OK, so you want to buy land. You are singing , "Don't fence me in" and got the bug. If you are looking in our North Georgia Mountains and maybe elsewhere there are some things you should watch out for.
There are two broad categories to choose from Developed and undeveloped land.
Developed. This word can mean many different things. Usually it means that electricity is some where near by. It also means that the lot you are looking to buy is bordered by similar lots. The zoning is probably residential. There may be some covenants in place aimed at protecting your investment. However it does not mean that you have water, you may or may not, nor does it necessarily mean building is controlled. More on all this later
Undeveloped is exactly what it says. Usually you are dealing in larger tracts but basically what you see, and maybe do not see, is what you get. So what do we look out for?
1 Water. Easy right! If you do not have it you die. When buying land did you look to see if there were fire hydrants on the road ? If not you may be into a well. No problem just understand that you will be drilling at 8.00 a foot . Figure you could go down in our mountains as far as 300 feet. So you have a 2,400 dollar expense PLUS the price of the equipment. Also if you are drilling a well you had better make sure your lot is over 1 Acre. You have other regulations to contend with
2 Regulations. For wells in most counties in North Georgia your lot size needs to be over an acre. Also if you have a house plan that you are in love with and that is what you want to build and your land is under 2 Acres, GET A COUNTY APPROVAL. You may be able to put a house up but not the one you want.
Zoning is another issue. If you are buying undeveloped land check the zoning. Check to see how many homes you can get on the land legally, if you plan more than 1. Also if everything around you is undeveloped you may want to check the land use plans. You do not want a Walmart in your back yard.
3 Soil tests This is the biggest problem we have. Folks if you are coming this way then 99 percent of the time you will be on a septic system. That system must be approved . What this means is you need a soil test to determine the suitability of your land. If you are buying an Acre then this test becomes even more critical. If you hit rock you will have a problem You must also be 50 feet away from water. This includes underground water that you cannot see, but the soil test will find. Also the one area on the lot suitable for the septic system may be where you want to put your house. This test runs about 325 dollars. It is to land buying what an inspection is to a home.
4 Slope. The more you have a slope the more expensive it is to build. Remember concrete is expensive and extra retaining walls cost $$$$ Also if you are building in a high altitude area the trucks cannot carry a full load up in many cases so . They will charge you a fee for climbing AND charge you for a full load even though you do not have one.
5 Water. Now you have water. But remember you must be at least 50 feet from water with any building. Some counties want more. Also if you are buying a larger tract with a beeeauuutiful stream down the middle remember a future buyer who may want to develop it sees that stream as a liability he must stay back from and maybe an expense he has to bridge over to reach the back part of the tract. You also need to check the flood plain maps.
None of the above should deter you from building in the mountains. What it should do is make you find a good mountain Realtor. The mountains are beautiful and in North Georgia we are very cost effective. Visit us on line at www.georgiasno1agent.com
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