Buying a Home in Vermont Is a Little Different. And That’s Part of the Appeal.
I’ve spent years traveling Vermont’s backroads, exploring small towns, visiting historic properties, and getting to know the places that make this state so distinctive. One thing I’ve learned is that Vermont has its own way of doing things, and real estate is no exception.
If you’re moving here from another state, you might be surprised to learn that the home you’re considering has never had a modern boundary survey. Or that the water comes from a spring, the wastewater goes into a septic system, and the house is heated by some combination of oil, wood, and heat pumps.
You might discover that your property has three different heating systems, a private road with an informal plowing arrangement, and a homeowners association that technically exists but hasn’t held a meeting in decades.
And that beautiful dirt road leading to the property? You might want to ask what it looks like in April.
These aren’t necessarily red flags. In fact, many of these features are perfectly ordinary aspects of owning property in Vermont.
But they do make buying, selling, and maintaining a home here a little different from what people might be accustomed to elsewhere.
I’m Erin McCormick, a Realtor with Keller Williams Vermont and the founder of Travel Like a Local® Vermont. I’ve spent much of my career working in real estate, marketing, and business leadership, and I’ve come to appreciate just how much local knowledge matters when navigating Vermont’s housing market.
Whether you’re buying your first Vermont home, relocating from another state, or preparing to sell a property you’ve owned for decades, here are some of the nuances worth understanding.
1. Your Vermont Property Might Not Have a Survey
Let’s start with something that surprises a lot of buyers.
In many parts of the country, buyers are accustomed to receiving a relatively recent property survey showing the precise boundaries of the land they’re purchasing.
In Vermont, that’s far from guaranteed.
It’s not unusual for a property to change hands without a new boundary survey being completed. Some parcels have surveys dating back decades, while others may have no known modern survey at all.
Instead, property descriptions may reference old deeds, stone walls, iron pins, neighboring parcels, or landmarks that have changed over time.
And if you’ve spent much time walking through Vermont’s woods, you know that stone walls are everywhere.
Those walls can tell fascinating stories about how the land was once used, but they don’t necessarily establish the legal boundaries of a property.
Why This Matters for Buyers
Imagine purchasing a ten-acre property with plans to build a garage, install a fence, or create a trail around the perimeter.
You might assume that the edge of the mowed lawn, the tree line, or an old stone wall marks the property boundary.
But assumptions aren’t a substitute for knowing where your land begins and ends.
A survey can be particularly important when you’re considering new construction, subdivision, significant improvements, or a property with uncertain boundaries.
Not every Vermont real estate transaction requires a new survey, and whether one makes sense depends on the property and your plans.
But it’s a question worth discussing before closing.
Why This Matters for Sellers
If you’re selling a property with acreage, having a clear understanding of the boundaries can help avoid confusion.
If a buyer asks whether a particular field, stone wall, driveway, or wooded area belongs to the property, you want to be able to provide accurate information rather than make assumptions.
And if there are recorded easements or rights-of-way, those deserve attention, too.
2. Municipal Water and Sewer Aren’t Something You Can Assume
In many suburban communities around the country, homeowners take public water and sewer connections for granted.
Turn on the faucet, pay the water bill, and let the municipality worry about the infrastructure.
In Vermont, particularly outside our cities and village centers, things often work differently.
Many homes rely on private wells or springs for drinking water and individual septic systems for wastewater disposal.
Even within the same town, one property might have municipal water and sewer while another, just a few miles away, relies entirely on private systems.
Private Wells and Springs
According to the Vermont Department of Health, approximately four in ten Vermont households get their drinking water from private wells or springs.
That means the homeowner is responsible for understanding and maintaining the water supply.
Private wells can be an excellent source of drinking water, but buyers should ask questions about the type of well, its age, available records, water yield, and any treatment equipment.
And testing matters.
Water that looks clear and tastes good isn’t necessarily free from contaminants. Vermont groundwater can contain naturally occurring substances such as arsenic and uranium, along with potential bacterial contamination.
I encourage buyers to work with qualified professionals and certified laboratories to understand the quality of the water they’re purchasing along with the property.
