Acreage Life

Buying an Acreage

Looking to escape the city life?  Or maybe you would like to raise some chickens or own horses?  Living on an acreage can be very rewarding but there are many things to consider when you are buying an acreage.  Since we are acreage owners ourselves we believe we can help bring light to the subject.

acreage with white fence

Location

When deciding to move to the country, distance to work and extracurricular activities are factors.  How comfortable are you with commuting?  Do you have an economical vehicle?  Are you ok traveling on gravel? Are you ok with farmers as neighbours?

When we were acreage shopping we decided that we wanted to be within a 10-minute drive to the edge of the city.  With real estate as our business we needed the flexibility to be from our home to a showing within a quick timeline.

School

Where would your kids attend school?  How long is the bus route?  Or are you keeping them in their current school and driving them?  Does the school have the classes and activities you want for your children? Does the school have after-school programs, in case you are not home before the bus?

Utilities

Water, sewer, heat, power, internet, phone,etc.  All things we take for granted when living in the city, but believe it or not.  Not all of these are available on acreages.

Water ~ options include city water, drilled wells, Sandpoint wells, and cisterns.  With city water, you do not have to worry about quality but you may need to consider quantity as many are on a drip system.  Wells are great as often the quantity is great but sometimes the quality is a concern, regular treatment and testing may be required.  Cisterns would be the least desirable as you would need to have your water hauled in.

Septic ~ most acreages have a private septic system.  This could be a mound system, pump out or holding tank.  The location and size of the property will determine what type is permitted.  Each system has a tank that will need periodic emptying which is something to budget for.

Heat ~ many areas around Saskatoon have natural gas which is the cheapest way to heat your home.  However, sometimes the only options are Electric or propane.  Electric can be very expensive.  While, Propane, can be more expensive than gas and usually comes with a once or twice a year large bill to budget for.

Power ~ most acreages have access to power.

Internet ~ Fiber optic internet is starting to be available for acreage but it is very new and limited.  Most internet access is via a wireless platform which has its limitations and downtime.

Phone ~ Landlines are mostly a thing of the past as most people have cellphones.  However, not all areas have cellphone coverage!

If you are planning to build on an acreage you need to take into account how far the future home will be from the nearest gas line, power supply and if there is city water or need a well.  The distance and depth of a well can drastically increase the costs of development.

Air and Sound Pollution

Living in the country you will have farmers as neighbours.  They can make fantastic neighbours as they are caring people who look out for one another.  However, farming activities can create dust, smells, and sometimes noise.

Sometimes there are commercial or industrial neighbours as well.  Like, canola plants, train transfer stations, mines, raceways, waste transfer stations, etc.

Building requirements and restrictions

All RM’s and most building subdivisions have bylaws in place that outline building standards.  These standards include the minimum building requirements and use restrictions.  Plus animal by-laws, waste regulations, home business restrictions, and more.  All things to consider when buying an acreage.

The upside to Getting an acreage

All of the information may seem like a downer but amongst all of these restrictions and requirements, the perfect acreage location does exist for your needs.  And there are so many reasons to move to the country.

For starters, SPACE!  Not having neighbors for a few hundred meters or even a few kilometers.  With space comes flexibility.  You can build the house of your dreams as the lot is wide enough.  You can have a second garage or shop.  Play structures.  A pool.  Room for horses. horses in pasture

Country neighbours are so caring and eager to help.  Have car troubles?  Dog ran away?  Need some sugar?  Stuck in your driveway? Call your neighbour, they will help.  Whether you need to borrow something, need some extra muscle, or even a sitter, help is easy to find.

Do you want horses?  Chickens?  Ducks?  Turkeys? Sheep? Bees?…and the list goes on!  Pretty challenging to have these in the city.

 

A real estate agent is a huge asset when it comes to buying an acreage as they keep all of these top of mind so you can find the home of your dreams without worry.  Call us today to get started! or start browsing acreages currently listed.