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Home Building
Lot Considerations
Some "consideration points" when selecting
your lot:
- the lot should have rear and side privacy
- it should be situated where your lowest drainage
point is above the sewer line
- it should be situated in a low-traffic area
- it should have good firm soil
- it should have good drainage
- it should not be located in a flood plain
- its surrounding should be quiet and safe
- it should have plenty of trees
- it should be in an area with underground utilities
- it should have defined boundaries that will not
be disturbed
- it should have attractive surroundings with easy
access to major highways and community services
- it should be located within good school districts
- it should have privacy trees or room for privacy
hedges and other
see our location discussion on these
points and more
Some caution points to avoid when selecting your lot:
- the lot is located on a major thoroughfare with
yellow or white lines down the middle and a speed
limit over 35 mph
- its soil is sandy or can shift or shrink
- it has poor drainage or gullies where water collects
in spots
- its shape limits space for front, side or back yard
- it is located near major power lines, air traffic,
rail ways, radio towers, or other hazardous areas
- it has steep slopes that make is difficult to mow
or drive up on icy pathways
- it is situated in a flood plain
- it is situated in a declining neighborhood
see our location discussion on these
points and more
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Search
Lots to BUILD
- SayPlanning has partnered with ServiceMagic
to bring you the nation's premier network of
"customer-rated" real estate agents.
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Get matched with the right pre-screened real
estate agent in your area:
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or use the local yellow pages to search:
real
estate services
view our real
estate section on working with an agent (link
to our parent site: SayPlanning)
Other
Places to Look:
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Notes
on Location (Neighborhood)
Location is a key ingredient when selecting your home.
Selecting the right location can save you from a potential
home devaluation due to an unfavorable event due to
growth or zoning changes. Investigate the neighborhood
and surrounding area before settling on a particular
house.
- Check
the Schools:
Regardless of whether or not you have children,
check the quality of schools in the community. Any
resale value of your home may depend on the quality
of schools in your area, particularly elementary schools.
Investigate the average class size, the facilities,
and the method of transportation. Evaluate the overall
quality of the public school system.
Locate schools servicing your area. View calendars,
menus, contact information, etc.:
http://www.asd.com/
Compare schools:
http://www.theschoolreport.com/sr_home.html
another listing:
http://www.schoolmatch.com
- Let's
Do Some Shopping:
Check the area for local shops, grocery stores,
restaurants, and shopping centers. Can you buy a loaf
of bread quickly, or must you travel long distances
for basic items? Could the neighborhood sustain increased
traffic to these centers if new subdivisions were
developed?
Further evaluate the quality of merchandise being
sold in the stores. Quality merchandise indicate a
more stable and upscale market.
Search your local market:
http://www.switchboard.com/
another listing:
http://www.mapquest.com
- Locate
the Community Services:
Locate community facilities such as police, emergency
response units, parks, libraries, and hospitals. Estimate
the distance of these services from your new home.
What is your comfort level if a library or park is
several miles from your home?
See what's nearby:
http://www.smartpages.com
- Walk
the Neighborhood:
Schedule time to explore the neighborhood within
a 12 block area. Pay particular attention to the neighborhood's
boundaries such as a highway, park, campus, or other
fixed structures. If there are any unsecured boundaries;
future changes can occur in and around the neighborhood
that can increase or decrease your home's value.
Check the appraised values of the homes in the neighborhood
in which you wish to buy. Surrounding homes of equal
size should appraise for the same value as your home.
Check to see if the homes in the neighborhood are
increasing or decreasing in value. It is a good idea
to determine the demand for homes in the neighborhood.
Too many "For Sale" signs are a good indication
that something is happening.
What's it worth? Order your personal home valuation
report:
 get
your home price at electronicappraiser.com
view sample report: click
here
Find the value of an existing or future homes:
http://www.homegain.com
Check neighborhood prices:
http://www.domania.com/index.jsp
- Housing
Fees:
What is the tax rate for the area? What municipal
services are available and how much will they average?
You may find the right home, but high taxes and municipal
service fees can turn your home into a negative.
