Safety Issues to Consider Before Country House Buying

For years, you’ve dreamed of a beautiful house in the country where your children can play in the yard and you don’t have to smell smog or hear car horns bleating in the middle of the night. This is a nice dream to have, and might work out beautifully for you and your family, but a rural home isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. There are several safety issues to consider before buying a house in the country.

Lighting

If you’re going to buy a house in the country, make sure there is adequate lighting on the property. Nights can get extremely dark in rural areas, especially when you’re used to the sodium-vapor street lamps in the city or suburbs. Plus, it will be harder for visitors to make their way toward your home if they don’t have any light.

Large halogen-bulb lights along the exterior of your home is a great start, as well as lighting along the path that leads to your house. Make sure to test the bulbs regularly, and replace them as soon as they burn out. Lights on your patio or porch can help to ward against animals at night, especially scavengers, and don’t forget to use your high beams when approaching your home by car. When you’re buying a country house, you can never be too careful.

911 Service

If you or one of your family members has an accident or gets sick at home, will you have access to 911 service? Make sure that there are ambulance drivers nearby, as well as close medical facilities, in case you need medical attention in the future. Unfortunately, when buying a house in the country, you give up some of the luxuries (and necessities) of city life. This is an especially important consideration if you have small children or elderly relatives in your home.

The same is true for other emergencies that require public responders. Police and fire fighters are high on the list. Find out the typical response times and make alternate plans with your family in times of emergency.

Wild Animals

Most wild animals prefer to keep to themselves, and won’t present much of a danger even if you’re buying a house in the country. For safety’s sake, however, find out which dangerous wild animals live in the area, and how to keep from a confrontation. Animals to consider include snakes, spiders, wolves, coyotes, big cats and even wild turkeys.

In truth, most wild animals won’t approach you; instead, they’ll run away. However, when you’re buying a house in the country, talk over the safety issues with your family to ensure that everyone does what they can to stay safe.

Hunters

When buying a house in the country, find out if there are any major hunting areas around the property. Sometimes, houses will be sold that back right up to a hunting blind. If this is the case, you run the risk of fooling a hunter into thinking that you are a deer, and your children run and even higher risk. Make sure to always wear bright clothing to avoid causing an accident.