Septic Systems and Wastewater Permits
Septic systems are another important part of rural Vermont homeownership.
Some homes have relatively new, engineered wastewater systems with detailed permits and documentation. Others have older systems, sometimes with limited records.
One of the biggest things buyers need to understand is that a home’s physical bedroom count and its permitted wastewater capacity aren’t necessarily the same.
A property advertised with four bedrooms may have documentation supporting a different design capacity.
And if you’re thinking about adding bedrooms, finishing a basement, building an accessory dwelling unit, or constructing a guest cabin, you shouldn’t assume that the existing septic system can accommodate those plans.
Vermont’s wastewater permitting requirements can influence what you’re allowed to build and how a property can be used.
For sellers, having available permits, septic plans, pumping records, and maintenance information organized before listing can help buyers better understand the property.
The takeaway? In Vermont, the systems beneath the ground can be every bit as important as the features inside the house.
3. We Have an Awful Lot of Dirt Roads
Here’s one of my favorite Vermont facts: roughly half of our local road mileage is unpaved.
And if you’ve spent any time traveling around the state, that probably doesn’t surprise you.
Some of my favorite Vermont drives are on dirt roads. They’re where you’ll find old farmhouses, covered bridges, mountain views, and beautiful stretches of countryside that feel a world away from the interstate.
But there’s a difference between enjoying a scenic drive and relying on that road to get home every day.
Have You Ever Experienced Vermont Mud Season?
If you’re new to Vermont, allow me to introduce you to our unofficial fifth season.
Mud season arrives when the ground begins to thaw, and certain unpaved roads can develop deep ruts, soft spots, and challenging driving conditions.
I’ve driven roads during mud season that look nothing like the smooth gravel surfaces you encounter in July.
Some roads become difficult to navigate, and occasionally conditions can be severe enough that travel is discouraged.
It’s one of those things that can be difficult to appreciate until you’ve experienced it.
If you’re buying a home on a dirt road, I encourage you to understand how that road performs throughout the year, not just on the day of your showing.
Not All Public Roads Receive the Same Maintenance
Another important distinction is the classification of the road.
Vermont has different classes of town highways, and maintenance responsibilities vary.
A road being public doesn’t automatically mean the town plows it in winter or maintains it to the same standard as a major road.
Some roads have limited seasonal maintenance, and others may not be maintained for regular vehicle access.
Before buying, it’s worth confirming the road’s classification and what services the municipality actually provides.
4. Private Roads Come With Their Own Set of Questions
Vermont also has plenty of properties accessed by private roads and shared driveways.
Sometimes there’s a formal road association and a written maintenance agreement. Other times, several neighbors have simply shared the responsibility for years.
That arrangement may work perfectly well.
But what happens when the road needs $20,000 in drainage improvements? Or when a culvert washes out? Or when one neighbor decides they no longer want to contribute to plowing?
These are questions worth understanding before purchasing.
I want buyers to know whether there’s a recorded right-of-way, who is responsible for maintenance, how costs are shared, and whether there are any known access issues.
Private road arrangements can also be relevant to financing and insurance, depending on the lender, property, and documentation.
For sellers, clarity around road access and maintenance can help prevent unnecessary uncertainty during a transaction.
And let’s not forget the driveway itself.
That picturesque quarter-mile gravel driveway may offer incredible privacy, but it can also mean additional expenses for grading, gravel, drainage, and snow removal.
Privacy is wonderful. Just make sure you know what it costs to maintain.
5. The HOA That Exists on Paper, But Not Necessarily in Real Life
Here’s another interesting Vermont real estate quirk: sometimes you’ll encounter a property that’s technically part of a homeowners association (HOA), but you’d never know it from living there.
I’m not talking about a traditional HOA with a board of directors, annual meetings, monthly dues, and a long list of rules about what color you can paint your front door.
I’m talking about associations that were established decades ago when a rural subdivision was created, often to manage a shared private road, common land, or other infrastructure. The association might be referenced in the deed or subdivision documents, but in practice, there may be no active board, no regular meetings, no dues being collected, and no apparent administration.
