Buying a country home with large land

We wanted to do this at one time but decided against it because of pesticides and other stuff used in farming that are harmful. Even if we don’t farm, the farms around us would all use it and contaminate the air. If the land you want to buy has been farmed for a long time, then the soil and water may be contaminated as well. Then there is the noise from farming equipment around us. These people work EARLY. Also farms smell, not sure I want to relax on the weekend smelling cow dung. Finally there is the maintenance of such a large piece of land.

Who will take care of the 20 acre property when you’re not there M-F? Who will maintain it on the weekends while you’re relaxing?

Working 9-5 and going up to an acreage to work some more sounds like a phenomenal way to tank a marriage. I’ve lived on 3 acres, we would spend most of Saturday and Sunday morning doing work outside - I can’t imagine 20 acres unless it’s all treed and then there’s other issues you have to worry about.

Buying a country home is like someone buying a cottage.

You have a home at which you cut grass etc and they you have a cottage to which you go on the weekend and cut grass etc.

With a country property it is all in1 except you don't have the privilage of paying extra to buy a cottage, spending hours on the road to get there, spending money to get there in fuel etc.

20 acres gives you the room to do other things with the property. If mostly vacant land, you could have 1 acre for yourself and rent the balance to a farmer for crops etc. Variables on the size you want to maintain/rent out. Or you can keep it to yourself and use most as a meadow with a farmer coming over every month or so to bush hog it down for you.
If mostly trees, make hiking paths thru the trees or atv/dirt bike paths for your own recreational needs. Lots the you can do.

Farmers thank those complaining folks who get upset about the smells of farming etc and consequently don't move to the country.

echo_jey wrote: ↑ Asking on behalf of close family relative
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We want to buy a long term investment property in Melanchthon, which is located in Dufferin county. Not planning to rent, mostly for weekend getaway.
• A small house with large land (20+ acres)
• What are somethings we need to consider, plan and prepare for before getting into it?
• How is buying a country home with a large acreage from an owner/agent different from buying a home from a builder or buying other suburban homes from owner/agent?
• What are the restrictions when you are buying a home with large acreage of land?
• If the land is zoned as residential, not agricultural, what can we expect when we approach a bank for mortgage?
• If the land is zoned as agricultural, what can we expect when we approach a bank for mortgage? Is there a difference in interest rate, downpayment in these two scenarios?
• What municipality laws should be of concern and must be looked into?
• Rural homes have septic tanks and well water…in the inspection process, what should be paid attention to?
• When we are choosing a real estate agent, what should we look out for in their experience… because we are thinking, “Is the process same for buying suburban home and buying a property with large land?

Depends on the land, is it bush, flood plane, open field?

Banks typically won't lend on vacant land if there is no home/services to the property.

Considerations have to be made for well water, setback of house to road, some municipalities have restrictions on how far back you can go which can impact privacy, then there is the cost of running hydro, etc.

Consideration for slope/draining as well and what's around you, if other farms you have to DD if pesticides and other agri products are draining to your land - can have an impact.

Can you do a managed forest plan if you have a forest. Asses quality of forest, is there any marsh, etc.

Is any of the land part of wetlands/conservation authority, they have final say over city and can impose use case restrictions.

The process itself for buying land is the same as buying residential, the difference is in the due diligence.

In terms of the comment about renting the land to a farmer nearby, FYI, this is only done for liability. Example, tending to farmable land is to keep the soil in good shape whereas leaving it dormant does not. Technically the farmer is doing you a favour not the other way around, that's why rents are so low. I've seen around $100/acre/year and even less with more acreage for them to maintain it.

When buying land my 1 tip is to look for lots with wider frontage if at all possible, on parcels over 20+ acres you can carve out 1-2 acre lots at the front to sell back to lower the cost base on your purchase. You have to check the official town plan and what they allow. Some municipalities require minimum of 100 acres to server, others will require council vote, etc.