This article is for those seeking land that they can build on either now or later.

Your Buyer Agent should ask you to consider these points about the areas that appeal to you. 

• If you purchase your property in a development, it will be more expensive but it will solve several of your potential site problems as you will not have to be concerned with putting in hard-surfaced roads, electricity, public water, sewer and telephone service. .

• If you decide that you want to live in a rural area, you will have to consider other factors and costs - for example, you may have to build a road to your property, a septic tank and a well. Also, think about electricity, telephone service, etc.

Find out if there is a regular Fire Department. Properties with Volunteer Fire Departments face Insurance and Financing issues.

Try to choose a home with natural beauty.

Your home should have easy access to the outdoors and preferably wonderful views from the inside. A well-designed home adds to the land without obscuring  it.

• If you are looking for land around urban areas, it will probably be more expensive and will have more zoning restrictions.

• Ask your Buyer Agent to check with the town zoning board or building department to see if there are going to be major building developments in the future. Try to find out what residential developments are being planned, perhaps factories or highway expansions that could affect your decision on buying land.

• Decide how much land you want. Decide if you prefer a wooded lot or one that's open, flat or sloping?

• Find out how busy or congested the roads or highways are leading to the area you want. And do the roads provide an enjoyable drive?

• Does the area have a lake, stream, river or ocean nearby? This may be important in your decision.

• Find out if you have public water or if you will need to dig a well, which is costly. If you have to dig a well, try to do it near a lake or pond.

• What supplies do you have available in the area. Where is the nearest gas station, lumber store, hardware store and food market. You need this information to organize your future home.

• Don't forget taxes... what kind of taxes will you have to pay?

• Check if the people around the area are friendly and willing to help... It makes life a lot easier...

Is the property available at the price you can afford?

• How far is a hospital from the area, or how far do you want your site to be from your workplace.

• Are there hard-surface roads close by? You will need some kind of access to your building site and you don't want to be the person building one...

• For your utilities, make sure you know the closest utility pole to your future house.

• Some clearing and grading may be necessary, even if you want your log home to be in a wooded area. Have you allowed for them ?

Ask questions as you drive around the area. Talk to local people or anyone you run into. You can learn a lot from word of mouth.   

If your timetable permits visit the properties you are interested in during the different seasons. You may be surprised at how different the land looks in different seasons of the year.

Once you have completed the buying land stage, you'll be able to design your dream  home to fit YOUR site. 

For information on Available Land in Ontario, just e-mail your requirements and budget to paul@buyerscall.com