7 suggestions for decoding rural property ads

While you may be tempted to believe the best of a prospective rural property, remember to be cautious. The reality may not live up to the realtor's description, so keep these seven translations in mind.

1. "Unspoiled" property in a "natural setting" may appeal to your pioneering spirit, but the terms may describe virgin forest in need of too much effort to prepare for farming
2. "Selectively cleared" might be safely read as "inadequately cleared
3. A "breathtaking view" may well be available from an escarpment, but if the land is secluded and off sealed roads, access to the property may be difficult. Your first task after purchase may be to construct a private road, and this can be expensive
4. "Secluded" frontage to a provincial forest may mean fewer neighbours, but could also be a sign that the property title carries an easement for logging access. The building permission probably carries restrictions and may even lapse before you get the chance to build
5. A "mobile home on site" (whose condition is intriguingly unspecified) may actually be a burden; the local municipality may require its removal and it may or may not have usable tires on which it can (or cannot) be moved
6. A "rustic area" may have power and phone lines that are available, but they may be many costly kilometres away
7. A "flood-free" property may simply be a neat way for a vendor to indicate a dry creek, or even the absence of a reliable water supply

While being critical is important, it doesn't mean you have to be paranoid. The inspiration for the property description may have some foundation in reality; so it's worth indulging your curiosity by paying a visit.