Tips for Buying and Selling a Home in the Country

Demand for properties in the country is still soaring as more and more people are searching for a quieter, healthy place to live. If you’re one of those thinking of buying or selling a home in the country, we’ve asked some of our experts to provide some insight on best practices for buyers and sellers.

For sellers:

First impressions are important.

“Drive up to the property and take note of the first things you see coming up the road. Make sure they are in great condition. That first impression has a lot to do with how people will view the rest of the property during the tour,” said Shawn Terrel, president of United Country Auction Services and farmland owner.

“I agree with Shawn. First impressions are so important. Clean fences, make drives clean and fill in any holes. Remove all the clutter. Less is definitely more,” added John Wilhite, auctioneer and land specialist for United Country Real Estate in Oklahoma.

Explore opportunities for the land and sell it.

“Pay attention to how many acres are with the country home. If there are sufficient acres, then you can expand the marketability of the property to include something other than just a country home like a small vineyard or raising cage-free chickens, etc. Look for additional revenue opportunities if the acreage size permits,” added Terrel.

“Look at the assets with a critical eye. We look for potential income streams that the current owner is not utilizing,” said Gary Hubbell, broker, auctioneer and Accredited Land Consultant for United Country in Colorado. “Is there a cute old cabin that could be renovated for an Airbnb? What about a rushing stream that could be utilized for hydro power? Does it have three-phase power for uploading solar power to the grid? What about fishing or hunting access?”

For buyers:

Do your due diligence.

“Make sure you do everything to cover yourself when buying a home like inspections, land surveys, building codes and covenants,” said Wilhite.

Buying or selling a country home is a serious decision like any other real estate transaction. Overall, just cover all of your bases and make the decision that is right for you and your family.

If you’re looking to buy or sell a home in the country, reach out to one of our country home experts at United Country Real Estate. Find an agent near you at www.UnitedCountry.com.