Well water and DuPont may not be a good combination. Find out if there is some sort of local Water Board and have a list of questions for them. Have they done anything more than fecal coliform counts on the water? Chemical tests are very expensive to have done yourself, so see if they've done them as a matter of routine, or to keep an eye on DuPont or the other industries in the area. If they have done tests in that area, ask if you can have a printout of the results.

Also ask if there is any kind of truth disclosure laws on water sources, like if the well runs all year or dries up, contamination issues, etc. Water tables are dropping everywhere due to heavy use.

Streams, rivers and ponds flood. Some dry up in summer. If there is a river or stream nearby, get the water rights on paper. With some places, all you get is the view of the river and the flooding problems. A small spring or two would be far better (esp from a deep source, rather than groundwater) for survival purposes. Fecal coliform tests are usually cheap, $10 USD. Have every water source tested. Start with the springs, if any. Also, long ago I heard a man say, "If you find a spring on your property, dig it out with a spoon, not a backhoe", so maybe there are ways to ruin it if you have one.

If, by chance, the house needs to be re-roofed as part of the sales agreement, YOU choose the material, the safest for rainwater collection. If you have to pay the difference between what the owners want, do so. Baked-on painted metal in certain colors is safest.

In the U.S., there are more laws all the time about the limitations on what you can do with your land. Find out what restrictions are in place before you buy, regarding water, building, trees, burning, etc. Always ask, "Anything else?" just in case they don't say anything because you didn't ask about it.

Natural gas isn't piped everywhere, esp in the country, so if you want any gas at all, it has to be propane.

If you find a likely place, try to see it under the worst possible conditions.


Book: Finding & Buying Your Place in the Country by Les & Carol Scher. While the 1974 version is informative, get hold of the more recent edition (2000) for updated info.

Carla Emery's book is great, very useful.

Sue