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Fifteen Minutes of FREE Advice

KNOW THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS BEFORE PURCHASING A PARCEL OF LAND

Access

  • Do you have legal access?
    • Legal access is provided and described by the title insurance policy on the property. A survey should be completed and recorded so the corners and boundaries can be identified. Access is either directly from a road (either public or private) or from an easement.
  • Do you have practical access?
    • Practical access is access that actually can be achieved, build and is safe. Not over a river or severe slopes.

Water

  • What is the water source (Well, PUD, Community System)?
    • Water source is either from a well or public/private community system.
  • If there is a well, do you have a copy of the well log, 4 hour pumpt test, and water analysis report?
    • If the well is private it has a well log with the Department of Ecology which will indicate a well number, depth and gallons per minute. You should always have the well pump tested and the water sampled for its safety.
  • Class B System? If so do you have a water agreement?
    • If the well is a class B or community well there should be some recorded documents and covenants, which should be reviewed. After reviewing the documents you should verify the information with an attorney and or the Department of Ecology.

Survey

  • Do you have a survey? Is it recorded?
    • This should be available to the Buyer before purchase. If there is no survey maybe make it part of the negotiation process.
  • Have you seen or located all of your corners?
    • A survey will show corners and boundaries and should be recorded against the title of the property.
  • Work completed by a licensed engineer or surveyor?
    • Very important when the parcels become three acres or less in size, a survey can be completed by a local engineer.

Power and Phone

  • Who are the utility providers?
    • The utility company that provides service in your property's particular county provides phone and power. It's very important to have utilities provided to the property line or even to the building site if possible.
  • Are power and phone located on the property? If power and phone are not present on the property do you have an easement to install power and phone? At what cost/foot?
    • You must be able to see the utilities with your "eyes" and have the right to install these utilities to your site either by crossing your land or via easement crossing other land. These easements must be recorded and be listed in the title report.

Covenants

  • Are there covenants recorded on the land?
    • You want covenants because they protect the value of your land. They must be recorded and appear in the title report.
  • Road maintenance agreement?
    • Road maintenance agreements are necessary for lender financing, and also help preserve high quality access over an extended period of time. Road maintenance agreements should be in the covenants and should be clear as to who is responsible and for what as well as be enforceable.
  • Has your legal representative reviewed the title report and covenants?
    • It is importat to have your legal representative review the title report and covenants to make sure that everything is in order and being enforced.

Perk

  • Has a perk test or soils analysis been completed?
    • A soil analysis or perk test should be completed before buying a parcel of land. When the perk test is complete it will indicate what kind of septic system is required to get a septic permit and also indicates where the septic system needs to be installed.
    Perk testing is very important because without a septic permit you cannot obtain a building permit. Obviously, if sewer is available the perk test is not required.

Other important information

  • What is the zoning for the land?
    • It is very important to know what kind of zoning your parcel has because that will determine whether future subdivision can occur, either on your parcels or on neighboring parcels.
  • What are the sales prices of similar parcels in your township in the last two years?
    • To prevent overpaying look at other parcels of land that have sold and that are for sale and compare them to your parcel, i.e. Size, terrain, utilities, etc.
  • Are all of your easements located?
    • Physically locate easements on the land an on your survey so you understand their location
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