Realtors
Buyers and New Owners
The rural life...
A beautiful ranch is more than just a house; it's a vast and serene retreat that feels deeply connected to the natural landscape. The true beauty comes from the majestic environment that surrounds it, creating an atmosphere of rustic and tranquil seclusion.
Our beautiful ranch features diverse terrain, with rolling hills, rock formations, and sprawling meadows that give the property character and interesting views. Homes that are built here have a seamless connection to nature. Clusters of mature trees, such as a grove of pine trees or a stand of aspens, provide shade, shelter, and a sense of permanence. Old Kathleen Ranch is filled with amazing vantage points that frame the "million-dollar views" of the surrounding land. It is a serene atmosphere where the timeless beauty is rooted in the land.
Our beautiful ranch features diverse terrain, with rolling hills, rock formations, and sprawling meadows that give the property character and interesting views. Homes that are built here have a seamless connection to nature. Clusters of mature trees, such as a grove of pine trees or a stand of aspens, provide shade, shelter, and a sense of permanence. Old Kathleen Ranch is filled with amazing vantage points that frame the "million-dollar views" of the surrounding land. It is a serene atmosphere where the timeless beauty is rooted in the land.
Sounds amazing, right?
It is important for you to know that life in the country is different from life in the city. County governments are not able to provide the same level of service that you may be used to in the city. Here is some information to help you make an informed decision when considering the purchase of rural land.
It is important for you to know that life in the country is different from life in the city. County governments are not able to provide the same level of service that you may be used to in the city. Here is some information to help you make an informed decision when considering the purchase of rural land.
Access
The fact that you can drive to your property today does not necessarily guarantee that you, your guests and emergency service vehicles have that same level of access at all times. Please consider:
- Emergency response times (Sheriff, Fire and Medical, etc.) cannot be guaranteed. Under some extreme conditions, you may find that emergency response is extremely slow and expensive.
- There can be problems with the legal aspects of access, especially if you gain access across property belonging to others. It is wise to obtain legal advice and understand the easements that may be necessary when these types of questions arise.
- You can experience problems with the maintenance and cost of maintenance of your road. Park County maintains the County roads, but many rural properties are served by private and public roads which are maintained by private associations. Make sure you know what type of maintenance to expect and who will provide it.
- Extreme weather conditions can destroy roads. In extreme weather, even county-maintained roads can become impassable. You may need a four-wheel drive vehicle with chains for all four wheels to travel during those episodes, which could last for several days.
- Many large construction vehicles cannot navigate small, narrow roads. If you plan to build, it is prudent to check out construction access.
- School buses travel only on maintained county roads that have been designated as school bus routes by the school district. You may need to drive your children to the nearest county road so they can get to school.
- Unpaved roads generate dust. If your road is unpaved, it is highly unlikely that Park County will pave it in the foreseeable future. Unpaved roads are not always smooth and are often slippery when they are wet. Unpaved roads also increase wear on vehicles.
- Mail delivery is not available to all areas of the county. Ask the postmaster to describe the system for your area.
- Newspaper delivery is similarly not always available to rural areas. Check with the newspaper of your choice before assuming you can get delivery.
- Standard parcel and overnight package delivery can be a problem for those who live in the country. Confirm with the service providers as to your status.
- It may be more expensive and time consuming to build a rural residence due to delivery fees and the time required for inspectors to reach your site.
Utility services
Water, sewer, electric, telephone and other services may be unavailable or may not operate at urban standards. Repairs can often take much longer than in towns and cities. Please review your options from the non-exhaustive list below.
- Telephone communications can be a problem, especially in the mountain areas of Park County. Even cellular phones will not work in all areas.
- If sewer service is not available, you will need to use an approved septic system or other treatment process. The type of soil you have available for a leach field will be very important in determining the cost and function of your system.
- Permits for wells are granted by the state engineer and the cost for drilling and pumping can be considerable. The quality and quantity of well water can vary considerably from location to location and from season to season. Not all wells can be used for watering of landscaping and/or livestock. Permits from the state engineer may restrict water to use to that which is used inside of a home.
- It is important to determine the proximity of electrical power. It can be very expensive to extend power lines to remote areas. It may be necessary to cross property owned by others in order to extend electric service to your property in the most cost-efficient manner. It is important to make sure that the proper easements are in place to allow lines to be built to your property. Electric power may not be available in two phase and three phase service configurations. If you have special power requirements, it is important to know what level of service can be provided to your property.
- The cost of electric service is usually divided into a fee to hook into the system and then a monthly charge for energy consumed.
