Questions to Ask Before Buying Vacant Land (and Who to Ask)
Most bad land purchases are not caused by hidden information. They are caused by nobody asking the right person the right question.
Ask the seller
- Why are you selling, and how long have you owned it?
- Has a perc test, survey or wetland delineation ever been done? Can I see it?
- Has a building permit ever been applied for or denied here?
- Are there any unrecorded agreements with neighbours — shared driveway, grazing, hunting, water?
- Do you own the mineral rights? The water rights? The timber?
- Is there an agricultural or forestry exemption, and what is the rollback liability if the use changes?
- Are there back taxes, liens or assessments?
- Has anything been buried, dumped or stored on the property?
Get the answers in writing. A seller's disclosure that turns out to be wrong is a very different legal position from a verbal assurance.
Ask the county planning department
- Is this a legal lot of record?
- What is the zoning, and is my intended use permitted by right or by special exception?
- What are the setbacks, minimum lot size and maximum lot coverage?
- Are there overlay districts — scenic, historic, airport, watershed, steep slope?
- Is a driveway or access permit required, and who issues it?
- Are there impact fees, and how much?
Ask the health department
- What septic systems are permitted here, and what testing do you require?
- Is there a record of a prior test on this parcel?
- Are there seasonal restrictions on when testing can be done?
- What is the required separation from wells, property lines and surface water?
Ask the utilities
- Electric: what is the cost to extend service to this parcel, in writing?
- Water: is there a main, what is the tap fee, and is there a moratorium?
- Internet: what is actually available, not what the coverage map claims?
Ask the road department
- Is the access road public or private?
- If public, is it maintained year-round, and is it plowed?
- If private, who maintains it and is there a road maintenance agreement?
Then ask the neighbours. Knock on two doors. Ask what the road is like in February, whether the creek comes up, what the previous owner used the land for, and whether anything is planned nearby. Ten minutes of this routinely surfaces things no database holds.
Ask yourself
- What is my exit if this does not work out — is this parcel resellable?
- What is the total cost to make it usable: access, power, water, septic, clearing, permits?
- Am I buying the land, or the story I have told myself about the land?
Before any of these calls, run the parcel through LandCheck. Arriving at the planning counter already knowing the flood zone, the slope and the soil rating changes the quality of the conversation entirely.
Common questions
What should I ask a land seller first?
Whether a perc test, survey or delineation has ever been done, and whether a building permit has ever been sought or denied. The answers tell you both about the land and about how much diligence has already been paid for.
Should I talk to the neighbours before buying land?
Yes. Neighbours know about seasonal road conditions, drainage, historical uses, informal access arrangements and planned development nearby — most of which appears in no public record.
What are mineral rights and why do they matter?
Ownership of the subsurface resources, which in the United States can be severed from the surface estate and sold separately. In many states the mineral estate is dominant, meaning its owner may have the right to use the surface to access it.
How do I find out about back taxes?
Contact the county treasurer or tax collector with the parcel number. Most counties publish tax status online, and unpaid taxes generally travel with the property rather than the seller.
Run this check on a real parcel
Paste an address or coordinates and get flood zone, slope, wetlands and soil in about fifteen seconds. Free, unlimited, no account.