Are You Thinking About Buying Land?

We have been looking to buy land for a homestead for many years now and boy have we learned a lot as we have looked at many different properties over the years. Who knew there was so much to think about before making a decision?  We certainly didn't so I just want to share some of the more important things we have learned in our search. 

What we learned to consider when looking for land:

• What state and location are you looking to buy? Consider retirement, taxes, family, etc.
• How much are you willing to spend? Naturally the average cost per acre varies in different locations. Make sure you do your homework so you know if you are getting a good deal or not. This also helps when making a fair offer if you aren't willing to pay the asking price.
• What are you looking to do with the land? Are you going to have animals, farm, hunt, etc? Are you thinking about subdividing it to share with your children?
• How much land do you need? This will depend upon what you plan on doing with the land.
• How far from a decent size town are you willing to be? Think shopping, hospital, etc.
• Do you want water on the land? Streams, ponds, springs, etc. are good, but check local building codes and regulations with regards to fresh water.  
• Can you drill a well for groundwater? If there is no water on the land, and none under the land, then are you willing to bring it in or have it delivered? Of course this all depends upon what your plans for using the land are.
• Will the property perk? This means can you put in a septic system. Of course there are other options if you can't, but they get more expensive and you need to know ahead of time if  you are willing to go down that road.
• Are there any governmental and/or environmental controls over the land? If there are any areas classified as wetlands on the land, the DEC or another agency will probably have a say as to what you do with it. 
• Is the soil and the land usable? Cliffs, steep slopes, sandy or clayey soil, and too many rocks may not be conducive to your plans for using the land. Even if they are, are you O.K. with choosing native plants or having a driveway you need a winch to get up in the winter? 
• If you are looking in a mountainous region, what direction do you want the slopes to face? It is usually preferable, and therefore more expensive, to purchase a south facing slope because it gets more daily sunlight (think solar heating and power). However, if you want the snow to stay longer, or prefer cooler temperatures, then the a north facing slope may be better. 
• What about flooding? If you are in a mountainous region, do you want to be up the mountain or in the valley? If you are near a river or lake, does it flood and how will this affect your plans?
• What about local building codes and rules? Think about how many structures you might need such as a home, garage, barn, maybe a guest house, etc. Zoning laws will affect what and where you can build.
• Do you want road frontage? If the land does not have road frontage for easy access, you need to make sure there is an access through someone else land specifically stated on the deed (usually called an easement). Landlocked property is useless unless you can fly in.
• Do you want to live on or off the grid? Are there utilities at the road that can be brought in? If the homesite is very far you need to consider the expense of bringing in the electric or living off grid instead.
• Is cell phone service necessary? Many remote locations have no cell service at all. Some have it nearby and you may be able to boost it. The potential for boosting can be tested using your cell phones field test mode. Read more about Remote Cell Service at Mother Earth News.
• What about internet and cable services? If these are not available, satellite is an option but you will probably need to be willing to sacrifice the speeds at which you are used to!
• What about the mineral and water rights beneath the land? Will you own them? If not, who will and what are their rights vs. yours? The same thing goes for timber rights. In some cases these rights have been sold and you need to know this before you make a decision to buy.
• And what exactly are the minerals and rocks made of on your property? Is it unconsolidated sediment that will move in an earthquake? Does it release radon, a cancer causing gas that is easily remediated if you are aware ahead of time? Is there a lot of clay that can expand in heavy rains and lead to landslides? What about fracking, is there gas that someone might want to frack for beneath it? And of course you would want to know if it is Karst topography that leads to sink holes. 
• Other considerations: natural disasters, local wildlife and hunting laws, seasonal temperatures, state trails for hiking and snowmobiling, dumping, mail and package delivery, winter road maintenance, ambulance and fire services, etc..

Wow! Who knew there was so much to think about...and this isn't even everything!  Thankfully we learned all of this before finding the land we finally purchased to build our future homestead on!  
Read Homestead Dream Step 1: We Bought Land!

One last piece of advice:
​Get out and walk or ride (think ATV) the land! If you can't, then find someone who can do it for you. There is no better way to really know if you want to buy it than to see it and experience it first hand!
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Thanks for visiting!
If there is anything important you think I have missed please comment or send me an e-mail.
​I am always interested in learning!
Sincerely,