Looking at a rural property. What to look out for?

[Maxhead]

These might help a little Mark:

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/ass...rural-land.pdf
http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/agricultu...ing-rural-land

Consider what you might be doing with the land long term as that might be the deciding factor on what you buy, either way good luck with it mate.

[mudnut]

Find out if you can, what the land
has been used for. We found a couple
of filled in rubbish dumping holes and
the base fill for the driveway has some
asbestos mixed in it. (I've applied a few layers
of crushed rock at great cost $$$)

The council has
re-zoned our neighbourhood twice
since we have lived here.
Heavy industry is moving in
closer each year.
Be aware that sound carries in
the bush, and it ain't fun
listening to the neighbour's
dirt bike from dawn to dusk.
Also find out if any CSG firm
has exploration rights in the
area. If possible check out what the
groundwater situation is
like on the property. The
next door neighbour's bore water
is crystal clear and ours is almost
orange and too salty to use.
Definitely checkout the property
near the end of the wet season so
you can see the trouble spots.

Find out how much it will cost
to get power to the property or
the cost of producing your own.

There may be restrictions against
building in some areas now too, due to
the fire hazard.

[AB]

Our entire area has rubbish pits. That's all they did back then or old dams filled in with crap!!!

Actually Mark check what zone you are in, there are a lot of environmental overlays around this area which is good but there are even some overlays where you can't even have pets so check it out.

[paulyg]

The closer to a town the property is the more restrictions and overlays you will have, if it is not rated as rural land, the land rates may be quite high.
I am a bit further out and am rated as rural, my rates are a bit cheaper, and no restrictions except for the bush fire overlay which is every where.

[Cuppa]

A few random thoughts

Don’t get blinded by the idyllic rural living lifstyle, keep your feet on the ground. Living in the sticks is not for everyone (but having said that I miss it like crazy).
Owning land can be quite a responsibility & a lot of work depending upon the type of land it is. Assess for weeds/blacberries etc, look for a ‘clean’ property, it can take a decade to get weeds under control, & still have plenty of annual effort to maintain that status. Some weeds are reportable & you are legally required to deal with them. This can be expensive & time consuming. You’ll likely have less free time because it will be taken up by the needs of the property, but if you enjoy doing this it won’t feel like a chore. If it feels like a chore you will have made a poor decision to go bush. If you have other things you need to do (eg. work) a property which doesn’t take up *all* of your time off is important to avoid that sense of working your butt off all the time & never getting ahead. Be clear about how you want to use the land & assess it on that basis. Don’t just buy a block with the idea of working out what you will do with it later. Will you want to keep animals, or possibly *need* to keep animals (eg. to keep the grass down)? Keeping animals has many positives, but it is a significant tie. All the family need to be sure. Living out can be quite lonely for some, especially children. Be prepared to have to taxi kids around more. Two cars will be needed. Good fences are worthwhile, but of less value if you don’t plan to have animals to keep in (or out).
Living in fire prone areas can involve quite a lot of expense & regular hard work to stay safe. It can also be stressful at times.
Not sure what sort/size of block you are thinking about, but don’t fool yourself that a 5 acre block is going to get you out of the rat race. There are f*ckw*ts everywhere, in a smaller community they can be a greater problem than in the city! Substitute mowers, mini bikes etc for sirens.

All that said if country living suits you, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it years earlier, but if it turns out not to suit there is a reasonable chance you will have burned your bridges in terms of being able to afford to return to the city. The best reason for going bush is because it’s what you really want to do ...... not to escape from something else.

Be prepared to be more connected with others, you’ll need them & it’s the country way.

Living ‘out’ can be a very ‘freeing’ experience. No pressure to keep up with the Joneses. ‘Making do’ rather than needing the latest ‘do-hickey’ ...... unless you plan to live a city lifestyle in the bush (many do) in which case the local perception of you will be as a yuppie blockie, unless of course you move to a ’suburbanised’ area of bush blocks, where all live as yuppie blockies.

Just trying to get you thinking about what YOU really want. Feel free to reject anything I’ve said, just don’t fool yourself ‘cos it’s not a small decision easily reversed.

[mudski]

Thanks guys. Well I can only assume the place is classed as rural, as the closest town is Kangaroo ground, if you call that a town, and thats a few k's away.
Nothing may come of this, but I just need to be armed with as much knowledge as I can.
As for the environmental overlays. I assume the local council will be able to fill me in with this....
I kinda wish we hadn't spotted this place as we haven't finished our place yet to sell. No much to go, the ensuite needs a reno, and a good garden dress up is all thats needed. Might have to pull my finger out a bit further....

