# A simple property pre-purchase checklist



## RobRock (Mar 24, 2018)

_With my compliments, a simple property pre-purchase checklist to assist in land evaluation for most any purpose follows._

ZONING Are there Municipal or County Government rules or zoning ordinances which align with your ultimate purpose?

DEED RESTRICTIONS Are there restrictive covenants in the deed for your proposed property that preclude or inhibit your planned activities?

QUALITY OF THE DEED Will you receive a General Warranty Deed free of all historic encumbrances for the property you purchase?

WILL YOU OVERPAY? Are you being asked to pay more for your property than for a "comparable sale " in the same general area?

WATER Don't let your enthusiasm for a "dream" property obscure your ability to reason. Your potential purchase will not work without adequate water resources.

RAINFALL If the property being evaluated is not located in an area having moderate annual rainfall, the "WATER" issue noted above rises in importance.

ELECTRICAL ENERGY If utility company electrical energy is readily available, it is possibly the most economical bulk energy available, especially with prudent utilization on your part. Yes indeed, a public utility might be cheaper than solar and will very likely be cheaper than trying to generate electricity with stored fuels. Photovoltaic solar energy is a very natural resource for indoor lighting and low power requirement devices. Heating systems for water and air require significant installed capacity. The initial expense for a large capacity whole house PV solar energy system makes any sort of meaningful payback period difficult to attain. Here is the takeaway..... Electrical energy from solar panels is very inexpensive when the sun is shining and can be very, very expensive at night.

I built a solar clothes dryer for the dear wife and I'm sure she is delighted with each use. I even bought her an extra package of clothespins should a few fall off the line into the tall grass.

SOLAR ORIENTATION The sun is your friend, on many very basic levels. To realize an efficient payback period for a right sized PV solar energy system, be prepared to utilize or store all the available solar energy you collect. As an example of a daily goal, once batteries are fully charged divert solar energy to preheating water, run ventilation fans or run a small air conditioner in the summer if you are so inclined.

Set a minimum for site selection... perhaps full direct overhead sun for 5 or 6 hours per day. An orchard or vegetable garden will need full sun as well.

RURAL SANITATION An unpermitted septic system is likely to have been installed in a substandard manner. If buying property with an existing septic installation, check for a valid permit which will likely map the location of tank and drain lines.

CONNECTIVITY Broadband internet, from all outward appearances, has become as essential as daily (gluten free) bread. Educational resources for young and old alike are in fact important elements for most folks and have earned a place on this checklist.

TILLABLE ACREAGE At least some of your land should be level enough, have sufficient topsoil thickness and free of large rock to allow tillage. 
(Let's not utilize the soil directly above the septic system leach lines as our garden spot or orchard.)

SUITABLE SLOPES Sloped rocky ground can be utilized for orchard and pasture, some slope is required to maintain proper drainage to avoid wet soil conditions. Gently sloped productive ground makes for a good place to grow crops.

ROADS Without a serviceable all weather road to your property, any investment in improvements may never return the amount invested.

EXTERNAL INFLUENCES These are issues often beyond your control. Good neighbors or bad? Unsightly accumulation of junk or debris on adjacent property may hurt your ability to finance and invest wisely in your property.

RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Define this for your family. A large nearby lake or stream with fishing, canoeing and swimming qualifies nicely.

SCHOOL & TOWN PROXIMITY If you live 40 miles from the school sports field or gymnasium, you are more likely to miss some of the kid's games. The day to day costs for a "trip to town" to obtain needed supplies can add up quickly. 

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES It takes a steady stream of revenue to support any and all homestead lifestyles . If you are fortunate enough to be independently wealthy, rate this item accordingly. Otherwise, if you plan to utilize your marketable skills with employment, try to make it local. See "connectivity" above as broadband may be required to support a revenue stream.

LOW PROPERTY TAXES Strangely enough, an area with a high property tax rate will also very likely be an area having high appraised property values. Apply a hefty tax rate to a high property valuation and the probability of a homestead being profitable is quickly reduced.

BONUS ITEMS A nice drilled water well is always a plus, even if it is an old well that you must place back into service. a southern orientation of the homestead allows solar energy pumping options to become economically feasible. A running stream, even if flow is often low, can be valuable over time. A fishing pond arranged to also source water for livestock is extremely valuable if in fact there is sufficient land to support livestock. A woodlot provides independence for home heating and perhaps inexpensive structural framing or a source of income. Home heating with wood is often practical without owning a woodlot if your area has a robust timber and logging industry. 

ABSOLUTE MUSTS A low crime area should be an absolute requirement. I assure you, if you move to a high crime area, your family's quality of life will suffer.


_If any of the items in the simple outline above requires expansion or clarification, comments and questions are invited. Variables are many and geographical location will support more items being added to the checklist. Prioritize the issues in a manner that suits your specific needs. 
_

_ Rob Rock_


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Define this for your family. A large nearby lake or stream with fishing, canoeing and swimming qualifies nicely--for some, for others a lake or stream could be meaningless.

There I fixed it for you.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Access to healthcare should be included.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

I might also add, checking out the soil types and the soil features and properties at the NRCS Web Soil Survey.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

SOLAR ORIENTATION and SUITABLE SLOPES go hand in hand with gardening, orchards, and pasture. In northern climates a north facing slope has a shorter growing season and less solar exposure than south facing slopes. In southern climates a north facing slope could be an advantage.

WWW


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## RobRock (Mar 24, 2018)

mnn2501 said:


> RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Define this for your family. A large nearby lake or stream with fishing, canoeing and swimming qualifies nicely--for some, for others a lake or stream could be meaningless.
> 
> There I fixed it for you.



Thank You for your insight.

RobRock


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## RobRock (Mar 24, 2018)

Cabin Fever said:


> I might also add, checking out the soil types and the soil features and properties at the NRCS Web Soil Survey.



TRUE ! Adequate fertility & soil tilth is likely to be vital.

RobRock


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## ozarkchaz (Feb 4, 2005)

EASEMENTS...Don’t forget Easements. Which may be covered under deed restrictions. Some easements may or may not be recorded. So, due diligence is in order. Great Information and Excellent List RobRock!

Chaz


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## Michael W. Smith (Jun 2, 2002)

I'll add one on - be sure there is a current survey or get it surveyed before you buy it (or after) - AND MAKE SURE IT IS RECORDED IN THE LOCAL COURTHOUSE. 

If it hasn't been surveyed in the last 30 years, you might want to have a new survey done. The deed might say you are buying 15 acres, but if it was never surveyed (or surveyed 75 years ago) there might only be 12 acres there or could be 20.

Don't believe the property owner where the corners are - they might think they know where they are (even if they are marked). Before you buy it (or after you buy it) make sure you know where the corners are. Keep them maintained every couple of years so they are easy to find. You know where the corners are and your neighbor's also know that YOU KNOW where the corners are!


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

The first thing I do when considering property is look at flood maps. Mineral rights come next for checking if they've been severed from the property. Who owns them? Same people own coal and gas? What development of those rights has occurred? Has coal been mined under the property? Are there pipelines on the property? When were those constructed? 

Does the local paper report arrests? How bad are drugs in the area?

What's the population trend? A long term downward trend in a rural area isn't supportive of local businesses.

What's the political structure? How bad is the good old boy network?


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