Rude Awakening For (Land Buyers)

Summary

Wayne Turner, with nearly 30 years of real estate experience, offers essential advice for prospective land buyers. He highlights critical aspects like avoiding landlocked properties, understanding deed restrictions, and ensuring access to utilities like city water and sewer. He stresses the importance of checking flood zones, knowing local property laws, and verifying mineral and water rights. Turner also emphasizes the necessity of proper due diligence, such as walking the land, consulting local authorities, and conducting surveys. His practical tips aim to prevent costly mistakes and ensure a smooth land-buying process.

Takeaways

• 😀 Avoid buying landlocked property without an easement or right of way. Always verify access through county records or a real estate attorney.
• 😀 Deed restrictions and zoning regulations can limit what you can do with your property, such as preventing certain types of construction or landscaping.
• 😀 Always research your neighboring properties to avoid surprises like food processing plants, landfills, or other undesirable locations.
• 😀 Walking the land in person is essential before buying. Bring proper clothing, bug spray, and protective gear to ensure your safety.
• 😀 Know the flood zone status of the land, as being in a high-risk flood zone (A) may require expensive flood insurance and special building restrictions.
• 😀 Understand the rules surrounding trees, dirt, and water rights on the property. Cutting down trees or moving dirt could lead to fines if not properly approved.
• 😀 Mineral rights are critical. Ensure that the property’s mineral rights are transferred to you to avoid issues with future drilling or mining activities.
• 😀 Investigate the availability of city water and sewer systems. If not available, you may need to install a well and septic system, which may come with additional challenges.
• 😀 Before installing a septic system, make sure the land passes a percolation test to ensure proper absorption of water. The county may limit what you can build based on this test.
• 😀 Always be honest about your intended use of the property when seeking permits. Overstate the number of bedrooms when seeking septic approval to avoid future complications when selling the property.

Q & A

What is the risk of buying landlocked property without an easement or right-of-way?

The main risk is that you may not have legal access to the land. Without an easement or right-of-way, you could be forced to trespass on neighboring properties or seek permission to cross their land, which can be costly and complicated.

Why should you not solely rely on the survey provided by the seller of the property?

Surveys provided by the seller might not be up-to-date or fully accurate. It's important to verify the information by contacting a real estate attorney, title company, or checking the county or parish's Register of Deeds office for an official, recorded survey.

What can happen if you don’t check deed restrictions before buying a piece of land?

You may find that you cannot do what you intend to do with the property, such as building a certain type of home or adding specific features like a circle driveway. Deed restrictions and homeowners association rules can limit what is permissible on the land.

Why is it important to know the surrounding area before purchasing land?

Knowing what's around the property is crucial to avoid undesirable situations, such as being near a food processing plant or a landfill. Researching neighboring properties and talking to local residents can give you valuable insights into the area.

What are the risks of buying property without visiting it in person?

Buying property sight unseen can lead to unpleasant surprises, such as discovering potential hazards or undesirable features that weren't apparent from the listing. It's essential to physically walk the land, check for pests, wildlife, or other issues, and get a firsthand feel for the property.

What should you do before walking on the land you want to purchase?

Before walking the land, ensure you're dressed appropriately to avoid insect bites and potential harm from wildlife. Bring protective gear such as bug spray and consider carrying pepper spray or other personal safety items, as wildlife like snakes or coyotes could be present.

What should you know about flood zones before buying land?

It's crucial to determine if the property is in a flood zone and understand the specific zone (A, B, C, or X) it falls under. Flood zone A represents the highest risk of flooding, which could affect building permits and insurance requirements. If you're in a flood zone, you may be required to carry expensive flood insurance, particularly if you have a mortgage.

What are the implications of building in a flood zone?

Building in a flood zone, especially Zone A, can require you to elevate the property above a certain base flood elevation to minimize flood risks. This can help reduce flood insurance premiums, which can otherwise be very expensive if the property is at or below flood elevation.

Why is it important to confirm your rights to water and mineral resources on the land?

You need to verify that you have legal access to water resources, like digging a well, and confirm that you own the mineral rights. If the previous owner retains mineral rights, they could potentially extract resources from the land without your consent, leading to unexpected issues.

What steps should you take to check if you can connect to city utilities before buying land?

Before purchasing land, check whether city water and sewer services are available. If not, you'll need to explore alternatives like digging a well or installing a septic system. Additionally, confirm whether the land can support a septic system by conducting a percolation test with your county or parish's environmental office.