By Brandon Mickens, LandHub
Have you ever imagined the thrill of owning land in California? Well, you’re certainly not alone. California’s breathtaking natural beauty, delightful climate, and appealing and relaxed lifestyle have enticed land buyers for several generations.
You can explore California further by going online. By taking this approach, you can discover your own personal haven in the comfort of your home.
Do you want to find deals but avoid costly mistakes? Do you want to evaluate California real estate at your own pace? How about communicating with sellers and agents? By looking at listings for California land for sale online, you can make a more informed decision about a property.
Hunting for Land Parcels in California
By going to the right website, you can narrow down your land choices by location, acreage, price and property features. Take a close look at the descriptions and photos for each listing to gain an insight on the vegetation and terrain.
Check Out the Prices: You may be surprised by the affordability of some land parcels in the Golden State. For example, you can buy a wooded lot for $14,999. Some are even less expensive. It just depends on the type of land you’re planning to buy.
Determine Your Preferred Property Type: When you are reviewing the listings in California, you can narrow down your search to the following property types: Commercial, Hemp, Farm, Homesite, Ranch, Horse, or Recreational. You can also choose to go the auction route or bid and deal online. Premier listings are featured as well as owner-financing.
Therefore, you can get pretty creative when you’re seeking land, whether you want to use it for a vacation site or you wish to settle down in California. While some parcels come with current utility installations, which enables construction, some do not. Therefore, undeveloped land may require additional costs—costs that go into drilling a well or installing electricity.
What Are the Hazards, Regulations and Land Rights?
By reviewing California land deals online, you can research real estate listings more extensively. You’ll also want to find out more about potential fire hazards, zoning regulations, and water rights.
While there is some risk associated with buying without seeing a property in person. reputable land listing websites typically perform an evaluation of properties before listing them. So, stick with reputable land brokers and agents and review all purchase agreements carefully.
How to Make a More Informed Land Buying Decision: Weighing the Factors
To get a better understanding of the land buying process, you need to keep the following factors in mind.
Location: Does the land sit close to the amenities you desire such as utilities, hospitals, airports, recreational areas, etc.? Additionally, take into account any hazards like landslides, flooding or earthquakes—all which happen from time to time in California.
Size and terrain: Determine the number of acres that will meet your real estate needs. Also, consider the topography of the land. Is it flat, hilly or mountainous? Keep in mind that developing uneven terrain can incur additional costs.
Accessibility: Assess whether the property has road access or if it is located remotely. Keep in mind that maintaining access roads may require additional effort and costs. Make sure that any easements allow you to use your property as you plan to develop it.
Permits and zoning: Verify that the property’s zoning regulations and permits align with your intended use, especially if you plan to construct commercial structures. Some areas may have restrictions on development.
Price: Consider the asking price of the land parcel in relation to its location, size, accessibility and the other factors discussed above. Compare prices with properties in the area to ensure you’re looking at a competitively priced piece of real estate.
In addition to LandHub, CaliforniaListings.com is a great resource for available land parcels. Experts agents including Chris Cortazzo, Michelle Nishide, Ivan Estrada and Fred Evans all hold current land listings across the Southland, while Placer County expert Bobby Graves can help buyers find property up in NorCal. Head to their respective profiles for more—and be sure to catch part II of our land series on July 25.
About the author: Brandon Mickens works with LandHub. He has been involved with buying and selling land for the past 15 years and now wants to share his knowledge and experience with others.