This land isyour land
A beautiful problem
Building a home with Wayne Homes means you get to choose where you want to build. Near a lake. In the woods. On the family farm. In a new subdivision. All the possibilities are open. Which is both a wonderful thing and perhaps a challenging thing. With so many options, how do you choose? And how can you feel confident about your choice? As you might expect, we have some thoughts.
Let ’s start with the basics
A good place to build a home always meets four fundamental criteria. You can remember them this way: don’t buy the land if it doesn’t spell L-A-N-D.
L
A
N
D
– Lot surveyed by a registered surveyor to have the deed approved
– Approval of deed by county tax map department, planning commissions and health department
– No outstanding liens or deed restrictions such as mineral rights, easements, etc. that would hinder construction
– Designated in an area that is not subject to floods
Considerconnectionsyour
When you’re thinking about a location for your new home, it’s easy to romanticize the situation. Maybe you picture a big spread far from town. Where all the neighbors are giant oak trees and the only lights you see at night are the moon and the stars. Aaaaaah. But what about getting to the office, the grocery store and the kids’ elementary school? Oh. We recommend you map out all the places you travel to regularly and consider a location that balances your day. On the other hand, if you look at the map and decide your pastoral dream location is worth the additional time in the car, well, more power to you.
Rural or subdivision?
Aside from location, there are other factors to think about when you’re weighing between a piece of rural land and a subdivision home site. In general, rural land gives you more space for the money. But there are additional steps and costs that come into play. A subdivision home site will come pre-packaged with access and utilities already taken care of. And yet, you’ll have more restrictions on what you can build. Let’s go through some of the considerations for each option.
Regarding rural land
SURVEY – Has the property been surveyed and are the pins visible?
SOIL AND DRAINAGE – Does the land hold water after a rain?
CLEARING – Are there trees and brush that will need to be removed?
POWER – Where is the nearest utility pole?
WATER – What is the average depth of wells in the area? (We can give you a list of local well-drilling companies, which keep records of well depths. Plan to spend $7,500 on a 100-foot well, all included.)
SEPTIC – Is there approval for septic on the land? If so, for what type of system? (Depending on the system type, figure on spending $12,000–$25,000 on septic.)
CONTOUR – Is the property sloped? If so, in which direction? Depending on the condition, additional fill soil and/or gravel may be needed.
FIELD TILES – These underground drainage systems are often found on old farms and may need to be re-routed.
DRIVEWAY – Plan on $25 per linear foot for a rough driveway plus $700 for a construction access drive. Poor soil conditions, low-lying land, tree removal and a driveway culvert pipe will add costs. Then you may want to invest in a nice smooth top-dress of gravel.
GARAGE – As a rule of thumb, you’ll want your garage on the highest point of the property.
Regarding subdivision home sites
SIZE – What are the lot dimensions and setbacks? Typically a surveyor will need to stake your home site according to local zoning guidelines.
EASEMENTS – Like setbacks, easements are another factor that could cut into the available space for your home. For example an 80-foot home site with two 10-foot easements gives you only 60 feet to work with.
COVENANTS – You need to be aware of any neighborhood covenants or deed restrictions that could affect the size or design of your home.
HOA – If the subdivision includes shared amenities such as a swimming pool, parks, trails and so forth, you’ll almost certainly have a monthly homeowners association fee that maintains these features.
Looking for land in all the right places
At this point, you may be wondering how to even search for a home site. Fortunately, you have all sorts of resources … beginning with your friends at Wayne Homes.
NEW HOME CONSULTANT – Our Wayne Homes New Home Consultants are not only experts on the homes we build, they work to stay current on available land.
WAYNEHOMES.COM – On our website, you’ll find a list of Preferred Realtors, who are the tried and true professionals we’ve worked with many times. They can be an excellent resource in your search for a home site.
REALTOR.COM AND MLS – These websites contain extensive listings of available property. Realtor.com is available to everyone. You’ll need to contact a Realtor for access to the Multiple Listing Service.
PLAT DIRECTORIES – Local plat directories are available through any Chamber of Commerce and may be accessible via your county auditor’s website.
COUNTY RECORDER’S OFFICE – If you see an interesting parcel of land and want to know who owns it, all you need is the address of the property on either side of the parcel. Not only is this information available at your county recorder’s office, it may be accessible through the auditor’s website.
THE NEIGHBORS – One of the best ways to find available home sites is to knock on the doors of people who live in the area. (Don’t be shy.)
Call in the experts ( that would be us )
Our free home site evaluation is an indispensable step to making sure you’ve found a good spot for your new home. The evaluation can help identify potential issues and additional costs that may arise during construction.
Here’s how our home site evaluation works
STEP 1: Visit a Wayne Homes Model Home Center and meet with a New Home Consultant to choose a floor plan
STEP 2: A Wayne Homes construction team member inspects the home site, identifying any potential issues or additional costs
STEP 3: The construction team member walks the home site with you to discuss next steps
Here ’s what we evaluate
DRIVEWAYS: Does the home site have access to a driveway or does a driveway need to be created?
GENERAL FIT: Will your favorite floor plan work with this home site?
POSITIONING: What are the possible locations and orientations for the home on the site? Which ones make the most sense?
ACCESS: Does the home have access to maintained roads? And are there any sharp turns or narrow access points that could be problematic for the construction phase?
By the way, if there’s a chance that the soil on the home site has issues such as expansive clays, poor drainage and so forth, we recommend having a qualified company test the soil. Better to know what you’re dealing with before we begin digging your foundation.
Any questions?
A few of the queries we hear most often …
Can I buy the land directly from the seller and not use an attorney?
Yes … but. The thing is, real estate law and deeds are very complicated topics. So we highly recommend working with a real estate attorney. All title companies have at least one on staff.
Must I buy land through a real estate broker?
No. Many people sell their land without broker assistance. But again, we strongly suggest that you have expert help, either an attorney or Realtor.
May I deed the land in whatever name I choose?
Yes, however there could be tax and/or legal ramifications, so consult your attorney (is there an echo in here?). Also, depending on how you finance the land, the name on the deed may need to match the name on the loan.
What is a land contract?
Simply put, it’s a written agreement filed at the county courthouse showing that a seller agrees to sell and the buyer agrees to buy at a set price, for a set term, at an agreedupon interest rate with payments. Under such an agreement, the deed does not transfer to the buyer’s name until the contract price is paid in full.
Can I get a construction mortgage on land that I am buying through a land contract?
No. Either you or the bank must pay off the land contract balance. Then to transfer the title of the land into your name, a deed must be prepared by (you guessed it) an attorney.
We can’t wait to welcome you
There’s a reason our customer satisfaction rating is among the best in the industry. And that we’re one of a handful of builders to win multiple National Housing Quality awards. It’s because we bring our A-game every day, building some of the most desirable, customizable on-your-lot homes for more than five decades. (Complete with a long list of included features and the best warranty in the business.)
It’s not easy, but we try to make it look that way.
