If you're shopping for a home, especially in rural areas, you might run across some options that include wells. While not the norm, wells are common. In fact, 15% of the US population relies on wells for their homes. This is more than 43 million people! So don't let the possibility of relying on well water turn you off from purchasing the house of your dreams. You just need to consider a few things before putting in your offer.
Different places will have different laws around wells. If your town requires permits, make sure that you have all of the paperwork in order before you buy. Also, be sure to find out if a well inspection is the responsibility of the buyer or seller. This could have a big impact on your final costs.
Make sure that you know the age of the well itself. If your well is over 20 years old, consider replacement costs and upkeep in your decision-making. You'll likely have to invest money in some major repairs within the first few years of owning your house.
While you won't be relying on the municipal water system, you do need to know how the water quality in your area is. Regardless of the quality, you'll want to do some well water testing before buying the house. But in an area with poorer water quality, you'll end up needing to do a lot more well water testing in order to stay safe.
Owning a house is hard work. And with a well on the property, that work increases. If you can't or are unwilling to keep up with the regular maintenance and potential repairs your well needs, your house won't have clean water. This can pose major sanitary and health concerns. So before you purchase a house with well water, consider your ability to keep up with the work required.
Don't let the work involved scare you off of buying your dream home if there's a well on the property. Well water can be just as good as the water supplied by your town. Just keep these questions in mind to help you make the right decision.
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