There is something about acreage living that just hits different.The big dream is always more space, more privacy, fresh country air, bright stars and of course the Northern Lights. Country life is wonderful. Imagine the summers sitting on your deck with your hot coffee in the morning, with no one around but the wild life. Or the weekends where friends and family gather around the fire, music on in the background and the BBQ is always on. The sun goes down, the stars come out and the quiet sets in. No loud highways, no light pollution, no sirens; just you relaxing and taking in the beauty that surrounds you. After a long day at work, there is no comparison to coming home to the quiet country life. Raising kids that can run endlessly, play in the dirt, be loud and unapologetic in their play is beautiful. That dream garden that you never had space for is now a reality. The extra large shop for the toy enthusiasts is now within reach.
I could go on endlessly about how amazing it is to live in the country, but I also have to talk about the other side of country life.
The non monetary side of acreage ownership is the time commitment to the new property. Depending on the size of land, you could be spending a considerable amount of time mowing grass, removing noxious weeds (bylaw in some counties), plowing snow if you have a long driveway, or snowblowing/shoveling if it is a shorter paved driveway. That is just the short list of yard maintenance.
Another time commitment that is often overlooked is the commute to work, the extra time for errands, sports and appointments. If you have children, often their bus ride can be quite long as well. Bring on bad weather and sometimes these drives can be even longer. Of course, not all acreage properties are far from town.
When I start working with new clients that want to make their move to the country, I will have conversations with them about the realities of acreage life, and some of the costs that go with it.
The list of items to consider are:
1) Does the acreage have a septic system? What style is it? Does it require a pump out? Is it adequately sized for the home and the family that will be living in it? What are the costs to replace the system and what are the current county regulations? What is the age of the current system?
2) Water - Does the property have a well, cistern or does it use city water? What is the age of the infrastructure, size of the cistern, current cost to fill etc….
3) How much grass needs to be mowed, how much driveway needs to be plowed? Will you need to buy any equipment to do these things and what is the cost?
4) Is there room or structures on the property to properly store things that you may already have in storage such as motorhomes, holiday trailers, quads, skidoos, and any other future items? More outbuilding = more maintenance costs
5) How much extra will be spent on gas for your vehicles and your auto insurance. Some insurance companies have higher rates for higher KM/s per year.
6) House insurance on properties outside of town and exceeding a certain distance from a fire hall are often higher.
7) Fencing on properties in town are a much smaller scale than the ones on acreages. Initial cost being more and maintenance costs can be high especially if you plan to own horses.
This is not an exhaustive list of considerations when you start your search. This is also not meant to be a deterrent to the acreage dream. When I work with my clients I want to make sure that they are well informed of the change in lifestyle and monetary commitment that they will be taking on.
This is not an exhaustive list of considerations when you start your search. This is also not meant to be a deterrent to the acreage dream. When I work with my clients I want to make sure that they are well informed of the change in lifestyle and monetary commitment that they will be taking on.
I grew up on an acreage and currently live on an acreage in Parkland County. My husband and I bought our acreage 20 years ago and have made significant changes to landscaping, interior renovations, and exterior renovations. We spent many years planning and saving and executing everything we have done so far. There were times that the dream plans didn't happen when we thought they would because life gets in the way and sometimes you have a major repair that can derail you for a while.
The one thing I can without a doubt say, is that every single repair, reno, pitfall, set back, milestone, and finished product was worth it. The quiet country life, the bright stars and the huge yard my kids played in when they were little are memories that I cherish.
If someone was to ask me if I would do it all over again, the answer would always be yes, but I wish young me knew what I know now, and this is why I wrote this particular blog.
Helping clients with their acreage dreams is one of my favorite parts of real estate and I want all of them to be as well informed on the immediate and future costs with property ownership.
Is acreage life your dream life but you are not sure how to make that happen? I am just a phone call, email or text away and I would love to help you navigate that next chapter!
Becca Duiker l Re/Max Preferred Choice
Proudly Serving Spruce Grove & Area Since 2016
780-920-0594 l becca.duiker@gmail.com
www.buywithbecca.ca
