Many communities have failed to plan for growth and have neglected the construction of infrastructure systems such as public water and sewer. Purchasers of building lots are well advised to pay close attention to the status of these municipal services - the costs can exceed $5,000 for a well and $7,500-$25,000+ for a septic.

Buyers of existing homes should also consider whether a property has water and sewer service. The maintenance of a well or septic system is the responsibility of the homeowner - and repairs are often expensive. In the worst case, a purchaser could face the need to completely replace a malfunctioning septic system. A good home inspection may identify a problem septic, however there are no guarantees.

On the other hand, if sewer and water service are available, the homeowner is committed to paying service fees that are often arbitrarily set by government controlled monopolies. It is always wise to check out these costs when researching a home. While these charges are usually reasonable, watch out for towns that may be forced to upgrade sewer plant capacity - this is extremely expensive and fees may be increased to cover these costs.