Most people we know have asked us, “How did you find your mountain property?”
After all, we lived around 2 1/2 hours from our new mountain paradise! Also, my wife and I both owned our own respective businesses and I normally worked 6-7 days a week. We didn’t have time to regularly travel that distance to be shown a property by an agent only to be a waste of time because the property didn’t meet our expectations. So, I developed an efficient way to look for and buy mountain property without spending a bunch of time and resources. Since learning some of these simple methods, I have actually helped others find a property or home to buy without ever leaving their house.
Below are the 18 steps we used to find and buy our mountain property. These steps, with some slight modifications, could be used to find and buy other types of property, but they are specifically designed for mountain property.
1. Decide exactly what you want.
This should go without saying, but you need to know specifically what you are looking for. As with any property type, there are different types of mountain property. There is…
- River property
- Lake property
- Long range views
- Intermediate range views
- No view
- Medium elevation
- High elevation
- Remote property
- Town property
- Small to giant tracts of land
- Raw land
- Partially cleared land
- Property in sub-divisions
And I could go on and on but I think that you get the picture. Every type of land has its assets and liabilities. It has its own unique challenges that you should be aware of. It’s wise to talk to those who live and work on the type of property that you want in order to learn what those challenges are. Failing to do so can cause an unexpected burden on your bank account and stress on any relationships along on this adventure.
2. Decide exactly where you want.
All mountains are not the same. They vary state by state and county by county and not just by elevation.
When we started looking for our “where”, we had certain requirements that must be met. We wanted an area that had a low population which means a lower crime rate. We also wanted a low tax rate and gun friendly government. Lastly, we wanted to be no further than 2 1/2 hours from our parents who may occasionally need our assistance.
Finding the state, county and town that met our requirements took some research. The internet makes most of that research easy. I strongly recommend that you spend the time determining your “where.” Here are some things to consider when doing your research.
- Politics of the state, county and town. You can have a liberal state and a conservative county and vice versa. Know your politics and what area is a fit for you.
- Taxes
- Laws- hunting laws, fishing laws, gun laws, etc.
- Crime rate
- Population
- Natural resources
- Weather- how much snow, coldest winter temperatures, severe weather
- Building and zoning restrictions
- Schools
- Tourism
Once you think you have found your “where,” go and spend some time there. A three day weekend is great for such a trip. While there, drive around. Talk to locals. Buy a local newspaper. Go to the grocery store and the country store. Talk to a law enforcement agent. Ask questions everywhere you go! Try to get a feel for the area.
3. Put “what you want” and “where you want” on paper.
Prioritize the list if possible. If you have a spouse or purchasing partner, be sure everyone agrees! It is imperative that everyone is on the same page… literally! This will prevent an argument or divorce as you progress in your new adventure.
This will also help to prevent “emotional decisions.” Emotional decisions will get you into big trouble when buying property! Unfortunately, it has caused many people to have buyer’s remorse.
4. Set a budget.
Budgets are as varied as the stars in the sky. You should want to buy what you can afford and no more. Don’t depend on a real estate or lending institution to determine that for you. Work the financial numbers with those involved and get some help if necessary. There have been many people buy mountain property only to figure out later that they “over bought” and end up in a financial disaster!
Sometimes, our eyes are bigger than our wallet! You may have to go back and adjust your list to fit your budget. Having said that, don’t buy mountain property that you like because you can’t afford what you love. You may just need to wait until the financial numbers can work out.
5. Use the internet to sort through properties.
Internet sites like Zillow, Trulia and local real estate agencies are your number one tool when looking for property. The real estate booklets outside the grocery stores are a thing of the past. These sites allow you to set “filters” so you can quickly access properties that meet some of your biggest requirements. These sites allow you to access other information like area schools, area crime, days on the market, estimates, price and tax history, etc. You can also sign up for notifications when new listings are posted.
Most of your time should be spent here. We spent a year looking on these sites before we purchased. It’s important to be patient.
6. Contact the selling agent and request a plat and a MLS sheet on a potential property.
The plat will allow you to see the property lines, confirm the acreage and sometimes detail other unique property features like old roads and bodies of water. The MLS sheet will allow you to see more details about the property and confirm some details that you already know.
During this initial contact, also ask about covenants and if there is an HOA. Mountain property is different than most other properties. It is possible to own 50 acres in a sub-division and have covenant or HOA restrictions.
7. Use GIS and Google maps.
GIS sites are a wealth of information! These are the sites that local government and real estate agents use to look at properties. On these sites, you can find valuable information like the tax map number, the current and prior owners, the tax value, and the previous selling price and date. These sites offer satellite views with many different overlays. You can layer a property to check for bodies of water, flood zones, contours, roads, zoning, landmarks, addresses, satellite imagery, and more.
