CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE BUYING VACANT LAND

It is CRITICAL to do your due diligence when buying your parcel. There's so much information at your fingertips; here's a list of ALL the things we thought about when locating the area we wanted to live, and information on the property itself!

Note: Many of these links pertain to the state of Michigan as used a guide for what information may be available to you in your area.

To determine area:

• INTERACTIVE MAP RESEARCH - this was sooo helpful for me and Kody. Here's the ones I recommend:

  • State of Michigan contains following info:

    • Township and county boundaries

    • School district

    • Soil type

    • Water quality

    • Distance to hospital

  • Michigan Environmental (EGLE) contains following info:

    • Various pollution sources

    • Wetland viewer

    • Oil or gas well

    • Air quality

    • Dam locations

  • Department of Natural Resources misc. wildlife information

  • National topographic database

  • National interactive map

  • Environmental quality - nearby water well locations, watershed boundaries, and more

  • Flood zones

  • Topography

• Property tax rates - helpful to narrow down the right county for your budget

• Township zoning boundaries and requirements

  • Homeowner's Association guidelines as well, if applicable

  • Can you build your desired style home on the property

• Review the township's 'Master Plan' to see if there’s any future developments that may lessen the price of your property, etc.

• Nearby hazards

  • Cell towers (Map 1 / Map 2 / Map 3)

  • Power lines

  • Power plants

  • Radiation

  • Hazardous liquid/gas pipeline locations and incidents (Map 1 / Map 2 / Map 3 / Map 4)

  • Oil spills

  • Farms

  • Underground storage tanks

Additional questions for parcel selection:

• Access; is it landlocked? Driveway location

• How construction vehicles will access build site

• Lot lines/acreage (county may have an interactive map/portal online containing this)

• Nearby parks

• Proximity to main roads

• Ability to drill satisfactory well

• Perc test

• Utilities

• Existing easements or encroachments

• Survey - very important

At some point, be realistic. Yes it’s your forever home, but life is short. And land is being used up. So don’t delay. Don’t be hesitant. Be decisive and get that property!!

*Disclaimer: The content on this website is based on our own opinions and personal experiences; it shall not be construed as legal, construction, safety, engineering, financial, insurance, or tax advice, and may be outdated or inaccurate. It is your responsibility to verify all information. Any links shared may provide the website owner an affiliate commission, at no additional cost to you.