A New Home for a New Year

Posted on: 16 January 2017

If you are looking for a new horse property for your family, then you should know about the unique aspects of this type of real estate purchase. When you are buying property to accommodate both your family and your horses, there are some special things your new property should have to keep your horses healthy and happy. To this end, here are some tips to help you identify good properties for housing your horses:

Tip: Hire a Buyer's Agent Who Is Familiar with Horse Property

Since not all real estate agents are familiar with the unique needs of horses, you should hire a buyer's agent who is familiar with housing horses. When you are interviewing potential agents, ask if they have this type of experience and pass on those agents that do not.

Tip: Verify That the Property's Well and Septic Systems Are Away from Your Horse's Pasture 

Since horses repeatedly walking over your home's septic system or water well will damage them, verify that the property's well and septic tank are located away from your horse's pasture and paddock areas. Having your well located away from your horses will also reduce the chances of bacterial infections in the water.

Tip: Find Out How Your Potential Neighbors Feel About Horses as Neighbors

If the property you are looking at does not currently have horses living on it, you can stave off future neighbor problems by stopping and introducing yourself to your potential neighbors. Stop in and say hello, and while you are introducing yourself, ask the neighbors how they feel about having horses housed next to them. Watch the facial expressions and listen to what your new neighbors have to say. If they object to your horses, then this is a sign of problems to come if you select the property to purchase.

Tip: Check the Number of Horses You Can House Before You Make a Purchase Offer

Finally, before you put in an offer on a horse property, first you should check with the county's building code office to determine how many horses you can legally house on your land. Most areas have regulations for the number of animals you can have, and the last thing you want to do is move in and find out you can only house two of your three horses. By verifying this information ahead of time, you can ensure that there aren't any surprises after you move in.

Ask a realtor about real estate properties for sale in your area.