Sometimes you can also check historical satellite imagery to see how the property has changed over the years. You can also see who owns the adjoining properties. If you don’t know what GIS site your area uses then just call the building and zoning department or the tax office and ask. Occasionally, GIS sites are not 100% accurate on property lines and owners names but they are still the most valuable tool that you can use to look at prospective properties.
Google maps fill in any gaps that the GIS site misses. From Google maps, you can look for power lines, junky neighbors, auto garages, ATV and 4X4 clubs, race tracks, gun ranges, poultry farms, etc. You can also use Google Earth to get a different prospective of the area. Take your time and learn how to study satellite images. We have saved a lot of time by disregarding properties because we found undesirable “stuff” on or near them!
8. Visit several properties that you have narrowed down.
Once you’ve weeded through the properties and have found several that have potential, then it’s time for a road trip! You don’t need an agent to do this. Sometimes, agents will give you permission to walk the property without them. Many rural agents don’t work weekends so they would rather give you permission to walk the property than ruin their weekend working. Find out in advance so you don’t get arrested or shot for trespassing! At a minimum, check the “street view” of the properties and the area around them. Most of the time, we knew from the “street view” if we needed to mark a property off our list.
If things look okay, then talk to some neighbors. You should already know their names from the GIS but don’t tell them so! Ask questions. It’s wise to “not utter all your mind” as they may not know that the property is for sale.
9. Visit the closest country store.
It’s amazing how much information can be gathered at a country store if you hang around long enough. You may find out why the property is for sale. Ask about the history of the property. You just never know.
10. Pull comps.
Once you think you have found the “property of your dreams,” then use the internet real estate sites to pull comparison prices on similar properties. Compare the prices and time on the market. Doing this allows you to see if the asking price of your prospective property is accurate. Keep in mind, you are using the “asking price” of properties that have not sold! If the properties are similar, you should see a trend of a certain amount of money per acre. If your property is significantly higher or lower you will need to figure out why.
Is the price lower because there is a highway or a prison scheduled to be built nearby? Perhaps there is an old abandoned mine nearby that has contaminated the drinking water. Do your due diligence to find out!
Is the price higher because the property is loaded with mature hardwoods? Perhaps it backs up to the state or national forest? Do your due diligence to find out! If all else fails, ask the agent.
11. Meet with a trusted agent.
Once you have found your potential property, find a local, trusted agent. Once again, the internet may be your best place to find a reputable agent. I do not recommend using the listing agent or their office due to a conflict of interest.
Ask the agent your unanswered questions. Ask them things that you know to confirm that you are right. Keep in mind that the agent probably isn’t a contractor of any kind and isn’t buying the property. Carefully consider any answers that you get.
Have the agent take you to the property and check for the following…
Check cell phone service.
If your service is weak or bad try turning your phone off for several minutes and then turning it back on. According to a major cell service provider, this can drastically improve your service if you are out of your normal area. Buying property with no cell service could be a deal breaker for some people. If you don’t have service with your provider, visit other cell service providers to see if they have service there. Also, be aware of “roaming.” Some service providers are very intolerant of roaming and will cut your data service off after very little roaming data!
Look at the trees.
Are they hardwoods like oak or softwoods like pine? Are the trees short and narrow or tall and wide? Most people that I know with mountain property burn firewood for heat. You can’t burn pine in a fireplace or wood stove and you don’t want to pay for firewood! Stumps and lying dead wood throughout the property reveal the property was clear cut in the past.
Look at the drainage.
Is erosion present? If so, that won’t improve when you are trying to build a house there. It will only get worse!
Look for a potential building site.
A level site is best but flat will work. The further the site is from the road the more money it will cost to build the house. Unfortunately, sometimes the best views are far from the paved road.
Look for a potential driveway path.
Driveways can’t go straight up or down the mountain. They must have curves and switchbacks. The longer the driveway the more money it costs to build and maintain.
Look for signs of wildlife.
It’s important to know what animals are active on the property. If you have a fear of bears, it’s important to find out if they may be your new neighbors.
Meet with your new potential neighbors.
Ask about the weather as it can vary drastically in the mountains in as little distance as a mile. Ask about road maintenance. Does the road get cleared of snow quickly? Does it get repaired quickly after flash floods?
Inquire about mineral rights.
This will be a subject to discuss with your agent and attorney.
12. Meet with a driveway builder/land clearer.
It seems that the only thing “known” about building mountain driveways is that there are a lot of “unknowns!” There is no way to know if there is a boulder the size of a house buried right below the surface of your potential driveway or basement. Different builders have different ideas on the direction and width of the driveway. They should be aware of the different state and local laws governing driveway construction which can sometimes require a set of engineered plans!
