Land Purchasing Process Insights and Resources
FINDING YOUR DREAM HOME isn't easy. You may spend a lot of time scouring online listings, attending open houses, and scoping out neighborhoods, and you may still come up empty-handed. Maybe your dream home doesn't exist yet. In this case, building a house on a vacant piece of land may be the perfect option. I can successfully guide you through the process of finding and closing upon the ideal site for your dream home.
Schedule an appointment to learn more about the process of purchasing a home site.
Land Property Q & A
What is the Zoning on the Property?
- It is vitally important to understand what a property can be used for and what zoning classification is the land you're looking at. Zoning determines what type of property can be built on the land. For Washington Zoning information, go to the following site: https://www.kingcounty.gov/services/gis/PropResearch/kc_zoning.aspx
What is the Topography of the Property?
- In many cases, the topography of the land can significantly impact the build-ability of a property. Before purchasing a vacant lot, review the terrain on google earth or Earth point to locate unpredictable elevations, cliffs, valleys, ravines, and more.
What is the Annual Cost of Property Taxes?
- Property taxes are calculated by taking the mill rate and multiplying it by the assessed value of your property. When purchasing a vacant lot, beware of a high tax bill relative to the property's actual value.
What Public Utilities are Available?
- It is crucial to understand what public utilities are available on your property and area. If a property doesn’t have access to one or more of these standard public utilities, the property (for all intents and purposes) may not be an ideal candidate for building a home or other improvements.
* Does the Property Have Road Access?
- Always check if your property has road access. It's little known that there are thousands of properties all over the country with no road access. There might be unpredicted legal circumstances that might arrive based on your neighborhood property line to build a road. This issue can be overcome if you're able to obtain a legal easement to the property from one of the surrounding neighbors so that you can travel through their property to your own.
What is a "Perc Test"?
- A percolation test is a test determining the water absorption rate of soil on your lot to prepare for the building of a septic drain field or infiltration basin. The results of a percolation test are required to design a septic system correctly. It is often essential to find someone local to the area where the land or locating the cities "preferred specialists."