Sometimes the neighbors simply take turns arranging for the road to be plowed. Sometimes one person collects money when gravel needs to be delivered. And sometimes nobody seems entirely sure whether the association is still operating.
Welcome to Vermont.
But here’s where things get interesting: just because an HOA isn’t functioning doesn’t necessarily mean its legal obligations have disappeared.
Recorded covenants, easements, maintenance agreements, and other restrictions may still apply to the property, even if nobody has actively enforced them for years. An inactive association can also create questions about who has authority to make decisions, collect assessments, or authorize repairs.
And if a buyer is financing the property, an HOA that exists on paper but can’t provide governing documents, financial records, or other information may raise questions during the lending process.
What Buyers Should Ask About an Inactive HOA
If you’re considering a property that’s technically part of an association, I want to understand what actually exists, both legally and practically.
Is the association still registered or otherwise legally active? Are there recorded covenants or bylaws? Are dues required, even if they haven’t been collected recently? Who maintains the private road or shared infrastructure? Are there outstanding obligations or potential assessments? And are there restrictions on how the property can be used?
I also want to distinguish between an actual homeowners association and a simple shared road maintenance agreement. They’re not necessarily the same thing, even if people casually refer to both as an HOA.
For sellers, it’s important to be transparent about what you know and gather whatever documentation is available. Saying there isn’t an HOA because nobody has paid dues in twenty years isn’t necessarily accurate if recorded documents establish one.
These arrangements aren’t automatically problematic. Plenty of Vermont homeowners have lived for decades with informal, cooperative systems that work perfectly well.
But before buying, it’s worth having a Vermont real estate attorney review the applicable documents so you understand what obligations might come with the property.
Because in Vermont, sometimes the homeowners association is little more than a name on a piece of paper. That doesn’t always mean it’s legally irrelevant.
6. Vermont Homes Often Have More Than One Heating Source
If you’re accustomed to living in a home with one central heating system and a thermostat on the wall, Vermont might introduce you to an entirely new vocabulary.
Oil boilers. Propane furnaces. Woodstoves. Pellet stoves. Outdoor wood boilers. Electric baseboards. Mini-split heat pumps. Radiant floor heating.
And sometimes several of them in the same house.
It’s not unusual to encounter a Vermont home with an oil-fired boiler, a woodstove in the living room, and heat pumps providing supplemental heating and air conditioning.
In fact, having multiple heating sources can be an advantage, offering flexibility during cold weather and helping homeowners manage energy costs.
But it’s important to understand how the systems work together.
Heating Costs Can Vary Dramatically
A well-insulated newer home with efficient heat pumps may have a very different operating cost from a historic farmhouse with older windows, minimal insulation, and an aging oil boiler.
When evaluating a property, I encourage buyers to ask about historical fuel consumption, heating bills, insulation, equipment age, maintenance records, and whether certain systems serve only part of the home.
And if there’s a woodstove, it’s worth understanding the chimney condition, installation, maintenance, and insurance requirements.
A woodstove can be one of my favorite features in a Vermont home, but it’s also equipment that needs proper care.
Don’t Forget the Fuel Tank
Oil and propane tanks deserve attention, too.
Is the tank owned or leased? Where is it located? What condition is it in? Are there records of previous underground tanks?
Depending on the circumstances, these details can influence inspection recommendations, insurance, and future maintenance costs.
In Vermont, understanding how a home is heated is a fundamental part of understanding what it costs to own.
7. Vermont’s Older Homes Have Character, and Sometimes Complications
Vermont has an incredible collection of historic homes.
Old farmhouses, village Victorians, converted barns, antique Capes, and properties that have been expanded and modified over generations are part of our architectural identity.
I love these homes. The wide-plank floors, exposed beams, original woodwork, and craftsmanship can be difficult to replicate.
But older homes also require a different kind of evaluation.
You may encounter stone foundations, fieldstone basements, older electrical systems, unconventional framing, additions built in different eras, and layouts that don’t conform to modern expectations.
And sometimes, you have to appreciate that a home built in 1850 wasn’t designed around today’s appliances, furniture dimensions, or mechanical systems.
