Sage

Hey guys- I need some varied input from all y'all wonderful TFPers!

I'm working on a website for a company that has bought a bunch of land out here in WNC and is divvying it up to make a devlopment- but they're being very enviromentalist about it and only offering so many plots of land, having a foundation that benifits local wildlife, that sort of thing. So, in restructuring the orginization of the website, I'm trying to answer the question "Why should I give you $750K+ to build a home on your land?"

What I would really appreciate some input in would be the questions I can't possibly think of, never having bought or built a home myself. What would you want to know/need to know before deciding to buy their land to build a home on? What questions would you ask? What would help you the most in deciding to build a home?

I really appreciate it guys- I can't really go out and ask people on the street about this stuff!

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maleficent

Well, never having done this myself.. but the area I moved from I know this question wasn't thought about when they built a new housing development.

1. I'm not sure what to call it- sewage system, plumbing, water supply? is it plentiful, where's it coming from?

2. If I am a parent moving to that area, I'm gonna want to know about schools.

3. If I'm at all religious, I'm going to want to know about houses of worship.

4. Shopping ability - do I have to travel 50 miles to go to the grocery store, or even to get gas.

5. What kinds of choices to I get when I build my home. What's standard and what will cost me extras (and that you could on for paragraphs on - like if I want a swanky bathroom- or a supernice kitchen...) What's the base house.
Where I grew up, in the new developments, the town did not allow for identical houses to be built wtihin x number of feet of one another - what are the zone regulations like

6. How much property and can i pick my lot

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raeanna74

There's a lot of factors we considered when we were looking for land to build or an already built home...

1. If it's in out of the city limits what kind of septic/mound system do I need? Is there a well within a reasonable depth?

2. What's the cost/acre compared to equivalant property in the area?

3. What are the property taxes in that area?

4. Is it close to any of the following: Grocery store, gas station, Fire station, Police Department, schools. (Firestation and Police department lower the cost of some homeowners insurance.)

5. Is it in a flood plain?

6. Is it level land or will it cost me a bundle to haul in fill to level out the plot I'm choosing to use?

7. Is it waterfront property? And is the land shaped in such a way as I will have to get special permits to alter the shoreline?

8. Are there any public access roads near the property that I would have to worry about?

9. Are there any train tracks? Factories? main Highways? or things that would reduce the air quality and raise the noise level?

I could probably think of more questions but those were some main ones we considered.

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flstf

Just a few ideas off the top.

What is the potential for my investment in this development to increase in value over time?
What is the track record of the developer in designing similar communities?
Is there an HOA and if so what are the rules and restrictions?
How much land is put aside for open areas?
What annual fees are there for maintaining the open areas?
What types of house construction are being allowed?
What will be the price ranges of the houses built here?
Are utilities above ground or underground, will there be city gas or propane, will there be city sewers or septic systems?
Will there be cable and/or DSL internet available? If not what are the satellite restrictions?
Will the roads be maintained by the city/county or the HOA?
How much are the property taxes and income taxes in the area?
Are there any special deals for early buyers.
What happens if the lots do not all sell? If the owner has to reduce prices on remaining lots will the price I paid be reduced as well?

The_Jazz

If I read this correctly, your company will be selling lots with no structure for $750k+. It's not unheard of, but that puts it on the high end of the spectrum. I'm working on the insurance for a similar project outside of Vegas right now, and I'll throw out some of the issues we're faced with:

Who is responsible for getting the utilities to my property?
Who does the finish grading (you guys would be doing the rough grading, I'm sure)?
What experience do you have with high-end custom developments?
How far apart are the lots?
What are the restrictions for building (style, distance, height, materials, etc.)?
Who will build the actual home?
What amenities come with the community? Is there an assessment?
Paved or gravel roads?

Good luck!

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Rodney

One question: is any of the well-preserved wildlife in the vicinity of my new home likely to carry off my dog, my cat, or my toddler? What kind of landscaping should I have in the face of marauding deer, who look at the average human garden and think "BUFFET!"

People want nature, but they want safe, too. You can't always have that, and you'd best set reasonable expectations among prospective buyers.

Finally: what is the emergency response time for ambulances? Fire engines? Law enforcement? Some people buy in the boonies, and still expect a five-minute response time for fire engines.

I live in a city at the edge of a rural area that has lately become the home of wilderness-seeking commuters. And these are all serious issues. A matter of half a mile controls whether or not you're within the purview of a professional fire department with a 5-7 minute response time, or a volunteer fire department with a 20-minute response time. Or whether you're in a dead zone under _no_ local fire/safety agency, save maybe the state foresters and the occasional deputy sheriff.

I take it you're out near Asheville somewhere. I live in Santa Cruz, and the dynamic is pretty close: a destination college town with a great deal of housing nearby in rustic surroundings, occupied by folk more citified than otherwise.

Sage

You guys are great! Some of these questions have already been answered by the devloper in their old web site, but a lot of these haven't!

Thanks SO MUCH for your help!

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NoSoup

Something else people often consider are future plans for the tract.

For instance, if the area that is going to be preserved is behind a row of houses, is there a specific amount of time that must pass before that area can also be developed?

In my experience, often times people that purchase land next to protected areas are often concerned with how quickly (if ever) that land will be developed...

Good Luck!

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Just in case you were wondering...

keyshawn

Hi,

If there are going with an environmental theme, definitely ask how the development is going to be incorporated into the natural environment of area and highlight (on the website) the environmental and sustainable initiatives the development is using.
I did some research for the county planning department a few weeks ago and I found some pretty cool and novel things that some towns are doing for sustainable development (Portland is one of the leaders). Here's a few things I thought of to ask:


- Is there limited pervious surfaces [compared to traditional developments ?] (which increase the amount of storm water run off)
- being pedestrian and alternative transportation friendly. Is the development near public transportation stops, has dedicated bike lanes in the streets and/or pedestrian trails (besides sidewalks) connecting cul-de-sacs ? (Though if there aren't any cul-de-sacs, the developer is actually environmentally sensitive.)
- having the planting strips (the strip of land between sidewalks and streets) landscaped with native plants, grasses, and trees ?
- Plot(s) of land in the development devoted to a community garden ?

Let us know how it goes. I'd like to see the site once it's done.

catcha back on the flipside,
keyshawn

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Sage

You guys are so great- I talked with my boss about this stuff this afternoon and he LOVED all the questions and the angles they covered. Some questions the developer is choosing to address in the office instead of on the website, but the questions about the builders and the building process are definitely going to be implimented!

And yeah, y'all can totally see the thingee when I get it done- it's going to be my first commercial website! OMG!

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