We Tried to Sell Our Home by Owner

If you are looking to buy a piece of land on which to build your new house, you may wonder where to begin when gathering information about different lots. If so, investigate the following three questions to help you get started with your fact finding phase.

What Type Of Structures Does Zoning Allow?

If you have found a plot of land either in town or just outside of the city limits, the first thing you should look at is the zoning of the land. Depending on where the lot is located, you may or may not be able to build a home on it.

For example, if the land is in the middle of town, it may be set aside as commercial property. In this instance, you would not be able to build a home.

However, if you find a plot of land outside of the city limits, it may be set aside for farming. In this case, no permanent structures would be allowed. You need to find land that is zoned for residential use.

Are Utilities Currently Accessible To The Land?

After finding a couple of vacant lots in which you are interested, the next thing you should find out is the accessibility of utilities to the land. Some plots already have electrical wiring and water pipes running through the property. Having this readily available means it will be easier for the building contractor to connect your utilities to your new home.

However, if the land is far away from town, you may have to pay to get the utility lines run to your property. While this does not necessarily mean the land should be ruled out, it is important to know when calculating the cost of the land and your building expenses, as having the main lines installed can become quite costly.

Is There A Moratorium In Place?

Once you are set to buy a piece of land, double check to make sure there is no moratorium in place in the area. A moratorium is a decision by the city or county to put a hold on all new building.

This would mean that while you could buy the land, you would have to wait until the hold is lifted before you could build your house. Depending on the municipality, this could be a few months to several years.

After investigating the above questions, you may have narrowed down your choices to a couple of plots of land. If you have further questions about the land for sale in which you are interested, contact the real estate company so you can discuss details about the vacant lot.