8 things to consider when buying a rural home in Idaho (Whether you are retiring or not!)

8 things to consider when purchasing a rural home in Idaho

You have worked your whole life, lived within your means and have decided to move to our bit of paradise here in North Idaho. Retiring from a large metro area to our more rural laid-back life here in the great Inland Northwest is more than just pulling up stakes and moving here lock stock and barrel. Here are some tips to help make that transition successful. Living the good life in the Inland Northwest is great, but you need to proceed carefully. While Jan and I have always lived in town, three of our team members are longtime rural property owners. Melissa, Dina and Toni all live on land out of town, and have done so for years. Here are some tips to help you decide where the best place is for you:

Think about your dream house in the winter- Having that house on acreage sounds like a great idea, and it is but here are some points to think about:

• Driveway Length -Remember we get snow- lots of it the length of the driveway matters when moving snow
• Driveway grade- Having a grade of more than 5% cam cause problems when facing a icy driveway. Moving slowly it is easy to get stuck on an icy driveway
• Driveway orientation- shading Having a north facing driveway or trees that shade a driveway add to the ice
• Heating - While the allure of heating your new house with wood sounds romantic, the truth is that heating primarily with wood has many consequences. Making sure that you have a good supply of dry wood with a high BTU content is important, Wood needs to dry for several months to be safe. Also, make sure the stove is certified, and the chimney is clean, or make sure it is cleaned out before burning season, Many insurance companies will not insure a home with a non-certified stove. Many homes with a outbuilding use wood heat, and the same rules apply to them.

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Think about your dream house in the summer- Summer in a rural setting, also has its challenge as well. Some of the points to consider are:

• Unpaved roads- When the heat of the summer starts to dry things out, our unpaved roads turn to dust. If you are considering a home on a dirt road, think about how close the house is to the road. I have visited many homes that in the summer are subject to a lot of dust, that can coat just everything.
• Defensible Space- With our erratic weather, coupled with the blossoming of properties that have a forest/ home interface, have made having a defensible space is very important. Making sure you have a minimum 50 foot clear radius around your house. This is essential to keep your house safe in the event of a wildfire. Most insurance companies require a defensible space.
• Distance to hydrant/fire station- The distance from your home to both a hydrant and the fire station is an important part of a fire score. The higher the score, the higher the premium, and some insurance companies choose to not assume the risk in high fire score areas.

When buying your rural property, try to imagine what that property looks like in each season. Purchasing a property in rural areas is similar to any large purchase, you should do your due diligence.