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GET ON THE GUIDE!
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The Smart Homebuyer Faces Special Challenges when Buying Land and Building a Country Home
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| Finding that perfect property in the Hill Country may take time, but you can prevent costly and heartbreaking mistakes by doing a little homework. Purchasing in the country offers special challenges for land and home buyers, but asking the right questions and getting the right answers can land you in the perfect place to perch. |
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Buying property in the Hill Country brings with it special challenges if you are considering moving outside developed, highly restricted (and protected) areas. If it's your first venture into country property, for retirement or for a lifestyle change, you'll want to spend time in careful research up front. This may prevent a costly and heartbreaking mistake, and can even be fun as you learn more about the area in which you plan to invest.
To get off to a good start, work with a realtor who knows the area and whom you know you can trust. But even experts in their field may not know everything about the specific property that interests you. The adage, "Trust, but verify...," offers a guideline for collecting information that can help you make a good decision.
Be sure you know total amount of money required to purchase your property. The selling price or contract price is only a part of real property acquisition. Once a sale price is agreed upon, you will have expenditures required to determine the suitability of the land for for the home and improvements you plan for your country place.
Here are some items to consider, but this list is by no means all inclusive:
* Property Surveys
* Flood plain information
* Environmental impact studies
* Local, State and Federal permits, regulations and requirements
* Engineering services for platting and utilities
* Cost studies for actual development
* Soil tests for septic systems
* Old grave location
Once you know the potential investments, you can begin to determine the actual cost of building your home on the property you have your eye on. These expenses include but are not limited to:
* Tree removal
* Grading and clearing
* Installation of a driveway, including ingress and egress to existing roads outside of often-flooded areas
* Installation of utilities, gas, electricity, water, sewer, telephone, cable, and the availability of theses services
* Proximity to common areas, such as parks, that may be a benefit or liability to your lifestyle
* River or lake access and water levels during periods of heavy rain
* Runoff characteristics of the topography...is there a "wet weather creek," as sometimes referred to in realtor-speak, that acts as a drainage ditch when you least expect it?
Be aware of these potential problems and any more that affect your plans before you make your offer:
* Proximity to common areas, such as parks, that may be a benefit or liability to your lifestyle
* River or lake access
* If the view is a consideration, how that may be affected by future development
* Buried toxic or non-toxic waste
* Old wells and septic systems
* Cemeteries or old graveyards
* Underground pipelines
* Overhead electric transmission lines
* Areas in the 100 year flood plain
* Large percentage of underground rocks or boulders (can be an especially large added expense in parts of the Hill Country)
* Government or utility building restrictions
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in Central Texas
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