Tips To Consider When Buying A Lot To Build Your Home
Posted on: 19 January 2019
Buying land and building your own home is a sure way of getting the house of your dreams. If you've been looking at homes and are ready to give up on finding the right home for your family, then it might be time to start looking at lots for sale. Here are a few tips for picking out a good lot for your new home.
Find A Lot Near Homes Like You Want To Build
If you plan to build an upscale home, then you'll want to buy a lot near other homes of the same size and value. Although you might find land cheaper in other neighborhoods, you might have trouble getting a construction loan if your home will be of more value than the rest of the neighborhood. Plus, you may have difficulty selling the home in the future if its value doesn't match the area and neighboring homes.
Have A Land Survey Done
Have a land survey before you buy the lot. If there are other homes bordering the land, they may have encroached on the lot over time. A land survey tells you important things such as the boundaries of the property and the elevation so you understand the risk of flooding. A survey also includes the history of the land and zoning information. The more you find out about the land, the better informed you'll be when you decide to buy the lot.
Have The Soil And Water Tested
Another important step before you buy vacant land is to have the water tested to make sure it isn't contaminated. This is especially important if you'll need to have your own well rather than be on the city water supply. Testing the soil is a good idea too just to make sure it wasn't contaminated in years past so you can have peace of mind the soil doesn't contain toxic substances that could harm your kids or pets. Plus, you'll want to know the soil and water are safe if you intend to grow a garden.
Choose A Lot With Room To Grow
Before you buy land for building your house, be sure to think about the future and what your needs may be. If you have several kids, you may need to add on to the house in coming years. You might want to add a pool or have a large yard for kids and dogs to roam. While you might be drawn to a lot because of its location and view, you also want a lot that provides plenty of room for your home, parking, and other buildings so your family has all the room they need to grow. However, you also want to think about maintaining the land and consider if buying a huge lot is right if you hate to mow and tend to landscaping.
You can look at home lots for sale with a real estate agent, so try to find an agent that has experience with land sales so they can offer advice. An agent that's been involved with several sales of lots will know important things to look for that you might not be aware of. It's important to do as much research as you can so you buy the perfect lot for your new home rather than buy land that has problems that will haunt you.
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