Find out about cellular reception. Where I live is hardly in the boonies, but we're on the Edge network or equivalent for every carrier.

Well, I never would have believed it, but after years of DSL service, my provider messed up big time and terminated me. Then they could not restore my service! They had "grandfathered in" contract with the current area providers but then the contract lapsed and they wouldn't give them my dsl line to restore to me. Fine, so I tried to go with the primary, current provider and they had NO "ports" meaning they were not providing any new internet services to anyone (even though a port had just been freed up by my termination). So the only service for internet for me was dial up!! And I live in the not very far out suburbs of the state capital. No cable service available, only other was satellite, which is horribly expensive (if you don't have TV bundled).

I finally bought a hughesnet system, which is less than satisfactory because of the limited data at an exorbitant price. I eventually did an end run around the real people at the phone/internet company and got them to sign me up via their webpage (after being refused service for months). A real person called on the day before I was to have service connected and said they were sorry but there was no service available to me, but voila! the next day it was hooked up and a computer called to tell me I had service. The first time I had better customer service from a machine than from real people. So I had both hughesnet and dsl service for 3 years while I waited for my hughesnet contract to run out.

So don't just check speeds, etc. check for availability of services to new customers.

I looked in an area with only propane, I didn't want that.

Oh, wow, Olychick, I would have been livid! Thank goodness you persevered and were able to do an end run around the humans.

Nearest hospital, in general the larger the better. Ideally an academic teaching hospital, that is a level-1 trauma center, certified chest pain center, and comprehensive stroke center - the things where minutes make a difference.

If I was planning to live there a long time, I would look at future expansion plans. We have lived in our house 21 years, and used to be out in the boonies. In the last couple of years they built a major highway about one mile away. This is bringing much additional traffic, and the inevitable development. There is a new high school, and a huge tract of land is under contract to a high-density developer.

We plan to sell in 5-10 years, but are really debating whether to stay or get out sooner.

What kinds, and how many, life-threatening natural disasters have occurred in the area in the past 25-50 years? Wildfires, earthquakes, major floods, tornados, can recur in some areas somewhat predictably.

Weather and topography. I don't know how many times I see people flooded out of their homes by yet another 'storm of the century'. After be forced to leave our FL home due to rising water, we've always lived on top of a hill. Thanks to all of the hype on TV, plus getting older, weather scares me a bit. Our new house is very strong (solid concrete) plus we have a basement to escape to, even though our area of SC rarely gets tornadoes. Sadly, we do seem to be in a drought-prone microclimate, which we also had in FL. We'd sit and watch the storms go around us every time. I could never live in an earthquake area, or a tornado alley.

The other things we researched heavily were zoning, what is in our general area, and long-range municipal/county/federal planning. I don't want to find out I'm near an airport, sewage treatment plant, or a proposed Interstate corridor.

Other things some people might want to consider are local flora and fauna. We are in one of the worst areas in the country for hay fever. I've never seen so many wasps, hornets, bees, spiders, and scorpions. I'd be paranoid if I were allergic to bee stings.

I would try to go see it more than once at different times to see if any neighbors have a dog that stays outside and barks incessantly.

Not inexpensive, but if you're getting that many power outages, it might be a good use of money to get a generator, and one that kicks on automatically in a power outage.

Property tax rates, and not just the rate but how well the town is run in conjunction with those rates. For example, the town next to me has the highest tax rate on the Cape, but it is a beautiful, well managed town with very good services. My town is 4 points lower, but it's a really lousy town where our taxes are concerned. Sometimes it's actually worth paying more.

Don't just look at crime stats but find out if there are any registered sex offenders living in your town, esp. if you have children.

All great points that have already been brought up. To add to Tibb's point about a generator, if you are building and think you will need a generator, have your house wired to accommodate a generator. When we built in the country, we thought we might have problems with our rural electric provider (we don't, thankfully), so we bought a generator and had the house wired with an outside plug and provision to be able run many appliances (refrigerator, WH, etc) off the gen.

Check how close you are to fire hydrants. Can make a difference in your fire insurance rates. Do check flood zones (10-year up to 100-year). Flood zone maps were redrawn in our area a few years ago and left a lot of people surprised. Some were contested and people won (our lake condo association was involved one of these when I was on the Board).

Septic systems are not necessarily bad. If you have a large family, may not be ideal, but you have to learn things about dealing with one. Plumbing in general is important. So is the electrical and insulation in existing construction. Have it checked out thoroughly.

