Identify the exact parcel
Match the address, parcel ID, boundaries and recorded acreage. A GIS map is a starting point; confirm boundaries with a survey.
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Before you buy
the land.
Six conversations that belong before the commitment. Take this checklist to your broker, surveyor, design team and advisors.
Download the free checklist PDF ↓No signup required · General research guide · Prepared October 28, 2026
Understand ownership and restrictions
Ask a title professional to review ownership, easements, access rights, liens, deed restrictions and recorded plats.
Find county records ↗Read zoning, policy and overlays together
Identify current zoning, adopted plans, historic or other overlays, and conditions tied to earlier approvals. Do not infer permitted density from acreage alone.
Decode zoning and policy ↗Check the physical site and services
Ask the appropriate professionals about flood conditions, slope, soils, stormwater, trees, utility capacity, service connections and driveway access.
Research infrastructure ↗Build a realistic scope and team
Identify survey, design, engineering, legal, permitting, construction and financing inputs. Include time, contingencies and holding costs in your own budget.
Find a project professional ↗Resolve open questions before committing
Keep assumptions separate from written agency responses, professional findings and issued approvals. Review contract conditions and deadlines with your advisors.
Check permits and status ↗Keep four columns in your notes.
What I know · Source and date · What is still unconfirmed · Who will answer it.
A listing, sketch or map is not a promise of what can be built. This checklist is educational and does not replace parcel-specific professional review.