Lookup county and city governments:
http://www.statelocalgov.net
City cost comparison:
http://www.homefair.com/calc/citysnap.html
Are there any active neighborhood organizations working
to maintain and improve the area? If you choose to
move into the neighborhood, is there a homeowners'
association in which your membership is mandatory?
Homeowners have mixed feelings about such associations.
While they certainly help to maintain the quality
of the neighborhood and its property values, and maintain
its safety as well, they do require membership fees.
Find out what they are — you might be surprised.
Will you face any deed restrictions? What are they,
and how sternly are they enforced?
- Check
the Negatives:
Any one negative in the neighborhood can counteract
two or three positives. Check for all current and
future negatives that could potentially devalue your
home.
- Rising neighborhood crime. How effective is
the crime watch programs in the neighborhood?
Check crime statistics:
http://www.homefair.com/calc/crime.html
- Heavy traffic in and around the neighborhood.
Evaluate how traffic patterns can increase with
potential growth or changes in any underdeveloped
areas surrounding the neighborhood.
- Loud sounds, such as airline traffic, nearby
factories, major throughways, and ball parks.
- Visual pollution, such as power lines, radio
and television towers, auto and bus fleet parking
lots, ball fields that play night games, and salvage
yards.
- Smells such as bakeries, food processing plants,
and factories. These units may be miles away,
but a down drift could affect the quality of air
in the neighborhood. You might want to visit the
neighborhood several times during the day to check
out the smells and noises.
- Come back during the evening hours. Find out
who frequents the neighborhood and when. Some
neighborhoods have multiple personalities and
attract a different crowd at night. Talk to your
Realtor, then talk to prospective neighbors. Drive
around, and do your own research.
- Pick
the best lot in the neighborhood:
Look for the streets' boundaries where your new home
is located. Any dead-end street can be turned into
a major throughway. Homes that have defined boundaries
can protect you from potential neighborhood changes.
Homes in a cu-de-sac have a higher resale value than
homes situated on busy streets. Also consider and
potential construction that can turn a quiet street
into a busy street later on.
Look around the properties of the surrounding homes
in the neighborhood. Homes in landscaped neighborhoods
can demand a higher premium and keep the resale value
high.
Examine the property's lot for drainage, soil composition,
physical dimensions, and privacy. An extensive review
can save you dollars in structural repair.
What's it worth? Order your personal home valuation
report:
get
your home price at electronicappraiser.com
view sample report: click
here
Find the value of an existing or future homes:
http://www.homegain.com
Check neighborhood prices:
http://www.domania.com/index.jsp
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What
is Your Lot Setting: Urban, Suburban, or Rural
There are pluses and minuses to different home settings.
An urban setting might place you closer to city-like
services and amenities, but the encroachment of other
urban settings can devalue your home over time. A rural
setting offers romantic evenings, but life on the farm
can be too slow for some people. Some pointers to consider:
Urban Setting
Expect more established neighborhoods with large
trees and sidewalks in an urban setting. You will
be closer to the city and its amenities, such as restaurants,
recreational areas, and parks.
The schools may be less desirable, however, depending
on the area. Private schools are an option, but their
expense will add to your monthly cost.
The economic strength of the city is an important
consideration because unstable communities can bring
higher taxes, devalued properties, and flight of good
jobs to the suburbs.
Suburban Setting
Suburban settings offer newer homes in subdivisions
and associations. The homes may be similar in style
and appearance, and the landscaping may be less distinctive
with its young trees and shrubs.
It is not uncommon for suburban subdivisions to lack
certain features like sidewalks and streetlights.
The addition of these items may come later, thus increasing
your property tax.
Many suburban homes are located near shopping centers
and other amenities. Be aware if a suburban community
is fairly new. The ongoing construction can bring
overcrowding and heavy traffic.
Rural Setting
Rural homes offer private settings and large acreage.
If the rural area is near suburban settings, you can
have the benefits of both the rural and suburban life.
Beware, however, a few years could bring additional
subdivision construction that could alter your rural
landscape. Note the many rural areas do not offer
basic services such as sewer, water, and mail delivery.
Further, depending on the location, some areas lack
zoning restrictions, thus allowing any type of structure
to be built closely which could potentially devalue
your property.
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