local residents and overall environment. Don’t forget to make conversation, too! You’ll be amazed at how many folks are willing to give their two cents when someone mentions moving to the area.

4. Can you commit to the country way of life?

Life in the country is very different from city or suburban living. You’ll be sharing land with plenty of folks, who just like you, have a dream for how they want to live on their own land. For example, you may find yourself behind a tractor in traffic. Or, you may smell manure occasionally, especially when a farmer is fertilizing. Be patient and prepared! Living on more acreage also comes with wild animals that also call your land their home, whether you invite them to stay or not. You’ll learn quickly how to keep foxes out of the henhouse (sometimes) or raccoons out of the trash cans, but be careful not to create problems for your neighbors as you interact with these animals. Feeding wild animals, like bears or feral cats, can create a serious safety hazard for you, your domesticated animals, and even your neighbors. In short, don’t do it.

5. Are you ready to have the zoning talk?

Local zoning regulations have become stricter over the years, which is why it’s imperative to familiarize yourself with them beforehand. If you have grand plans for your property, like building a home or making improvements to an existing one — or to ensure that construction of a mall or highway isn’t in the works contact your local zoning office and have a conversation:

• Delaware: Directed by Municipalities
  • Kent County: Kent County Planning
  • New Castle County: New Castle County Zoning
  • Sussex County: Sussex County Planning and Zoning
• Maryland: Maryland Planning Locations
• Pennsylvania: Community Planning
• Virginia: Directed by County – Search for “Virginia Planning and Zoning”
• West Virginia: Directed by Municipalities – Search for “West Virginia Planning and Zoning”

We mentioned it before, but raising animals/livestock and other farming activities may be limited by zoning, which is why you want to do your research ahead of time. Being on the wrong side of these regulations later could mean fines or having to downsize — better to be safe than sorry!

6. Does your lender understand your vision?

You have goals for this property and a vision for how you’re going to get there. That’s something most banks don’t really understand. Buying land is different than taking out a mortgage for multiple reasons. When you buy rural land, the inherited risk of making a loan goes up due to a lack of properties for value comparison, buyers, or people that can even afford to buy. In addition, appraisal values on farmland and buildings are different than regular home appraisals. That’s the difference between Farm Credit and the other guys. We think more in acreage, and less in square footage. Our expertise amounts to over 100 years in providing financing to rural America and agriculture, so we know exactly how to get you where you want to go on your next adventure. If you’re ready to make your dream of living in the country a reality, reach out to a loan officer today. We won’t pack up your moving boxes (if needed, we do know a guy), but we promise to help you figure out how to make the move, one way or another.

Found the land with the perfect home? 
Ask about our First Time Rural Property Owner Program 

Affording your perfect country property can be a challenge today. If you've found the land with the perfect home we’ve developed a program specifically for first-time rural property owners – to help you cut costs that matter. Financing is available for up to 85% of your purchase price or appraised value with no mortgage insurance for first-time rural property owners*. What does that mean for you? Financing a greater amount of your purchase/appraised price can help you maintain liquidity for other improvements, should you wish to make them. No mortgage insurance means thousands of dollars in savings for you in the long run. Give us a call today to learn more about how Farm Credit can help you finance your perfect piece of country.

*Certain restrictions apply. This offer is subject to credit approval.