Thinking About Buying Acreage in North Idaho? Read This First.

So you want some land in North Idaho.

Maybe you’re picturing a few acres, a shop, some trees, a garden, a couple of horses or maybe you just eant to look out your window and not see your neighbors.

I get it.

But buying rural property isn’t quite the same as buying a house in town. Here are a few things to consider when buying land in North Idaho.

1. Access – Rural acreage in North Idaho are typically accessed by dirt roads. If you are looking for views then you can expect to climb in elevation and possibly have a handful of switch backs in the road. Sometimes there will be a road maintenance agreement in place if it is a private road that is not maintained by the county. Road Maintenance agreements cover who will maintain the road when there is no snow on the ground and who will be plowing the road through the winter. It will also cover if there are any shared fees involved in the maintenance.
2. Water – Most of North Idaho has access to great, clean water. If you are purchasing a property that already has a well drilled I always recommend having a production test done during the inspection period so you know how many gallons per minute the well produces. When purchasing land that will need a well drilled I can pull well reports for surrounding properties to see what well production in the area is like. Currently having a well drilled can cost anywhere from $25,000-$40,000 depending on the ground composition and how deep the well driller needs to go to find water.
3. Septic – Making sure a septic system can be approved on the property is a major part of the due diligence process. If the land is waterfront there are certain setbacks in place so the septic is not too close to the water. Land that is not near a body of water will still have rules as to how close the septic tank and drain field can be placed to the well. After 13 years of helping people buy and sell property in North Idaho, this is one of the first things I go over with clients when they have their sights set on a piece of property.
4. Power – Wether you are looking to live on or off grid knowing your source for electricity is important when looking at a piece of property. Many homes in North Idaho are “off grid” utilizing solar panels and gas generators to generate their power. The power grid is very vast in North Idaho and sometimes you will be surprised to find conventional power connected to a property far out in the woods. Availability to connect to conventional power will affect if certain banks are willing to loan on a property so this will be one of the first things we look into.
5. Zoning – Depending on how the property is zoned that will be the deciding factor if a permanent structure like a home or shop can be built on the property. I work closely with the different counties in North Idaho to make sure we know the possibilities of the property you want to buy or sell.
6. CC&Rs/HOA – What are CC&Rs and an HOA? CC&Rs stands for convenants, conditions and restrictions. If a property has these in place this will depict everything from the style and size of home that can be built on a property and sometimes what animals you can have on the property. HOA stands for Home Owners Association. Typically rural land does not have an HOA. Typically there will be an annual fee due to the HOA that will cover anything from common ground maintenance, snow removal and even utilities.
7. Property Lines – Knowing where the property lines are is very important when buying and selling rural land because you want to know exactly what you are buying and what it looks like. Depending on the size of property I recommend walking the property lines during the inspection period to make sure you know what the land looks like and how much you are getting. Not all properties in North Idaho have a current survey and knowing if you would like to have a property surveyed before you purchase is very important.
8. Timber Land Exemption – The Idaho Timber Land Exemption allows qualifying private forest landowners to have their timberland assessed based on its capacity to produce wood products rather than its high market value or development value. In other words the timberland will not be assessed at the same rate as a residential home. You must own a minimum of 5 acres and submit the application by December 31 to qualify for the following tax year.

Thinking of buying property off the beaten path? I’m Brittany Cowan, a North Idaho Realtor with 13 years of experience helping people navigate everything from homes in town to rural properties and acreage. If your dream property is a little farther down the road, a little more wooded, or comes with a few more questions than he average house I can help you figure it out.