Land buyer due diligence: the questions sellers should answer up front

Survey and boundaries

Buyers want to know exactly what they are buying and where the lines are.

“Is there a survey, and how old is it?”

Say whether a recorded or recent survey exists and its date. If there is none, say so plainly. Do not describe lines or acreage more precisely than your records support.

“Are the corners marked? Any encroachments?”

Note pins or flagged corners you know of, fences that may not follow the line, and any neighbor structures, driveways, or gardens that cross it.

“Does the acreage match the deed and the county?”

Deed, survey, and tax-record acreage sometimes differ. State which source your figure comes from.

Legal access and easements

Physical access and legal access are not the same thing, and buyers and lenders often care about both.

“Does the parcel front a public road?”

If not, say how a buyer reaches it and whether that route is a recorded easement, a private road agreement, or an informal arrangement.

“What easements cross the land?”

List recorded utility, pipeline, drainage, access, or conservation easements you know of, and where they run. Unrecorded uses (a neighbor’s path, a shared well line) matter too.

“Who maintains the road?”

Say whether the access road is county-maintained, private, or shared, whether there is a road maintenance agreement, and any known costs. Mention seasonal or weather limits honestly.

Utilities, water, and septic

On raw land these questions often decide whether a buyer’s plan works at all.

“Where are power, phone, and internet?”

Say what is on the parcel, what is at the road, and roughly how far away service is if you know. Utilities can quote extension costs; you do not have to guess.

“Is there a well, or water rights?”

Note any existing well, its permit and records if you have them, shared well agreements, municipal water availability, and whether any water rights are included or reserved. Water law differs a lot by state.

“Has the land passed a perc or soil test?”

If a percolation or soil evaluation was done, share the date and result. If not, say so. Without public sewer, septic approval usually controls where and whether a home can be built.

Zoning, permitted uses, flood zone, and HOA

Buyers want to know what they are allowed to do with the land before they fall in love with it.

“What is the zoning, and what can I build?”

Give the zoning designation from the county or city and point buyers to the planning office to confirm uses such as homes, RVs, livestock, or agriculture. Do not promise a use you have not confirmed.

“Is any of it in a flood zone?”

Check the FEMA flood map and state the zone if you know it. Mention wetlands, creeks, or low areas that hold water.

“Is there an HOA, covenants, or deed restrictions?”

Say whether CC&Rs or an owners association apply, and share dues and the recorded restrictions so a buyer can read them.

Title, liens, taxes, and mineral rights

These are the questions a title search will eventually answer, so it helps to know the answers first.

“Are there liens, judgments, or back taxes?”

Disclose mortgages, tax liens, or unpaid property taxes you know about, and how they will be cleared at closing. Share the current annual tax amount and any agricultural or other special valuation that could change on sale.

“Who holds the mineral rights?”

State whether mineral, oil, gas, or timber rights convey, are partly reserved, or were severed earlier. If you do not know, say so; a title professional or attorney can research it.

“Is the title clear, and how will we close?”

Say how you hold title and whether any co-owners or heirs must sign. Many sellers order a preliminary title report early. Closing is handled by your own title company, escrow agent, or attorney, not by PurelyPlots.

If you are offering owner financing, buyers will also ask how the note or contract is recorded and serviced. See Seller financing for land, explained.

How to answer up front

A short, organized fact sheet saves both sides time and helps the right buyers self-select.

Gather documents

Deed, survey, plat, tax bill, parcel ID (APN), recorded easements, well and septic records, HOA documents, and any prior title policy.

Separate known, unknown, and not applicable

“Unknown” is an honest answer. Guessing is not. Point buyers to the public office that can confirm the fact.

Put the answers in your listing

Use the listing photos and description checklist to turn this into a clear listing, and keep copies of your documents ready to share.

How PurelyPlots helps

• A seller waitlist, not a live listing. You can tell us about your vacant land, ranch, or farm, and whether you might offer cash, owner financing, or both. That request does not publish a listing. Listings are not open.
• A payment calculator you can use now. Model owner-financing terms and share the scenario link with a buyer.
• Your price, your terms. PurelyPlots does not appraise land, set prices, or set financing terms.
• You close with your own professionals. PurelyPlots does not hold purchase funds, deposits, or installment payments, and is not a lender, broker, escrow, or title company.

Read more on How it works and the FAQ.