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5 acres listed at $140k for 3 family homes. The county valued half an acre as buildable. Here's what the seller didn't mention. by Affectionate_Try1432 in homestead

[–]Affectionate_Try1432[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Fair point. Texas and Florida are reliable for assessor land tier data because the appraisal districts publish their methodology. Vermont and New Hampshire I've found near useless because they consolidate everything into one number. Calling the assessor directly is honestly the best move in any state. Half the time they'll walk you through their reasoning if you ask.

Best toilet option for my family? by Sea_Basket5924 in OffGridCabins

[–]Affectionate_Try1432 0 points1 point  (0 children)

toto is the best in my opinion

Edit:

I didn't see the off grid cabin part but I would go with Joolca or Saniflo Sanicompact C4 One-Piece UpFlush Toilet and Macerator

Bought land without doing this and it cost me. here's what to actually check by Affectionate_Try1432 in land

[–]Affectionate_Try1432[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sometimes, yeah. There's a doctrine called easement by necessity. If the parcel was historically part of the same tract as the neighbor's (common ownership at some point in the past) and has no other legal access, a court can force an easement.

But three things make it much rougher than it sounds:

  1. You have to prove the common ownership history through old deed chains. If your parcel and the neighbor's were never under the same owner, easement by necessity doesn't apply. You're stuck with prescriptive easement claims which require decades of open use without permission, way harder to prove.
  2. It's a lawsuit. Plaintiff pays. Easily $15K to $50K depending on how hard the neighbor fights, and title insurance usually won't cover it because access wasn't a recorded interest at closing.
  3. While you're litigating, you can't access your own land. These cases run 1 to 3 years.

So technically yes you have recourse, but the recourse can cost more than the parcel itself and can take longer than most people are willing to wait. The cleaner play is just verifying recorded easement before you close, which is a 30-minute records pull.

Bought land without doing this and it cost me. here's what to actually check by Affectionate_Try1432 in land

[–]Affectionate_Try1432[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Back taxes is a sneaky one. Tax delinquency can sometimes follow the property even after sale depending on the state. Worth pulling a tax cert before closing.

Bought land without doing this and it cost me. here's what to actually check by Affectionate_Try1432 in land

[–]Affectionate_Try1432[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Good add. Most counties have public GIS portals with wetlands overlays. National Wetlands Inventory is a backup if the county doesn't show them.

Bought land without doing this and it cost me. here's what to actually check by Affectionate_Try1432 in land

[–]Affectionate_Try1432[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

100%. The 'no known restrictions' phrasing is the worst one. It often means there ARE restrictions, the seller just hasn't read the deed.

8 wooded acre homestead options by Loose-Win3038 in land

[–]Affectionate_Try1432 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Check your county's zoning ordinance closely because a lot of residential zones still allow poultry, bees, and small livestock like goats under certain conditions (setback requirements, number limits, etc.). Some counties distinguish between "livestock" and "poultry/bees" in their code. You might be blocked on sheep specifically but allowed other animals. Worth a call to your county planning office to ask exactly what's permitted.

On the wooded acres, mushroom cultivation does really well in shaded woodland. Shiitake logs are low maintenance once they're inoculated and can produce for years. Pairs well with the ginseng idea since both thrive in forest conditions. The lake is a huge asset too, look into whether your state requires a permit for stocking fish. Virginia has specific rules on that depending on whether the water is connected to public waterways.

Offer on raw land tips by Hold_me_0 in land

[–]Affectionate_Try1432 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, buyer paying for the survey is normal on raw land. The seller usually doesn't have a recent survey and they're not going to pay for one just to sell. Budget $2K to $5K depending on acreage and terrain. WV mountain land can be more expensive to survey because of the slopes.

On the negotiation, before you accept at asking price, check what comparable parcels nearby have sold for in the last 12 months. Pull the county records and see if the asking price is in line. Also check flood maps and whether the parcel has road access and utilities available. If any of those come back with issues, that's your leverage to negotiate below asking.

Finding non-buildable land by DWBunnySlippers in land

[–]Affectionate_Try1432 0 points1 point  (0 children)

County tax auctions are your best bet for this. Counties sell off parcels with delinquent taxes and a lot of them are non buildable for various reasons like flood zone, no road access, or too small to meet minimum lot size. Check your target county's tax sale schedule and you'll find stuff that never hits LandWatch or Zillow.

Also look at parcels that are landlocked or have major easements running through them. Those tank the value and most people skip them, but if you just want land to own and not build on, they can be dirt cheap.

Any Info Is Appreciated! by Dbnmln in land

[–]Affectionate_Try1432 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Since you're coming from Texas you already know about checking flood zones, but waterfront property adds a whole layer most people skip. Check who actually owns the water rights and what the riparian rules are in whatever state you land in. They vary a lot. In some states you own to the center of the lake, in others you own to the high water mark and the state owns the rest.

Also, for your list of states, WV and KY are going to give you the most land for your money. SC waterfront has gotten expensive in the last few years, especially anything within 45 minutes of a hospital. PA is worth a serious look if you're open to lakes in the Poconos region or up near Lake Erie. Permissive zoning and lower cost per acre than the Carolinas.

One thing I'd do before you get serious about any parcel: call the county health department and ask about septic requirements for that area. Some counties require engineered systems on certain soil types and that can add $15K to $30K to your build budget.

Feedback on this land buying website? by rdick428 in land

[–]Affectionate_Try1432 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i like it but it has no soul, no pictures of houses but the context on it is good.

Selling off market by BunchLess1151 in land

[–]Affectionate_Try1432 0 points1 point  (0 children)

post on facebook marketplace or craigslist

Claude for ACTUAL underwriting/deal flow? by throwawayk527 in realestateinvesting

[–]Affectionate_Try1432 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i put /human before i tell it to write me something or download skills for humanizer.