A great person once reminded the masses that you buy land because nobody is making it in a factory. You may have a dream of five acres and a cabin or a city lot with a view. Do you want to spread out with animals or roost on a mountaintop? There are many reasons and ways to buy land.

I read a few books on my kindle reader to learn how to buy from a private person or go through a Real Estate Agent. I can see enough information on the local MLS (Multiple Listing Service) to find land. Plus, there are plenty of ads in the weekly ad paper and on the net from sellers acting on their own behalf.

If you are building a home you will want to learn about construction loans. They pay off the land first. You could go through a Realtor to see if the Seller wants cash or monthly payments. You can stick with the terms offered or offer to pay all closing costs and write a check for a specific amount to the Seller.

You would not use toddler baby bedding on your king size water bed. It simply doesn’t cover the subject. That’s why you need to involve a title insurance company especially if you and the seller are not using Realtors. The title company will only do what they are directed to do in writing by both the buyer and seller. They protect both parties.

The title company will provide a preliminary title report. They will report encumbrances, title liens, vested ownership and other details that help you. A messy title report cannot be cleaned up with a handful of baby bath towels and may leave you wanting a different property.

The title company or your Realtor can help you find out if the property will meet your needs. They can tell you that 20 acres can be split into five acre minimum parcels. They can also tell you that there is a zoning vote pending that will not allow it to be broken down further.

Once you know the land can be used the way you want, check out utilities. Start with sewer systems. There may be a public or private system with fees to hookup. You may need a septic which means tests will have to be performed to determine what type of system is approved.

Talk to all kinds of related professionals. Private lenders, Appraisers, real estate agents, and well drillers will share their knowledge with you. These are the folks that have as many answers as you questions. You may be on your way to your first or your latest land transaction. It feels good to look at those pictures of earth taken from space and be able to say, ‘Hey there’s my place’.

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