[nissannewby]

Also.....Move to QLD haha

[Hodge]

Not sure if anybody has mentioned, but consider proximity to schools for kids etc... Don't want to drive an hour each morning and afternoon to drop off, pickup etc...

[mudski]

A few random thoughts

Don’t get blinded by the idyllic rural living lifstyle, keep your feet on the ground. Living in the sticks is not for everyone (but having said that I miss it like crazy).
Owning land can be quite a responsibility & a lot of work. You’ll likely have less free time because it will be taken up by the needs of the property, but if you enjoy doing this it won’t feel like a chore. If it feels like a chore you will have made a poor decision to go bush. If you have other things you need to do (eg. work) a property which doesn’t take up *all* of your time off is important to avoid that sense of working your butt off all the time & never getting ahead. Be clear about how you want to use the land & assess it on that basis. Don’t just buy a block with the idea of working out what you will do with it later. Will you want to keep animals, or possibly *need* to keep animals (eg. to keep the grass down)? Keeping animals has many positives, but it is a significant tie. All the family need to be sure. Living out can be quite lonely for some, especially children. Be prepared to have to taxi kids around more. Two cars will be needed
Living in fire prone areas can involve quite a lot of expense & regular hard work to stay safe. It can also be stressful at times.
Not sure what sort/size of block you are thinking about, but don’t fool yourself that a 5 acre block is going to get you out of the rat race. There are f*ckw*ts everywhere, in a smaller community they can be a greater problem than in the city! Substitute mowers, mini bikes etc for sirens.

All that said if country living suits you, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it years earlier, but if it turns out not to suit there is a reasonable chance you will have burned your bridges in terms of being able to afford to return to the city. The best reason for going bush is because it’s what you really want to do ...... not to escape from something else.

Be prepared to be more connected with others, you’ll need them & it’s the country way.

Living ‘out’ can be a very ‘freeing’ experience. No pressure to keep up with the Joneses. ‘Making do’ rather than needing the latest ‘do-hickey’ ...... unless you plan to live a city lifestyle in the bush (many do) in which case the local perception of you will be as a yuppie blockie, unless of course you move to a ’suburbanised’ area of bush blocks, where all live as yuppie blockies.

Just trying to get you thinking about what YOU really want. Feel free to reject anything I’ve said, just don’t fool yourself ‘cos it’s not a small decision easily reversed.

All taken in cuppa... Thanks.
I know this is a big decision and not to be taken lightly.
My intentions IF I had the property wouldn't to be running, animals on it. No time for this. But I do realise the extra maintenance a property would require. Well most of, thats why I'm here asking I suppose too. The area we are looking at is not far from the outskirts of the suburbs too. Its actually easier there for our kids to go to the school we want them in than from where we live now too. This has been on my mind for pretty much the better part of ten years I reckon. If I don't start doing something about it, I'm gonna end up arrested for smashing up someones car from laying a few black stripes out front of my house. Yes it happened, again last week. Luckily for me, I couldn't hurl the old toddler seat I had dumped in my trailer on the nature strip at the car quick enough. Lol.
I do like the facilities available with living in the burbs, but I just have had enough. Our first house me and my wife built, we had the next door neighbor from hell, the cops over every second day telling this dipsh!t to turn his music down, he would abuse and threaten to bash everyone in the street. Then the last straw was when he threatened my wife and my 9 month old daughter. I cracked and went troppo at him. To my surprise he backed up and threatened to sue me if I touched him. This saga went on for two years. We ended up selling and moving to where we are now, and copped more dickhead neighbors behind us with noise, fighting and a few other things I wont mention. I could go on for ever with more reasoning's.
Moving to a better suburb would help but its dearer than buying land these days. I have some big decisions coming up, like I said though, nothing may come of this place, but its a start.

I've had enough. I just need to get out in one way or another.

Also.....Move to QLD haha

I tried that mate. The wife won't be in that. She's too close to her family.

Not sure if anybody has mentioned, but consider proximity to schools for kids etc... Don't want to drive an hour each morning and afternoon to drop off, pickup etc...

Doing this I have to take the good with the bad and weigh it up. Amongst other things, the extra k's is something I will have to put up with.

[jay see]

.
Moving to a better suburb would help

Careful D!ckheads live in nice suburbs as well.