Moving out to the country from New York City or from any of the more populated suburbs to the Greater Hudson Valley can be a challenge. As with moves to the country anywhere there are a few things you need to think about before you buy.
One of the things that you need to know is how water is supplied to the house you are looking at. Many people moving to this area have 
come from locations that have a public water source. They are surprised by the variety of ways water is supplied to houses in the area. I often have to explain the different types of water supply systems to prospective home buyers. When looking at listings for houses you may see the water source on a listing. In our Greater Hudson Valley MLS, www.GHVMLS.com you can see the following sources under water description-
COMNTY - Community water source. These are quite common in small developments with their own wells. In newer developments these systems are owned by the homeowners association or by a private company that will maintain the wells and charge you for the water. In our area many of the 3 season communities of old had these sources and they have now shut down the wells and the homeowners have had to drill their own wells.
DRILL - Drilled Well. This is a private well that is fully contained on the property and maintained by the homeowner. This type of well is drilled usually deep into the ground to access a safe water source. The water is pumped up from below the ground using an electric pump. It is important with this type of system that the water be tested prior to purchase to insure that it is safe to drink and has sufficient water pressure. Your home inspector can assist you with this. If a well has problems with quality it can often be treated and retested. It is a good practice to test your well water every couple of years after the purchase of the home. Low water pressure can be more difficult to remedy as it can be an issue with clogged piping, a bad well pump, or worse, low water table not producing enough water for the well to pump up.
DUG- Dug Well. Another private well owned and maintained by the homeowner that has been dug rather than drilled. It is a more shallow system and may be more easily contaminated by ground water run off, be more likely to have lower water pressure, and have more chance of running dry in drought conditions. Again a home inspector will help you in testing the water quality and explain more fully the system's needs. Many people have dug well systems that function well and provide good quality and quantity of water to the home.
MUNICIPAL- Municipal Water Source. This is the type of system many newcomers to the country are used to. This water is supplied through a water system piped into the house by a local government. The homeowner will pay a water bill or it will be included in the taxes paid to the municipality. The source for the water may be large wells drilled and maintained by the municipality or a reservoir either local or piped in from a remote location. This system is tested and maintained by the municipality and will be treated by them for any impurities. These systems often have fluoride added to them.
NONE- Just like it reads. This home has no water supplied to it. Normally this will be on listings for land that has no house or on cabins or
weekend places that have not been upgraded or are unable to locate a well on the property, Be cautious of listings for houses that have no water source, sometimes you are able to drill a new well and sometimes you are not. This type of purchase may be more difficult to finance as there is no water available for the house.
SHARED- Shared Well. This is a private well system that is shared by one or more neighboring houses. This system must be tested and maintained by the owners of the separate properties. This type of property may be difficult to finance unless there is an agreement by the owner(s) to share expenses and that the well is designated as co owned in the property deed.
SPRING- Water Drawn From a Spring. This is another private water source where water is drawn from a natural spring and piped into the house. This type of system is more likely to be contaminated by pollutants than other private systems. It should be thoroughly tested and maintained by the homeowner. Financing on a house with a spring fed system may be difficult.
SEE REMARKS- ASK YOUR BUYER'S AGENT - This is used when the listing agent is not certain of the water source or in new construction when the house has not been built yet. Further explanation is needed before you offer to buy this house.
It is important for you to understand the type of water system you are thinking about buying. Your buyer's agent, home inspector, and other resources can help you to learn about the different systems and choose a home that will provide you with adequate, safe water for your needs.
There are options here in the Greater Hudson Valley of NY to meet everyone's needs. We have urban, suburban, village and rural locations that can provide you with the perfect blend of country for you. Working with an experienced buyer's agent can help you to choose what is best for you. If you are looking for a home in Orange, Ulster, or Sullivan County NY I would love to be your Buyer's Agent. If you are looking elsewhere I would love to find someone in your chosen location to help you. Send me a text, give me a call, or send an email today.
Click here to see the first post in this series about the size of rural lots.
Click here to see the second post in this series about life without streetlights.
Click here to see the third post in this series about moving next to farms.
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