From legal issues to noise pollution, learn what to look for when buying land to build on, including the safety of the land and where you are free to build water and septic.
What to Look for When Buying Land to Build On
Building a little cabin in nature was a dream I had for many years. Going from living in a big city to living my dream in the country was a decade in the making.
During that time, I invested several years in land shopping. Over time, I learned that even land that “looked good” could hide surprises that could break my budget, block my build entirely, or harm my future enjoyment of my dream home.
Research the Safety of the Lot
Safety from historical contamination. One of the worst possible surprises is contamination, whether from a buried residential oil tank, commercial gasoline tank, or other previous industry. The costs associated with environmental studies and the remediation of contamination can be in the tens of thousands of dollars, if not hundreds of thousands.
Keep in mind that laws requiring full disclosure won’t cover what the realtor and current owners don’t know. County records, local historians, and contractors can be helpful sources of information.
Safety from present-day or future contamination. Some surprises, such as potential contamination of your well water, may be invisible and dangerous. For this reason, identify how close your potential lot is to garbage dumps, cemeteries, large-scale agricultural and industrial operations, and pipelines. Present waste-management sites will be on the municipality’s zoning map. Call local municipal politicians, as well as municipal staff, to identify past and possible future sites.
As you drive around the area, consider the size of operations that are zoned agricultural or rural industrial around the lot. Where are these operations in relation to your potential lot in terms of the prevailing wind? The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Map app, allows you to enter the address of your lot and generate a topographical profile to get a sense of where the water, rain, or snowmelt will run in relation to your lot.
Potential environmental damage. If you build in an area prone to flooding, it could damage your home and expose you to unanticipated repair costs and insurance headaches.
There are several methods to avoid buying land that floods. If you have a fairly narrow target region in which you’re shopping, drive around in spring and get the “lay of the land.” Compare what you’re seeing to the county flood plain map and soil map, if available. When you’re viewing a particular lot, look carefully for vegetation that indicates wet land. The website www.Realtor.com now offers limited environmental risk data free of charge, and it identifies each lot with a rating out of 10 for flood, fire, wind, air quality, and heat.
Freedom to Build
Municipal barriers to building what you want. The best advice I got about dealing with my potential municipality was from my attorney. He recommended that I meet with the people in charge of permits right away because I was a tiny-home pioneer, and many townships didn’t allow them. I decided to shop for land only where I could legally build a tiny house. That way, I could use my budget to sink a well and get my build going rather than spending it on expensive legal challenges.
Reading zoning documents does get easier with practice. Set your priorities. Do you want to keep livestock? What size lot and zoning is required? Want to run a home business? Make sure you’ll have the right to do so.
Zoning may block or restrict development near flood plains, wetlands, creeks, streams, and inland lakes, as well as specially designated areas for species at risk or the protection of other natural resources. Check with each organization and level involved to ensure you have a green light.
Start with the basics: water, septic, and hydro. What comes first, the water or the septic? It’s never too early to begin identifying where on the lot your home and amenities might be located. There are legal distances that must be observed between them. The smaller the lot, the more difficult the placement of these essentials becomes.
Do you want your septic system to dictate where your well can be placed? What if there’s no water there? For this reason, I started my site plan with my well.
If you place your septic without checking that it’s actually suitable, you could be in for a big surprise! This happened locally with a cottage already under construction when they discovered that the location for the septic bed was solid granite. An architect friend of mine, Glen Wither, estimates that a specialized septic system on a rock bed like that could almost double its cost.
Some rural counties now require an area identification of a second septic bed (as a future replacement). If a county has this requirement, it may be why a number of small lots are priced to sell.
Potential Threats to Your Quality of Life
Legal issues. You don’t want to live where you have problems with neighbors or crime. If you’re buying locally, you’ll have an advantage in this area. If you’re from out of town, use community knowledge to get a sense of the neighborhood. In one case, a concerned citizen in a local restaurant warned me about a crime situation close to a lot I was in town to view. Neither the landowner nor a neighbor had disclosed this issue to me when I spoke with them. The situation was so serious I lost all interest in the lot.
If you want a private nature retreat, make sure you’re the only one who has the right to be on your property. Whether you buy from a realtor or privately, speak with an attorney to undertake all title and other legal checks. You don’t want to buy and then find out you’re stuck with a right of way or easement on your land that you can’t dissolve.
Noise pollution. If you find a lot you really like, do some research into potential sources of nearby noise pollution. The municipality’s zoning map and a current topographical map are good places to start. Potential sources of noise include day and night traffic, ATV trails, businesses, campgrounds, and firing ranges.
If your lot is beside land that’s zoned industrial, you can’t stop someone from operating a noisy business there.
Your laneway: Is it safe? Just because you actually can build something doesn’t always mean you should. Near where I live is a beautiful custom-built home, perched high atop a laneway on a steep 45-degree slope to the road. One icy winter day, the owner’s truck slid right down his driveway and across the road into a ditch. The truck was totaled. Features like this may affect the resale value of your home.
Final Tips
- Take your time. In many cases, time and patience will identify potential problems with a lot or confirm that it’s perfect for you.
- Ask and ask again. Many people you’ll be speaking with have interests that may be in conflict with yours. I learned over the years that what isn’t said often speaks volumes.
- Budget for exploration and confirmation. Sometimes, you may need to spend more money to ensure a lot is suitable, especially a smaller lot.
- Keep track and compare. Keep detailed notes on each lot you visit; there are lessons to be learned. No lot will be perfect, so set your own priorities.
Colette Kenny is a homesteader and professional writer with a passion for sharing her knowledge about sustainable housing and self-sufficiency. She lives on her half-acre homestead, where she makes herbal medicines and grows delicious food in her organic garden. You can find more information about her eco-cabin and her free course, “Growing Self-Sufficiency: The Whole Picture,” on her website, Half-Acre Homestead.
Originally published in the April/May 2025 issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS and regularly vetted for accuracy.
