The most important due diligence step in buying a vacant land is determining its zoning status. Will this vacant lot support the construction you have in mind? Does the zoning prohibit certain activities? And also find out if it’s superimposed in a community that has deed restrictions. To effectively accomplish this, research your local county or city ordinances to determine whether your proposed use will be permitted.
The zoning of the property and its purpose are vital when determining whether to purchase it. The lot needs to be vacant land for building purposes.
A zoning code is a set of local laws that dictate how property can be used — whether it's for residential, commercial or manufacturing purposes, and how dense development can be.
Zoning may specify a variety of outright and conditional uses of land. These may include housing type (e.g., low-density or high-density), usage densities, building heights, lot sizes, and other factors that determine how development will occur. It may also indicate whether minimum lot sizes are required for single-family houses, whether multiple dwellings are permitted on the same lot, what types of signs are allowed and how close they can be located to a street, how much parking must be provided, etc.
Your local County zoning office can provide zoning rules in the area where you want to build your house. This is important because every city, every county and every state has specific requirements for building on a piece of land.
Contact your County Zoning and Planning Department to understand what zoning & land use does the land lot have and what are the building requirements.
Depending what you want to do with the land, ask critical questions.
For example, are tiny houses, RVs, Mobile Homes, Camping, etc. allowed? Is there a total size or height restrictions? What are the setbacks of the lot? Minimum lot size and any time limit to build? County / City impact fees? If the lot is in the flood zone, what is required to build?
As a next due diligence step, pay attention to verify about Flood zones and Flood Risks, refer to our blog for more details.
References:
https://buildingadvisor.com/buying-land/zoning/
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/can-zoning-be-changed-allow-your-use-vacant-land.html
