Buying Land To Build A New Home? 2 Things You Should Do First

If your realtor has found the perfect land for you to purchase to build your home, you need to do some things before you sign the papers. Your realtor is your best resource on this information. It can still be helpful to learn a little about them also. Keep reading so you will have the right land to build your new house on.

Land Survey

One of the first things you should do is to hire a land surveyor. This is especially true if you are purchasing a few acres. The surveyor will determine the exact amount of land you are buying and what the property lines are. Knowing the property lines are important as you do not want to build anything that goes over these lines. If you do, the other landowner adjacent to your property could make you tear the structure down no matter if it is a fence or a new barn.

If there are any property disputes in the future, such as if your neighbor claims they own part of your land, you can show them the paperwork from the land survey to prove you own the land. These surveys can be used in a court of law.

The surveyor can also determine if there are any restrictions on the property you are buying. For example, there may be building restrictions that you must follow and local authorities may have building restrictions on structures that can be built on the property.  If you violate a zoning restriction, there could be heavy penalties and local authorities may sue you.

Talk with a land surveyor in your area to learn much more information about how they can help you.

Soil Test

You need to make sure you are building a home on the right type of soil. Some soils are very strong and have no problem supporting the weight of something as heavy as a home. Other soils, however, are weak and compresses even under light loads.

If there are a lot of houses around you that are standing this means your soil is likely good. You should still have it tested to be sure.

A geo-technical and structural engineer can test your soil for you. If the soil is found to be weak, the geo-technical and structural engineers can show you many ways you can still build your home. For example, steel reinforced concrete footings can be used when laying the foundation.

The structural and geo-technical engineer can go over this information with you in much more detail. Talk with a realtor like Steve Cohn - Keller Williams Realty - Petaluma about these professionals and they can get you in touch with the right people.