Old Doesn’t Automatically Mean Problematic
I’ve seen beautifully maintained historic homes with thoughtful improvements and modern systems.
I’ve also seen newer homes with significant issues.
Age alone doesn’t determine condition.
But when purchasing an older Vermont property, I encourage buyers to work with inspectors who understand regional construction methods, foundations, moisture management, and the challenges of maintaining homes through our climate.
Sellers can benefit from understanding those same issues before listing.
Documented improvements, maintenance records, and clear information about the property’s systems can help buyers distinguish between historic character and deferred maintenance.
8. Acreage Doesn’t Always Mean What You Think It Means
Vermont buyers often dream about owning land.
Five acres. Ten acres. Fifty acres.
Enough room for gardens, animals, trails, a workshop, or simply a little breathing room.
But acreage alone doesn’t tell you how a property can be used.
Five acres of open, gently sloping land are very different from five acres of steep wooded terrain, ledge, or wetlands.
And just because you own a large parcel doesn’t necessarily mean you can subdivide it or build additional structures.
Zoning, wastewater capacity, access, environmental constraints, easements, and other restrictions can influence what is possible.
Vermont’s Current Use Program
For larger qualifying properties, Vermont’s Current Use Program, formally known as the Use Value Appraisal Program, is another consideration.
The program can offer property tax benefits for eligible agricultural and forest land, but enrollment comes with requirements and potential consequences if land is withdrawn or developed.
Buyers should understand whether a property is enrolled, what obligations apply, and how their future plans might affect that status.
Sellers should be prepared to disclose relevant enrollment information and provide available documentation.
It’s one more example of why evaluating land in Vermont involves more than looking at the acreage on a listing.
9. High-Speed Internet Isn’t Guaranteed Everywhere
This is one of the most important questions for buyers relocating to Vermont, especially those who work remotely.
Don’t assume that because a town has high-speed internet, every property in that town has access to the same service.
Coverage can vary from one road to another, and sometimes even between neighboring properties.
A house with spectacular mountain views and plenty of privacy might have limited broadband options.
And while internet availability has improved in many parts of Vermont, it’s still something I encourage buyers to verify at the specific address.
Ask which providers serve the property, what connection types are available, and what speeds can actually be delivered.
If reliable internet is essential to your work or lifestyle, do your homework before committing to a purchase.
10. Flooding, Drainage, and Water Are Important Considerations
Vermont’s rivers, streams, mountains, and valleys are a huge part of what makes the state beautiful.
They’re also part of what makes water management important.
We’ve seen how damaging significant flooding can be in Vermont, and it’s a reminder that buyers should understand the conditions surrounding a property.
A home doesn’t necessarily need to sit directly on a river to experience drainage or water-related issues.
Steep slopes, runoff, culverts, basement moisture, and the location of neighboring land can all influence how water moves through a property.
I encourage buyers to review available flood maps and historical information, ask about known water intrusion, and involve qualified professionals when concerns arise.
For sellers, providing accurate information about known flooding, drainage issues, and previous repairs is important.
And if you’re considering a property along one of Vermont’s beautiful rivers, remember that waterfront scenery and flood exposure need to be evaluated separately.
11. Property Taxes and Assessments Can Be Confusing
Vermont property taxes can surprise buyers, particularly those relocating from states with different tax structures.
Property tax obligations can vary by municipality, property classification, and other factors.
And the assessed value on a tax bill isn’t necessarily the same as a property’s current market value.
A home may have an assessment that differs significantly from its likely selling price, especially if local assessments haven’t recently been updated.
Vermont also has a statewide education property tax system, and eligible residents may qualify for certain property tax adjustments based on applicable rules.
If you’re buying a property, I encourage you to understand the current taxes and whether a change in ownership, property use, or assessment could affect future obligations.
And if you’re selling, remember that your tax assessment isn’t a substitute for a market-based pricing analysis.
12. The Property’s Paperwork Can Be Just as Important as Its Appearance
One thing I appreciate about Vermont real estate is that properties often have interesting histories.