Take a good hard look at the neighbors. I think too many people, especially young first time buyers, get stars in their eyes when they see a certain house and don't look closely at their surroundings. Check it out visually and also look online at the Recorder of Deeds in the community to see who owns the nearby properties, then google those names to see what comes up. We have one really bad apple on our lovely street. I would feel bad for someone who buys next to them. Is there open land nearby? See who owns it and what the plans are for that space. Is it protected or is it about to become a new development? Drive through the neighborhood at different times of day and night. People may put the barking dogs in the house at certain times. Do the neighbors kids play basketball into the wee hours, or work on their motorcycles?

Another thing is water pressure! One friend bought a house and never can get a decent shower because the water pressure to their are is below average.

Interesting list!

Second the point about accessibility to health care. We live 5 minutes from a sizable hospitable with reputable medical groups associated. My son recently needed close, daily monitoring, and we were able to do it outpatient because the practice was so close by.

Also the point about local government/municipality and how tax revenue is used. Most board meeting minutes are online, and often you can simply drive around a community and get a feel for how fiscally responsible the governing bodies are, particularly smaller towns.

Finally, for me, local shopping. I once lived 45 minutes from the nearest grocery store, and I had to learn a whole different way of planning and shopping for meals. I prefer being close to local farmers markets, locally owned/sourced meat markets, and specialty shops in addition to grocery chains.

ETA agreement to Dedtired above. Our realtor, when showing us our current home, knocked on the doors of neighbors to introduce us. As we were walking along the sidewalk, I noticed a few random straws from those kiddie juice boxes. My husband remarked, "Better those than cigarette butts."

I now live in a city and had more issues than when I was in the country.

When I did my renovation on my 1939 house, a standby online generator was a MUST HAVE. The power lines are behind the houses in my neighborhood, running through the woods. We're the last neighborhood for repairs when there's a widespread outage--because trucks can't get to our lines. The crew has to go in on foot.

My Generac works great and is powered by natural gas when the electricity goes out. It was under $6000 and handles everything in my house (around 2200sf).

I had issues with Verizon signals--couldn't even get through to 911, if I had needed it. On an online chat with Verizon, I threatened to switch to Sprint. Verizon sent me a network extender to boost the signal and works off of my wifi and GPS satellite. They sent it for free, so I've stayed with Verizon and have no issues with placing or receiving calls.

I'm only a mile from a major hospital, and I was 4 miles from one at my previous home. An acquaintance was vacationing in the NC mountains last weekend and had a heart attack in a popular vacation community (Boone/Blowing Rock) that also has a university. The hospital there was too small to do any procedures, so he had to be moved to Hickory. It's just fortunate that it wasn't a massive attack. So, not only is a hospital important, but the availability of life-saving services is crucial.

I checked the crime maps before buying, and decided to install security cameras (front and back), in addition to the alarm system. Daytime break-ins are a possibility; no issues with violent crime in my particular neighborhood.

I definitely considered natural disasters and made sure that my house was on top of a small hill - all water flows naturally away from the house - and the ground is very solid and not prone to earthquake damage. The downside to that is that the soil is very poor for growing things. Before, however, I lived in a tsunami zone (a block and half from the Venice canals, which are at sea level), and I could grow anything in my yard. I was not in the path of mudslides, however.

Commuting distance was a large consideration, and I wanted to be in a microclimate close enough to the ocean to have mild temperatures all year, and we never have frost where I live and it rarely gets above 85°, but we did install A/C for the few days when it does get warm.

We're in a bad district for schools, but we don't have children, and most people in the neighbor do not either, for that reason. If they do have children, they move to a different neighborhood when the children are beyond elementary school level. For us, not having teenagers in the neighborhood is a big plus. The previous owners of the house we bought had two daughters and decided to sell just before the older daughter was ready for Jr. High (or is it Middle School now?).

We lived in a very trendy neighborhood before (GQ magazine called our street the "coolest street in America), and the neighbors (on both sides) were college aged and had parties almost every week-end. We often got notices from film production companies that there would be limited parking in front of our house because of film crews that would be filming on our street. There was a high percentage of renters, and there is a high percentage of owners where we live now. I didn't mind the film crews, but the traffic continued to get worse during the 15 years that I was in Venice. I had lots of accidents with pedestrian tourists on the bike paths who could not read the signs that said "Bikes Only".

Living in southern California, it was earthquakes, floods and fires. We're very far from a major fault zone, live on the side of a hill quite far above the street and have the means and sparse vegetation to withstand a wildfire. The underside of the deck has burns from a horrific wildfire which the previous owner fought successfully by not evacuating. Trauma hospital within ten miles, dead-end street to deter crime (we have gangs but they won't go where they could be trapped by not having another way of escape, and we're pretty isolated anyway). We've recently bought a small generator so that we can at least use our laptops without which we'd be lost. We have only one neighbor we can even see, and the wild area across the street was saved from being turned into luxury homes by being bought and turned into a vineyard by a wealthy couple who didn't want to have to look at 110 acres of homes below them. We have propane and a septic system which are fine for the two of us. Excellent phone and internet service.

