What to ask your real estate agent about water in Colorado
Attorneys, developers and real estate brokers share an inside look at the questions buyers in Colorado should be — but aren’t — asking about water
Shannon Mullane/The Colorado Sun
Potential property owners are often not asking enough questions about water, experts say — and it can end up being a costly mistake.
When someone buys a property in Colorado, they can find themselves thrust into the complicated world of Western water. People looking in towns and cities might need to learn about providers and rate changes. Those interested in empty lots, unincorporated areas of counties or rural areas of the state might need to study up on water rights, wells and irrigation.
If they’re prepared, buyers will reach out to experts, and even attorneys, to understand the ins-and-outs of their new water supply before signing a deal. If they’re not, they could end up in the middle of a fight or with an expensive liability.
“There have been neighborly confrontations over water,” said John Wells, a broker and owner of the Wells Group in Durango. “I’ve seen people turn other people’s ditches off, locking their headgates, unlocking their headgates. It doesn’t make for a good neighborly situation.”
Western water law is frequently confusing — even for experts and real estate agents. Interested buyers coming from out of state are often used to a completely different system of managing water. Urban residents looking to move into rural Colorado might have little experience with ditches, ponds or water law.
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