Searching for land can be a daunting task.
It’s a bit like searching for homes. Common real estate sites like Zillow.com, Trulia.com and Realtor.com were my initial go to. However, as I found out not everyone sells their land via these sites. As we spoke with more people we realized there were land specific sites, such as landwatch.com or landsofamerica.com. There are also real estate companies that specialize in land sales. Additionally there are a lot of land sales just via word of mouth.
Ultimately, we hired Pat Hartman a local agent to help us with properties. She’s been in the area for over 20 years and has good insight into the area.
Initially we started looking at 10-20 acre parcels. As we walked some of them you could occasionally still hear the cars or the neighbors. This wasn’t a deterrent, but when we started seeing some larger properties that were more secluded, the peaceful silence became more evident.
Some nice large trees on the property. The selling agent is giving us a tour. Great guy. Taught us about the snakes of Ohio!! Already a nice trail or two on the property.
When looking at properties, one of the most important issues to think about is infrastructure. Access. Can I build a drive? Yes, the property with great topography is nice but you get too steep and that’s a lot of money to build a drive to last a lifetime. You need to think about electric. You need think about water and septic. One source of information is your potential neighbors. Knock on doors and ask about challenges. Do they have a well? What was the depth, as depth = cost? Septic? Internet and cell?
Hunter’s shed on the property already supplied with electric and baseboard heating!! Some Pseudo-Glamping
Another source in Ohio is https://gis.ohiodnr.gov/MapViewer/?config=waterwells Interactive map with very detailed information on who has wells, when dug and rate of flow. Water is not guaranteed just because your neighbors have wells, but your chances go up
When you’ve narrowed it down to a few prime lots try and visit during the late Fall when the leaves have dropped. You’ll get a real sense of topography. This is the time you return for site visits with a contractor or two and even an architect to review feasibility. One helpful tool is your iphone, not only for pictures but I also used some apps such as onX Hunt and Boundary Viewer. These will help you understand property lines and topography. OnX Hunt will track where you have been on the property and allows you to place geomarkers and return at a later time.
Although your real estate agent should be assisting in land research, one area is ensuring there are no leases/rights/contracts on the land or big easements. The court house is a good starting point. Hiring an attorney who is well versed in land lease reviews is most helpful.
EnHeading to the state auditors site to pull some information about the parcels including area maps may be helpful.
Enjoy the Search!
Vistors during November.
Without the leaves and underbrush you can really get a sense of the land.