A farmhouse may have been in the same family for generations. A parcel may have been divided from a larger farm. A driveway may cross land that once belonged to a neighbor’s grandparents.
But that history can also mean there’s documentation worth tracking down.
Depending on the property, I may want to review deeds, surveys, easements, wastewater permits, water records, zoning information, maintenance agreements, and documentation of improvements.
Sometimes those records are easy to locate. Other times, they require research through town offices, state databases, attorneys, or other professionals.
Not every question can be answered by a real estate agent alone, and there are situations where a surveyor, attorney, wastewater designer, inspector, or other specialist should be involved.
That’s part of doing appropriate due diligence.
And for sellers, gathering documentation before listing can make the process smoother and help buyers make more informed decisions.
13. Buying and Selling Vermont Real Estate Requires an Understanding of Lifestyle
Here’s something that doesn’t always show up in a comparative market analysis.
In Vermont, the lifestyle surrounding a property can be a significant part of its appeal.
A house in a walkable village near restaurants, shops, and community events offers a different experience from a remote property with mountain views and no visible neighbors.
A home near a ski resort attracts a different audience from one near a hospital, university, or major employment center.
And a farmhouse on a dirt road may appeal to someone who dreams of gardening, keeping animals, and enjoying privacy, while another buyer may prefer a smaller property with municipal services and minimal maintenance.
Neither is inherently better.
They’re simply different ways of living in Vermont.
Through Travel Like a Local® Vermont, I’ve spent years getting to know our communities, businesses, backroads, and landscapes. That perspective influences how I think about real estate because I understand that buyers aren’t just choosing a house.
They’re choosing a place and a way of life.
And when I’m marketing a property, I want buyers to understand both.
What All of This Means If You’re Buying a Vermont Home
If you’re purchasing a home in Vermont, my advice is to look beyond the listing photos and ask questions.
Understand the water and wastewater systems. Confirm access and road maintenance responsibilities. Investigate property boundaries and available permits. Ask about heating costs, internet availability, and how the property performs throughout the year.
A beautiful Vermont home can be an incredible place to live, but you want to understand the responsibilities that come with it.
And if you’re relocating from out of state, don’t assume that the homebuying process will be identical to what you’ve experienced elsewhere.
There are differences worth understanding, and that’s where working with someone familiar with Vermont properties can be especially valuable.
What All of This Means If You’re Selling a Vermont Home
For sellers, these same nuances can influence pricing, marketing, buyer confidence, and the overall transaction.
A property with a newer septic system, documented water testing, clear road maintenance arrangements, and updated heating equipment may offer advantages worth highlighting.
A home with unusual features, limited documentation, or additional maintenance responsibilities may require a more thoughtful pricing and marketing strategy.
I believe in understanding those details before a property goes on the market, not waiting for a buyer’s inspector or attorney to raise questions weeks into a transaction.
The more we know about a property, the better we can position it and help buyers understand its value.
Vermont Real Estate Is Different. That’s Why Local Knowledge Matters.
There’s a reason I love living in Vermont.
We have historic homes with stories to tell, winding dirt roads that lead to extraordinary views, small towns with distinct personalities, and properties that offer a level of space and connection to nature that’s increasingly difficult to find.
But those qualities also come with practical considerations.
Owning a home here might mean arranging your own snow removal, maintaining a septic system, testing your drinking water, managing multiple heating sources, or learning to appreciate mud season for what it is.
That’s not a reason to avoid Vermont real estate. It’s a reason to approach it with the right information.
As a Realtor with Keller Williams Vermont, I bring years of real estate experience, a background in marketing and business leadership, and a deep familiarity with the state I call home.
My goal is to help buyers understand what they’re purchasing and help sellers communicate what makes their properties valuable, with a strategy grounded in data and an appreciation for everything that makes Vermont different.
Because buying or selling a home in Vermont isn’t just about the property. It’s about understanding the place, the systems, the responsibilities, and the lifestyle that come with it.
Let's Talk About Your Vermont Real Estate Goals
Erin McCormick | Realtor, Keller Williams Vermont
Founder, Travel Like a Local® Vermont | Live Local Vermont