13 things to look for when buying land

Although dirt may not be the first thing on your mind when land shopping, it’s certainly an important consideration. Do you plan to grow a garden? You’ll need dark, carbon-rich soil to make it work.

Soil depth matters, too. Shallow soil will probably drain quickly during heavy rains. But if there’s only a small amount of earth above rock, that might also affect your building and landscaping plans. Soil composition also matters for lawns and tree planting.

Learn more about soil biodiversity and why it’s important.

Property taxes certainly aren’t a fun or glamorous topic of consideration when scoping out land, but they’re an important factor nonetheless. Depending on what you’re using the land for, you need to be aware of what taxes you’re up for, including land tax, capital gains tax and tax implications if you choose to subdivide, etc. Bottom line: Don’t let property taxes become a nasty surprise in your cabin or home building journey.

Building codes and council requirements vary greatly from place to place. That’s why it’s vital to learn the basic rules of an area before buying land and building there.

Things like year-round roof and wall insulation requirements, distance from your building to bodies of water, water system requirements, livestock rules, waste removal and other factors are almost certainly stipulated in detail in the local bylaws. Your job is learning those requirements so you don’t get an unexpected and nasty phone call from a council or building inspector.

Learn the 10 tips for getting the most out of a home inspection.

How much do you dislike mosquitoes and sand flies? How about snakes and possums? Depending on how far from civilisation you’re planning to build, these pests may quickly become a major nuisance. There are certainly ways of dealing with them, but you need to be aware of them going in.

Learn more about pest control.

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Source: Family Handyman