The water pressure is excellent, very rare to have power outages, and the house is stucco with a tile roof, good in cases of fire. Other than groceries we order everything on-line, and 10 miles is not a big deal for grocery shopping. We have the privacy and natural surroundings we crave but are not so isolated that we don't have needed services within a reasonable distance including a great doctor and excellent hospital, and a wonderful vet and fire station a mile away. Now if only we didn't have a major drought.....

I'm going to save this thread as posters have listed things that I still wouldn't have thought to check. Thank you!

I live where there is no cell service, 40 mins to small hospital & Dr's, our propane generator comes on automatically. In my last house or here I can't see another house and wouldn't have it any other way. I admit I probably wouldn't stay here if anything happened to my DH. I guess we have always valued our privacy over other other things.

A biggie for me would be window orientation, to evaluate how much solar gain a house achieves. I like to warm the house naturally in the winter, and would plant trees for the summer.

Being a gardener, I would pay close attention to micro-climates of the property, trying to identify potential frost pockets, protection from winds, etc. I also would be try to make sure there is enough room for me to prevent spray drift of chemicals (herbicides and pesticides). Fortunately, most in my subdivision are into horses and not plants so it is not an issue.

I have a vacation home in AZ. When we bought it there were covenants about not parking on the street. They have since removed that restriction. Certain times of day the streets are littered with parked cars. The entire ambiance is changed, to the point I will probably sell it.

One, and this is not always easy, I like to own the vista. Or at least feel comfortable that it is unlikely to change.

Two, gourmet grocery shopping is a must. And not just a large chain, but specialty and organic options.

Very high quality restaurants are a must.

Proximity to a variety of private schools.

If rural or semi-rural, an automatic back up generator.

His and her bathrooms, his and her closets.

I agree about water pressure! Also water quality. I never understood all the questions people had about getting spots off of faucets, shower heads, etc. Now I get it,

If you live on a bust street, find out if it has a high accident rate. Our last house as on a corner and I learned all about how intersections are rated and the data that is kept.

I would add distance to a skilled care or nursing home facility if you like peace and quiet. Moms place on top of a small hill has little between us and a nursing home also on a hill top. Not sure how anyone sleeps with the number of emergency calls lights and sirens fire truck and ambulances

Also, the cemetery. Some friends are freaked out about being just one lot away And you do have to get used to Mariachi Bands and 21 gun salutes

I like the local private HS marching band practice

but some how the freeway noise finds its way up the hill from a mile away but thankfully the trains do not blow their horns on this section of the track like by my house

I am putting in solar, and I am putting in a back-up propane generator (as the solar will not at this point have storage batteries, but will provide energy as the sun shines). This will change down the road.

Next year, once I sell my current home, I'm putting in a geothermal heat pump, which will provide the A/C equivalent for summers. I've "plumbed in" my home for the proper forced-air needs for geothermal, when it goes in.

Why would someone be worried about being near a cemetery? We have an attractive one that has been there for over a century, and while I want to be cremated when the time comes ... and scattered in the back forty of my own property ... it's a quarter mile away. It's all part of the cycle of life. We all do go sometime -- although I hope to wait another 25 years or so...

I'll also chime with access to medical care. My oldest niece is a Registered Dietitian in an outpatient dialysis unit. She sees so many people who moved out to retire to a rural area of the region and then find out one of them needs dialysis. Sometimes this can be done at home, but it does require frequent doctor visits.

Don't forget to check neighboring areas. The city next to us quickly went from fields to houses and commercial centers over a ten year period. All of that new traffic went through our city to reach the freeway, or returning from it, so our area greatly felt the impact.

Get a feel for the community politics and laws. I know of a rural city of 15,000. The old-timers in power wanted to keep the "country atmosphere", so they refused to allow in any supermarkets or other major retailers. They eventually caved, but it took several decades to accomplish.

And the laws. Newer cities especially can be fairly restrictive--shades of an HOA. One would not allow the removal of a tree greater than 3" caliper with out a permit, even if it was dead. And for certain species, you were required to replace the tree with one of sufficient size and of the identical species. This was anywhere on your property, not just along the street. When some diseases hit the area, it could became a never ending circle of tree died, pay for permit, replace tree, tree died...

Artemis_Ma

Some people are superstitious about cemeteries

One other issue is we are on the working side, this is an active cemetery, and includes the back up alarm of a back hoe for hours and hours a day Imagine living in a permanent construction zone...now an antique full cemetery is different

there is a house for sale up the street that has just a chainlink fence between them and the cemetery I had to feel back for the agent when they had an open house and next door they ran both the back hoe and a jack hammer the entire day

Check the water source. I always took for granted that we have good water straight from the tap. A friend who bought further from the city never thought about the water source until there were problems with the local aquifers and capacity to serve lots of new developments. And of course the deplorable situation in Flint, MI underscores the importance of a safe and reliable water source.

