The Importance of a Road Maintenance Agreement When Buying Rural Property

Chris Ann- I agree. Different types of property have they're own nuances. We find that around here with waterfront properties. You can get into massive challenges if you do not understand waterfront and act like you do. Horse farms are the same way. Financing one is a total different animal ( no pun intended) than financing a sub division home. It is always nice to have someone in your network who specializes where you do not.

Learned this when I owned my house in the Shenandoah Valley.  If the road is shared by multiple homes checking on what the annual road maintenance fee is and what contracts are in place for any work that needs to be done is imporant as well.  Our cost was reasonable but it can get pricey quickly.

I clicked suggest as soon as I saw your title.  A written, recorded private road maintenance agreement is important not only for FHA financing, which is rarely used around Silicon Valley due to our high prices.  It's required by FHA because without it, you've got a potential huge mess.  Out here we have some alleys that provide ingress/egress to detached, back-of-the-lot garages.  Allies are private property in Santa Clara county, and are therefore not maintained by city/county.  When some sections of the alley are not property maintained by the owner, you get huge pot holes some the size of a Florida sink hole.  (I'm exaggerating).  Some owners refuse to pay for maintenance.  Perhaps they're elderly and don't drive,  perhaps they just refuse, I don't really know.  But it impacts all the people on the two block (both sides of the alley) who do use the alley. Pot holes can damage tires, alignment and even cars.  I've seen it get messy and bitter.

I also clicked suggest because I want people to read how you involved an agent with expertise in those kinds of properties.  Exactly what we're supposed to do.  Good for you, girl.

Chris Ann, you've reached that stage where you know what you don't know!  That's pretty cool!

In the country there are plenty of issues: common roads, common wells, common septic systems.....all kinds of uncommon stuff.

Chris Ann -- isn't it great to have go-to sources for referrals in these situations?  We can't be experts in all things.

Good Morning Chris Ann, That is a fantastic point that is sometimes overlooked, i do not sell a lot of rural property but find this on dirt roads around the lakes and vacation areas that are shared but privately maintained. Have a great Sunday

Hey, Chris Ann!

I included this post in Last Week's Favorites.  Have a great week.

Way to go, Chris Ann. It is so important to call in an expert when you're working in an unfamiliar field. But I guess with the number of short sales you handle, you've already figured that part out. You wouldn't want one of your clients to be in the hands of an inexperienced agent for a short sale, so you'll do the short sale for them. Just like you'll bring in an expert on rural property in Virginia if you're selling that. You either are the expert or you bring an expert to the table. Great post!