It varies depending on where you live. In my area irrigation water is very important. You have to find the resource that can explain the ditch and water rights. I usually have the buyer call that person to get first hand information. 

These are issues that we do not face in our market.

non existent

I think Debbie Laity has the best answer here. It depends on your local real estate market. It may never be an issue in states where water rights aren't disputed. Urban areas usually have municipal water utilities, but suburban may not, and rural water rights are always important. My experience with water rights is limited to the appraisal of agricultural land. 

Minnette Olsen - never done a transaction that involved this....

It's very unusual for water rights to come up in any of my transactions.

None.

I have only been involved with water rights when I lived on a waterfront property.

I have none.  Do you?

No involvement here with these issues at all

I am not involved in water rights or water shares. I rarely sell any properties on the waterfront.

in 17 years, it's never come up.

No idea....

 Water rights is serious and no laughing matter.

Water has rights. Water has the right to be free and to flow wherever and whenever it wants to. Water has been trapped and frozen in glaciers for a millennium and is relying on its water brethren in warmer climates like California to take a stand and liberate the water unfairly imprisoned in glaciers. Water is lobbying for an acceleration of global warming so the glaciers will melt and enable water to exercise its rights to free movement.

I would suggest that not only do you check water rights related to the propery your representing, but also be aware of any easements running through the property.  Many times there is a ditch that allows water to get to someone else's property on the property your representing.  Buyers do not take kindly to finding out that the ditch needs to remain open, and others can have access to their property.

I tramp through a lot more water doing my forestry business than my real estate business

None

Aside from reading these questions, I have none in my suburban areas.

Hi Minnette - Colorado water law is extremely complicated, and only attorneys specializing in that water law are qualified to provide advice in that area. Seriously.

Lucky I basically work in the city so do not deal with them.

None

I think others have asked this....I have no involvement with that and have need to learn details of it.....

Very little.  

We do not have water rights or shares here in NH. The rights to water are if you own frontage on a pond, lake or river, 

# # Not an issue for me in north Florida. 

Water rights and irrigation shares are very important in our agricultural and rural area.  I never had any involvement except to be sure the contract stipulated for the rights and/or shares to be transferred to the new owners.

I have no involvement at this time.

In Chicago, the water comes from Lake Michigan. Just turn on the tap!

Minnette Olsen Not much of an issue here. Step in the Potomac River on the Virginia side and you are in Maryland.

Don't face these issues in my market place.

Absolutely none.