12 Points to Keep in Mind Before You Buy a Lot to Build Your House
Whenever the topic of buying land comes up, I can’t help but hear the lyrics of the song “Green, Green Grass of Home†inside my head. If you have decided to build your own home either in the country or the suburbs, then finding the right building lot is a critical early step in that process. While budget is always an important factor in any purchasing decision, you should also consider these buying tips when evaluating the suitability of a land plot to build your home.
1. Check if the property has passed local zoning requirements.
2. Ask if the community or city sewer and water connections are already available on the building lots where you want to build your home.
3. Look for a copy of restrictive covenants especially if the building lot is still in development. This will tell you and your architect if there is a restriction on house size or any other limitations.
4. Avoid land lots near non-residential property zones. You don’t want factories for neighbors in the near future.
5. Go to the local police department and check if the zone is prone or not to crime. The safety of the location is just as important as the attractive view from within the house. This also involves the wildlife where coyotes, dogs, wolves or snakes can be dangerous especially when you have kids.
6. Realize what you could be trading exhaust fumes with. Check with the local government or future neighbors if there are pig farms and the like within the area.
7. Make sure that phone service and electricity are already available before you build your home.
8. Find out if the houses within the area follow any deed restrictions. You should check with the local building officials to see if there are any specific house or blueprint requirements.
9. Check with the local authorities if your land is stable. Make sure that your building lot is not a candidate for landslide.
10. Ask if there are any restrictions to hiring any builder on the lot. There are communities or subdivisions that are limited to hiring specific builders.
11. Asses the location of your future home. Is it still accessible to church, school, groceries, gas stations, and hospitals? Consider the places you often spend your time with your friends or family. Is it near the library, golf course or the health club? Also keep in mind the people who may want to visit you from time to time and the accessible ATM or banks for emergency purposes.
12. Check for winter road services and any driveway restrictions too. If the lot you wish to purchase is far from the road, as if you can build your own road extension and the charges that may cost you. Building a road extension can be very expensive especially when you have to build a bridge over a stream no matter how short this may be.
If you receive acceptable answers after following through on the tips above, you should have found yourself a building lot that will result in far fewer surprises for you in the future.
In a future article, I will discuss tips to consider when selecting the right house plan blueprint for your particular building lot.
