Home Building - Purchasing Your Land

The lot you select will be an integral part of your new home. Make sure you are comfortable with the location and setting and remember the three most important rules when purchasing your land: Location, location and location!

It is safer to have purchased a lot prior to finalizing the design of your home, as the style, shape, size, foundation type, width, etc., can all be affected by the lot. If you opt to purchase your plans first it is important to make certain that the lot will accommodate the plans you have, since construction blueprints are not returnable after purchase.

Do you want to live in a particular school district, close to a city or business district, close to your job, in an established neighborhood or on acreage in a rural area? These are just a few of the factors that determine land and home values.

Many developments have protected covenants or building restrictions that serve as a minimum standard for new construction and home values are usually more stable and controlled. If you prefer a large lot, consider what it will cost in time and money to maintain. Whether or not you plan to have a basement, slab or crawl space, make certain that the lot supports the specific foundation type. If it doesn’t, a different, even more expensive location is almost always worth the extra cost. You might also want to consider the orientation of the lot [which way the sun rises and sets] if you have specific requirements for or against sun penetrating the interior.

Be skeptical of “bargain lots”. If a lot is priced much lower than the norm for the community there is probably a reason. Find out why. Issues to check for include drainage issues such as low spots where water will accumulate, poor soil conditions that can affect drainage, foundation design or sanitary disposal, extreme topographical problems, difficult restrictive covenants or easements, availability of utilities [water, sewer, electric, gas]. If you are uncertain, engage the services of a local professional before you buy. This is not to say to overlook a good opportunity; with the declining availability of building lots in many areas it is sometimes necessary to have to work around problem issues on an otherwise nice lot.

Don’t overbuild for the area. Try and build in an area that is at least comparable in value to the house you are building. Your surroundings will have a big impact on the resale value of your home. A very unique design may be exactly what you want, but may be difficult to sell. A home that does not blend in with the rest of the neighborhood may have a lower resale value even if it is the nicest house in the area.

Ask the seller to provide a survey of the lot prepared by a registered surveyor showing all legal easements, setback requirements, baseline elevations and possible wetlands where you may not be able to build. Lastly, insist on and pay for a title search and title insurance. Title insurance is important if there is ever a dispute over land ownership and most lending institutions require a “free and clear” title to the land before negotiating a loan.

Finding a Lot

Using several different sources will increase your chances of finding the perfect lot. Here are a few ideas to consider.

* For sale ads in local and nearby city newspapers.

* Looking online at websites like homefair.com to find multiple listing services.

* For sale signs posted on lots.

* Real Estate Agents.

* Legal plats in county courthouses or your local town hall.