The "Do's and Dont's" of Buying Land

Last week, US News released an article on their real estate site of their website stating 10 "do's and dont's" of buying land.

Article here: The Do's and Don'ts of Buying Vacant Land | Real Estate | US News

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, really.

As with every article written by an individual, all the words published are really just their own opinion about the subject matter. It may be something that has gone through countless hours of research and all, but it shouldn't overshadow the fact that it's still something that came out of the writer's mind & mouth (or fingertips).

With all that said, this article you're reading right now is a "review and reimagining" of US News' article about buying land. Though it comes with a twist - we wanted to make sure that you understand why we might be the perfect people to talk to about buying either your very first piece of land or your 100th.

"Do Work With an Agent to Find the Land"

Real Estate Agents, or companies such as Vacant Land of the Free, will guide you.

The list starts with a pretty obvious "do". Unless you're a super-powerful individual, it will be a tad bit difficult for you to buy land without an agent. It is the reason why the real estate industry and the businesses within it exist - so people can focus on other things while in the process of buying land. Not to mention all the documentation and whatnots buying land will make your experience; at least there will be people who are willing to take all the necessary blows for you to acquire your very first plot of land - which is exactly who Vacant Land of the Free is.

"Do Have Your Finances in Order"

Manage your spending, and you will be graced.

Another obvious "do", as with every individual purchase of goods and services, you should have your finances in order beforehand. This will prevent you from overspending and potentially getting your finances in the rubble.

Vacant Land of the Free, on the other hand, understands reality - not all people have the power to have their finances in order. Not having finances in order doesn't mean that you are not entitled to buy your own plot of land - not at all. We can help you acquire your very first plot of land through owner financing. As stated on our website, Owner financed land is when the owner of the land finances the purchase of the land themselves. The owner acts just like a bank, giving you the land in exchange for receiving regular payments for the land until it is paid in full. Typically, the land itself is the collateral. You can read more about it here: Land Owner Financing | ZechBuysHouses LLC (vacantlandofthefree.com)

"Do Consider the Value of Homes in the Neighborhood"

Is the land worth gold?

This comes naturally, especially with construction loans. You need to know the value of properties within the land's area in order for you to know how much you can spend building your own one.

Vacant Land of the Free can help you with knowing what you need to know when it comes to building your property on the land you're buying from us - which means this is not something you should worry about as a first-time buyer (or as a seasoned one, if it applies).

"Do Take Utilities and Road Access Into Account"

Do you have power?

When buying land, you should definitely consider if there's already access to general utilities such as electricity, water, gas, broadband internet, etc. Some people have a misconception that every piece of land being sold by real estate agents/companies already have all the utilities - In contrast to that, there are a lot of unacquired land that haven't been touched by these utility companies yet.

Vacant Land of the Free makes sure that you understand these immediately upon seeing the land from our website. You will also learn about these when you talk to our resident rockstar, Ms. Helen.

"Do Consider Incentives"

Not a cheapskate, but whatchu got there?

Every purchase, as a default, should come with some form of insurance, and the same goes for vacant land. When buying land, it is essential to know if incentives are offered mainly by the governing body in the area. You, as the land buyer, should take advantage of it as much as possible. Although, incentives differ from state to state, and even within counties. Just before making the final decision to buy, make sure that you already have this information handy.

Our team makes sure that you are well-informed about any incentives attached to your purchase. Just another reason to reach Vacant Land of the Free when it comes to purchasing land.

"Don’t Expect to Get a Loan"

Let the loaning begin!

As per US News' article, you should not expect getting a loan for your land purchase. They stated that if there was ever going to be a loan, it will be for the construction of the property, or for a house purchase, which is out of the question for this article.

This is what makes Vacant Land of the Free different. We offer "owner financed lands", which is pretty similar to loaning. You initially pay a small downpayment (plus a documentation fee), then pay small increments of the total price per month for the given number of months. By the time you pay the initial fees and sign the contract, you already have ownership of the land, meaning you can start building your property, or pretty much do whatever you want with it. Easy stuff.

"Don’t Skip the Environmental Tests"

Is your land free from "germs"?

This is literally a no-brainer. You should not skip environmental tests at all, since it will really hurt in the long run once you learn that you have built a house on a roach-infested plot of land. Eech.

Unfortunately, we won't be able to assure you that our lands at Vacant Land of the Free have been environmentally-tested. Only professionals will be able to tell you about it. One we can recommend is https://www.alsglobal.com/, which is recognized by EPA.

"Don't Forget the Survey"

Not this kind of survey.

Before buying the land, you should be able to receive proof of its exact bounderies. There will be times that the land has been vacant for a long time, and neighbors may have occupied beyond their bounderies as a result, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Usually, we already have this data on our lands, however, it will be so much better if it will be asked as part of the land research you're doing before purchasing. Thankfully, once again, we have our own resident rockstar with us to help you will all things about the land you're interested in.

"Don’t Talk to the Neighbors"

You don't want angry neighbors.

Now this one's a bit of a conspiracy, but it's nonetheless almost true. Before speaking with your neighbors, make sure that you've already built your property and have moved in as intended. The reason? They may not be all "thumbs-up" when it comes to the changes to their neighbor's raw land. It's best to hold off any relationship with anyone within the vicinity of your land before you get your home or property built to prevent disputes or any unnecessary disagreements.

Well, even before you buy the land, we will actually become good friends. We want you to be able to trust us, as we want you to be trusted as well. We're all good fellas here at Vacant Land of the Free. :)

"Don’t Assume You Can Have Property Rezoned"

Are you in the "right" zone?

All lands being sold anywhere will have their zone already as set by the governing body in the area. If you have been planning to build a skyscraper on the land you've just bought, you may be surprised to know if there are limits set for you - which means you might not be able to build that tall at all.

Thankfully, we already have this done for you before anything else. You will see what zone the land you're interested in on the property page within our website. You may ask us about the limitations of building on the property, we're sure to provide you an answer.

This is where Vacant Land of the Free comes in. Instead of buying land for its full price and going through all the hassle to own one, we offer Land Owner Financing. The "owner" of our land will finance the land purchase, then sell it to you in exchange for receiving regular payments on agreed terms. Within the terms of Land Owner Financing, you become the "owner" of the land from the start of its start. It is like signing up for a bank mortgage, minus all the hassle of paperwork, credit checks, and pre-approval.

Look into this article to see how much better investing in land works with Vacant Land of the Free.