For those who long for the beauty of nature and a peaceful solitude that cannot be found in an urban or suburban setting, searching for a property for sale in the country is a great choice. But for those who have never before lived in areas without municipal services to rely on, the learning curve can be steep. If you are a city dweller searching for your first country home, the following tips will help you streamline your search and succeed in finding your rural dream home.

Staying connected in unincorporated areas

Prospective buyers who have always lived in or on the outskirts of larger cities have likely grown up with reliable internet connections. In fact, a growing number of people now use the internet to work, further their own education, or home school their children and will need to remain connected even if buying a home in a remote area.

Prospective buyers who depend on the internet in this manner may want to screen out properties with locations that cannot provide them with reliable, fast internet service. To ensure that any property you are interested can provide the type of internet service you require to stay connected, ask your real estate professional to help you contact providers in the area. Since the actual terrain and location of the property can affect signal quality even in areas where service is expected to be good, it is also wise to have your agent query the sellers about their experiences and offer recommendations.

Sanitary water and sewer services

Another aspect of rural life that urban buyers can have difficulty with is the fact that many rural homes have their own on-site water well and sewage treatment facilities. Unlike city properties where one network of pipes provide safe drinking water and another carries waste water and solids away, rural homes usually have a water well, complete with pressure tank, pump, and controls, and a sewage system that includes a septic tank and drain field where the waste is ultimately absorbed into the soil.

While both of these systems are efficient and completely safe, when installed and maintained correctly, newcomers to the rural lifestyle may be apprehensive about having this type of responsibility as new homeowners. A good plan of action to dispel this type of fear, is to ask your real estate professional to explain how these systems work and then refer you to reputable water well and septic contractors who can answer your questions in greater detail.