Water is the first thing I check, because it’s the hardest problem to fix.

• Well yield. Ask for the flow rate in gallons per minute and when it was last tested. A recent flow test beats a number from the original drilling report.
• Drilling records. Alberta keeps a public water well database. I pull the well’s record to compare depth and original yield against today’s test.
• Water quality. Test for bacteria and for chemistry such as nitrates, sodium and hardness. Make the bacteria test a condition.
• Treatment equipment. Softeners, reverse osmosis and UV systems all need upkeep. Find out what’s installed and how old it is.
• Water co-ops. Some subdivisions share a water system. Confirm the share transfers with the property, the annual fees, and any planned capital costs.

• Ask for the system type, its age and pump-out records.
• Have it inspected by a qualified private sewage professional, not just your home inspector.
• Check whether additions or suites were permitted. An added bedroom can mean the septic is undersized for the home.

• Land use district decides what you can build, how many animals you can keep, and whether a home business is allowed.
• Area structure plans show what may be built nearby in the future.
• Access and easements: confirm legal road access and any easements for utilities, pipelines or shared driveways.
• Real Property Report: outbuildings, fences and additions should all appear on a current RPR with county compliance.
• Subdivision potential is a possibility the county still has to approve, not a feature.

Often, yes. Many lenders cap how much land they’ll count toward value, and some give little or no value to shops and outbuildings. A buyer approved for a city home at the same price can still be declined on an acreage. Because I’m also a licensed Mortgage Associate, I check financing fit before you write an offer, not after. More on that on my dual licence page and mortgage tools.

A client wanted to fulfill a lifelong dream: a quarter section with a working hay operation north of Calgary. Finding one without oil and gas leases or utility rights-of-way cutting through it took time. When we found the right one, the inspection showed the well and septic system both needed servicing, and the in-floor heating boiler needed adjusting. We negotiated all three with the sellers before the conditions came off, so my clients moved in without surprises. They’ve loved the place ever since.

The seller from that first quarter section was impressed enough to refer me to his sister, who was selling her own family farm of nearly 100 years. I represented both sides as a transaction facilitator. Tenants on the property complicated possession, and we worked through it with both lawyers. The final walkthrough turned up debris piles across the land that the seller agreed to clear before closing. The buyer’s lender also wanted far more detail than a city purchase would need, and I worked directly with them to get the financing approved. The seller was happy, and the buyer got the acreage she’d been hoping for.