Services and utilities: what to check in any province

In a rural setting, the availability of basic services cannot be taken for granted in the same way as with an urban home. Two properties located in the same province, or even in the same municipality, can have very different access to electricity, water or telecommunications coverage depending on their exact location, their distance from the nearest network, and the infrastructure present in that specific area. That is why, rather than relying on a province's general reputation for services, it is worth verifying each one for the particular property being considered.

This guide does not evaluate the service level of any particular province — any such claim would quickly become outdated and would, in any case, be poorly representative of any specific property — but instead offers a general checklist of what to check, and how, before buying, regardless of which province you are looking in.

It is also worth distinguishing, from the outset, between two different questions that tend to get mixed up: whether a service exists in the area, and whether it actually reaches the specific property. It is common for an area to generally have an electricity grid, a water network or telecommunications coverage, and yet for the specific plot being considered to fall outside the practical reach of that infrastructure due to the distance to the nearest connection point or the terrain's relief. Verifying each utility for the property in question, not for the area in general, is the principle that runs through this entire guide.

The first point to verify is whether the property already has electricity connected and in its name, or whether a new connection needs to be requested. In the second case, it is worth finding out how far the nearest connection point to the distribution network is, because the cost of extending the line to the property can vary greatly depending on that distance and can amount to a considerable outlay if the property is far from the existing network.

It is also worth asking about the power available in the area, especially if the project includes machinery, electric irrigation or installations requiring significant power, since not every rural connection guarantees the power needed for every use. As an alternative or complement, it is worth assessing whether a solar power installation or another autonomous source would be more practical than a grid connection on particularly remote properties, comparing the costs of each option before deciding.

If the property already has an existing electrical installation, it is worth checking its condition and age, especially if there are older buildings with installations that may not meet current regulations. Requesting the electrical certificate or installation certificate, if one exists, and assessing the cost of a potential upgrade, is a reasonable check before accepting an installation simply because it "works" at the time of the visit.

Water is often the most decisive utility on a rural property, and also the one that varies most from case to case. It is worth verifying the source of the available water — municipal network, private well, river or stream intake, rainwater collection reservoir — and, in each case, whether there is a recognised, regularised usage right with the corresponding river basin authority, especially if the project depends on significant consumption, such as agricultural irrigation.

If the water comes from a well, it is worth finding out about its usual flow rate, whether it is registered and holds the corresponding concession or authorisation, and how it behaves during drought periods, when the available flow can drop noticeably. If it comes from the municipal network, it is worth verifying that the connection actually reaches the property and not just a nearby point, as well as the condition of the existing installation, if any.

In any case, it is worth not relying solely on what the seller or the listing states, and requesting the corresponding supporting documentation (water concession, supply contract, recent bills) before accepting water availability as an established fact.

It is also worth asking about the quality of the available water, especially if human consumption or irrigation of certain sensitive crops is planned: well water can have a salt or mineral content that makes it less suitable for certain uses without prior treatment. A water analysis, relatively affordable, can provide peace of mind before committing to a specific use that depends on its quality, and avoids surprises that only come to light after the project is already underway.

Mobile and internet coverage is an aspect that increasingly weighs on the purchase decision, especially for anyone planning to work remotely from the property or simply wanting reasonable connectivity. Mobile coverage can vary greatly even within a single property depending on the terrain's relief or the presence of dense vegetation, so it is worth checking it on site with your own phone during the visit, at different points on the plot, rather than relying solely on the coverage maps published by operators.

For internet access, it is worth finding out which technologies are available in the area — fibre optic, ADSL, radio or satellite internet — and the actual speed they offer, which can differ quite a lot from the advertised theoretical speed. In areas without sufficient fibre or ADSL coverage, satellite internet has become an increasingly viable alternative, though it is worth comparing cost and features against other options available in the specific area.

A practical way to check coverage before deciding is to bring a phone from each relevant operator during the visit (or ask neighbours which operator they use and with what results), since coverage can vary significantly between operators in the same rural area, even when official coverage maps suggest a similar situation between them. This kind of direct check tends to be more reliable than any published map.

If the project includes living on the property regularly, it is also worth verifying the distance and travel time to the nearest health centre, the area's reference hospital, and, if there are minors in the family, the available schools and the school transport system if there is one. These services depend on the municipality and the district, not the province as a whole, so it is worth verifying them for the property's specific location and not assuming them based on the district capital or the provincial capital.

In projects without regular residence, these factors may matter less, but it is worth not ruling them out entirely: even for occasional visits, proximity to medical assistance can be relevant, especially if the property's use includes activities with some risk, such as handling machinery or livestock.

It is also worth finding out about other services that, although less urgent, form part of everyday life in a rural area: the presence of basic local shops, the frequency of public transport if you rely on it, and the availability of nearby veterinary services if the project includes livestock or pets. None of these aspects is usually disqualifying on its own, but it is worth adding them to the rest of the checklist to form a complete picture of the real service level in the area where the property is located, and to avoid surprises once settled in that could have been anticipated with a relatively simple prior enquiry.

With the list of services reviewed in this guide, it is worth organising it as a systematic check before finalising any purchase, rather than as a series of loose questions resolved piecemeal. A practical approach is to prepare, before the visit, a specific list of questions for the seller and another for the town council, and not consider the purchase decision closed until you have obtained answers to all of them, with corresponding documentation whenever possible.

It is also worth bearing in mind that, even if a service is not available at the time of purchase, this does not always rule out the property: it may be possible to request a new connection, drill a well, or install an autonomous solution. What matters is knowing in advance the approximate cost and estimated time for that solution, and deciding, with that complete information, whether the project remains viable under those conditions, rather than discovering the problem and its cost of resolution after having already bought.

Finally, it is worth distinguishing between what is essential for the specific project and what would simply be desirable. Not all uses of a property require the same level of services: an occasional leisure project can work perfectly well with autonomous electricity and water solutions, while a regular residence or professional farming project may depend on a much more demanding level of service. Prioritising verification according to this real need avoids ruling out properties over the absence of services that are not, in fact, decisive for the project in mind.