- Power outages can occur in outlying areas with more frequency than in more developed areas. A loss of electric power can also interrupt your supply of water from a well, and impact your stores of cold or frozen food. It is important to be able to survive for up to a week in severe cold with no utilities if you live in the country.
- Trash removal can be much more expensive in a rural area than in a city. In some cases, your trash dumpster may be several miles from your home. It is illegal to create your own trash dump, even on your own land. In some cases, your only option may be to haul your trash to the landfill yourself.
the property itself
There are many issues that can affect your property. It is important to research these items before purchasing land.
- Easements may require you to allow construction of roads, power lines, water lines, sewer lines, etc. across your land. There may be easements that are not of record. Check these issues carefully.
- You may be provided with a plat of your property, but unless the land has been surveyed and pins placed by a licensed surveyor, you cannot assume that the plat is accurate. Fences that separate properties are often misaligned with the property lines. A survey of the land is the only way to confirm the location of your property lines.
- Many subdivisions and planned unit developments have covenants that limit the use of the property. It is important to obtain a copy of the covenants (or confirm that there are none) and make sure that you can live with those rules. Also, a lack of covenants can cause problems between neighbors. Homeowners associations (HOAs) are required to take care of common elements, roads, open space, etc. A dysfunctional homeowners association or poor covenants can cause problems for you and even involve you in expensive litigation. Dues are almost always a requirement for those areas with a HOA. The bylaws of the HOA will tell you how the organization operates and how the dues are set.
- If you have a ditch running across your property there is a good possibility that the owners of the ditch have the right to come onto your property with heavy equipment to maintain the ditch. Water rights that are sold with the property may not give you the right to use the water from any ditches crossing your land without coordinating with a neighbor who also uses the water. Other users may have senior rights to the water that can limit your use or require you to pay for the oversizing or other improving of the ditch.
natural Environment
Residents of the country usually experience more problems when the elements and earth turn unfriendly. Here are some thoughts for you to consider.
- Trees are a wonderful environmental amenity, but can also increase the danger during a forest fire. Defensible perimeters are very helpful in protecting buildings from forest fire and inversely can protect the forest from igniting if your house catches on fire. If you start a forest fire, you are responsible for paying for the cost of extinguishing that fire.
- Steep slopes can slide in unusually wet weather. Large rocks can also roll down steep slopes and present a great danger to people and property.
- Expansive soils can buckle concrete foundations and twist steel I-beams. You can know the soil conditions on your property if you have a soil test performed.
- North facing slopes or canyons rarely see direct sunlight in the winter. There is a possibility that snow will accumulate and not melt throughout the winter.
- The topography of the land can tell you where the water will go in the case of heavy precipitation. When property owners fill in ravines, they have found that the water that drained through that ravine now drains through their house.
- A flash flood can occur, especially during the summer months, and turn a dry gully into a river. It is wise to take this possibility into consideration when building. Spring run-off can cause a very small creek to become a major river. Many residents use sand bags to protect their homes.
- Nature can provide you with some wonderful neighbors. Most, such as deer and eagles are positive additions to the environment. However, even "harmless" animals like deer can cross the road unexpectedly and cause traffic accidents. Rural development encroaches on the traditional habitat of animals that can be dangerous and you need to know how to deal with them. In general, it is best to enjoy wildlife from a distance and know that if you do not handle your pets and trash properly, it could cause problems for you and the wildlife.
Agriculture
Owning rural land means knowing how to care for it. There are a few things you need to know:
- Land preparation and other operations can cause dust, especially during windy and dry weather.
- Agriculture is an important business in Park County. If you choose to live among the farms and ranches of our rural countryside, understand that Colorado has "Right to Farm" legislation that protects farmers and ranchers from nuisance and liability lawsuits. It enables them to continue producing food and fiber.
- Colorado has an open range law. This means if you do not want cattle, sheep or other livestock on your property, it is your responsibility to fence them out. It is not the responsibility of the rancher to keep his/her livestock off your property.
- Before buying land, you should know if it has noxious weeds that may be expensive to control and you may be required to control. Some plants are poisonous to horses and other livestock.
- Animals can be dangerous. Bulls, stallions, and a variety of wild animals can attack human beings. Children need to know that it is not safe to enter pens where animals are kept.
- Much of Park County receives less than 17 inches of precipitation per year. As a result, we have a problem with overgrazing, and fugitive dust. Without irrigation, grass does not grow very well. There is a limit to the amount of grazing the land can handle.
More helpful links
Old Kathleen Ranch owners have compiled a list of vendors and suppliers that they have used in the past. It can serve as a place to start making your rural living dream come true. REMINDER: Do your own due diligence when selecting contractors or vendors. We also have a page of helpful resources linked below: