Considerations When Buying Land For Business Use

By admin, May 10, 2013

As there is only a finite amount of high quality land, it will always be a profitable investment even when the world’s economy appears to be turning upside down. When making a land purchase, always make sure it is a clinical process and not an emotional one. If you can hire professionals such as appraisers, engineers, realtors and real estate attorneys before the process begins, you will save yourself a lot of legal headaches down the line. Follow the tips below and you will hopefully purchase good quality property for a reasonable price.

Aims of Deal

Before buying any piece of land, you need to be 100% sure about the purpose of the purchase. For example, are you planning to build a retail space or office building? If so, is there any real competition in the area? If you are up against established rivals, you will have a hard time defeating them since they have a major head start and the advantage of being known in the area. Before signing on the dotted line, make sure that your plan for the land is a viable one or else you will be wasting time on a money pit.

Location

It is important for your land to be easily accessible by road or else transporting building materials during construction will be a time consuming and costly enterprise. The topography of the land also needs to be thoroughly investigated before making a purchase. It should be obvious that marsh land and low land need to be avoided as it is difficult to build anything safely on this kind of surface. If you want the land for agricultural purposes, it makes sense to check the soil type and quality. When buying land for commercial or residential reasons, it is a good idea to think from a landscaping view when evaluating the area.

Get a Copy of Covenants & Restrictions

You need a realtor or an attorney on your side to find out if there are any restrictive covenants as well as determining what you are allowed to build on the land. Zoning ordinances and regulations will define the way you use the land and you may have to change the zoning to fit your needs. For example, you may be looking at land that is zoned for a retail outlet but you wish to build an office building. Zoning ordinances can also limit the total height of the building or have a minimum parking space limit.

Even when you have reviewed the property, performed a cost analysis and are satisfied that the land you seek is worth the price, there is still the small matter of legal red tape. Never try to buy land for commercial use without a qualified team behind you or else long and costly legal battles could be the result.