"Why would someone be worried about being near a cemetery?" I would worry about whether they keep it green with lots of pesticides and fertilizers, just as I would if I were near a golf course or crop fields. All those chemicals leach into the ground and disperse into the air. That beautiful expanse of green might come with a cost.

When we were looking for property to buy or build our retirement home our criteria was a minimum of 4-5 acres (due to DH's wish for privacy and a huge shop/barn), horse property in a rural area (for DD's love of horses and riding), no HOA (see above re DH's huge shop/barn), and a dream farmhouse with a beautiful kitchen and plenty of space for adult children and friends to visit (for me).

One last requirement for me - we needed to be close to great food, especially an authentic Italian restaurant!

I ruled out a few beautiful lots - one was too close to high voltage power lines and had an easement that looked like it would create a problem with siting the house and DH's shop. The other was too close to a recycling center for my comfort level, although it didn't bother DH.

We ended up with a beautiful 15 acre horse property, with a 5000 sf shop/barn for DH, a 6-stall horse barn and riding arena for DD, a cute little guest house for family and friends to visit - and a major fixer upper farmhouse for me :)

Unfortunately, it didn't come with a dream house or a dream kitchen, but I'm hoping we can make that happen with a little time, sweat equity, and hopefully not too much more money.

When we were 21 and 22, pregnant (35 years ago) and building our home, I thought of exactly NONE of this! <lol> All very good things to consider tho :)

Along the lines of looking around at the neighbors/neighborhood....An acquaintance helped their son and his wife purchase a house while he was in med school. They noticed the house next door had a sh*t-load of bamboo in the backyard. What they didn't expect was it was totally out of control and they have fought that cr*p tooth and nail for the last 3 years since it creeps under the adjacent fence and the neighbors don't care. It has apparently just about taken over the neighbor's backyard and keeps threatening. So pay attention to your neighbors and their yards, what's in them, and how they maintain them.

Also being a gardener, ditto what tishtoshnm said about neighbors who spray herbicides & pesticides in close proximity to what and where you might want to grow something. We're currently in the country and don't have to worry about this, but I would be concerned if I lived in a subdivision and had a small space for gardening.

You can't always control the neighbors: the lovely family may move out and a real jerk move in, and vice versa. Although we did live next to one house where, through 3 owners, they were all crazy. Sometimes just in a head-scratching way, but the third one was the reason we moved.

I consider whether a highway is planned, or being talked about, or, just by looking at the map you can tell that the major road that ends, is likely to go through one day. How close to YOU do you want it to go, and how will it change the neighborhood?

What is happening with the schools? Is there talk of closing the one near you, or adding/eliminating a program that is valuable to your child?

Are farms being redeveloped? If I'm moving there for the open space, I wouldn't like that. If I want close services (and traffic), then okay.

We looked at a lovely house, but the commuter rail was right behind. Which is worse, to be near the commuter rail or the freight-only rail? One is more frequent short spurts, the other less-frequent but longer-lasting and potentially more dangerous.

How close are the high-tension power lines? I don't want to hear the crackle!

i would drive down certain streets after a huge storm and see how many houses have carpet out at the curb!

I forgot to mention - when buying homes I've always narrowed my search to areas with excellent public schools. This might become less important when my youngest finishes high school.

if i had to live with frequent power outages, i would invest in a generator!! i wouldn't want to worry about that anymore! and, a generator would be a positive selling point if you put your house on the market!!

when we build a retirement home, we will be less 'convenient' than we are now, which i'm sure i will have to get adjusted to... but, the planned community will have lots of different things to do for those who live there and that is one of the things that really interests me- it seems to be a pretty vibrant community! with a lot of other activity options within a reasonable drive...

quick access to healthcare facility is one thing that does give me a little pause, but the 1st responders are one of the most important things in an acute situation and i think the 1st response time is pretty good where we'll be living and there will be very good healthcare options not terribly far away...

I haven't read all of the comments but I would consider stairs if I had it to do over again. When we purchased our house I was in my early forties. Our house is very oddly laid out and I go up and down stairs all day long. Right now, at 62, it's great exercise and I don't mind it at all but sooner or later going up and downstairs, especially while carrying groceries or laundry, will become an issue. According to my FitBit I average ten flights a day but often go fifteen or more flights.

I would also, ideally, opt to live east of where I work, so I was traveling west in the morning and east in the afternoon avoiding the awful blinding of the sun when driving into it.