Keep in mind that any tree debris generated from clearing your driveway and building site is usually piled up on site close to where it was removed. These piles are unsightly and dangerous to pick through by hand in order to save the firewood. Depending on your location, these piles may not be able to be hauled off or even burned depending on the time of the year. Burying these piles causes a whole other set of problems in the future!
13. Meet with a well driller.
Wells are normally a necessity in the mountains as there can be no county water supply. Meeting with a well driller will help you to budget for this necessity. He may need a bulldozer onsite to pull him up your new driveway in order to drill your well. The acquisition of that bulldozer will probably be your responsibility. We had our well drilled while there was already a bulldozer onsite and thus saved us some money. Asking questions about water quality is beneficial so you will have some idea about budgeting for a water filtration system.
14. Locate how close the utilities are from the property.
Unless you plan to build a house that is completely off-grid (which I don’t recommend), you will need to know how close the grid is to your property. Depending on the electrical provider, getting power to your property may be free or cost tens of thousands of dollars! A simple call to the electrical provider is all it takes to know for sure. Don’t take anybody’s word on this other than the power company!
The process of getting grid power to your property could take months as neighbors may have to approve power line right-of-ways coming across their property to get to yours. The neighbors may also want to be compensated for the right-of-way approval. Prepare to be patient and kind during this process. It took us 8 months to get grid power! I wore out one generator, nearly wore out a second one, and had to purchase a third one.
15. Meet with the building and zoning department.
- This meeting is basically going “straight to the horse’s mouth!” Up to now, you will have heard some misinformation. But, by going to the building and zoning department, you will be able to confirm if much of what you have heard is fact or fiction. You could also potentially save yourself thousands of dollars in fines because you acted on misinformation! The folks that work in this department are not the enemy. They simply enforce the law enacted by other aspects of the government.
- Ask them about driveway codes, zoning restrictions, etc.
- Ask them for helpful information in writing.
- Don’t expect them to give you referrals for quality contractors as they can’t give out that information.
16. Have your agent pull actual comps on similar properties in the area that have recently sold.
This is a very easy task for them. Be sure the comps are somewhat recent. I actually saw an agent pull a comp on a house that sold 10 years prior! Real estate markets change and therefore comps should be recent to reflect the current market condition.
17. Make your decision.
By this point, you should have gathered enough information to make a properly informed decision void of emotion. If you are having a hard time making a decision, then DON’T! This isn’t a race! So what, if someone else buys it before you do? Mountain land is plenteous. If you are still having trouble deciding, then enlist the help of someone you trust. I do this nearly every time I make a big decision. There is no shame in getting advice. It actually shows you have enough wisdom to ask for help. The people who make bad purchases are the ones who think they know it all. Believe me, there is a lot of mountain property for sale that is owned by people who should have never bought it in the first place!
18. Make a contingency offer on the property.
Your offer should be based on the massive amount of research that you have done. You should know more about the property than the owner as the owner simply hired an agent. You should also know more about the property than either of the agents. Know what the property is really worth based on the current real estate market and what you are willing to give! This offer should be lower than the asking price and lower than it appears to be worth. In reality, a piece of property is only worth what someone is willing to pay and not a penny more. Don’t pay more than you know it is worth! Stick to your guns… figuratively!
Before we bought our current property, we made an offer on a small cabin.
We did our homework and knew what it was worth. The cabin had been for sale for 5 years! The owner had purchased it when the market was up and the market had since collapsed. He set a “pre-collapse” price and it wasn’t selling. We made an offer and he made a laughable counter offer. We made a second offer and he refused to budge. Because we knew the real value of the cabin and had no emotion invested in the process, we walked away.
The cabin stayed on the market for two more years and eventually sold for less than our final offer! Was our offer too high? No. The electrical company ended up cutting down a significant amount of trees in his front yard that completely destroyed the look and feel of his property. Our knowledge of his property and determination to stick to our guns prevented us from over paying and buying a property that we unknowingly would have been unhappy with.
What is a “perk?”
This contingency offer is valid only if the building site perks. A “perk test” is a soil drainage test performed by either the county or a third party that tests how well the soil will drain with a septic system. The results of the test dictate how many bedrooms/bathrooms you can have and what type of septic system you must install. Some land just has terrible soil and may not perk which I have personally seen. Other land may perk but require a very expensive septic system that requires annual maintenance by a professional. Still yet, other land may only perk for a one bedroom.
At this point, you should have a good idea on what size house you want to build so you will know what your minimum requirements are for the perk test. This test, paid for by you, is usually $300 – $700 depending on your location and who does the test. The results of this test will also be needed to obtain a building permit for your house. The test results are not indefinite and have an expiration date which is 12-24 months depending on your area. Keep in mind that just because a site perked at the time of purchase, it may not perk several years later. I know that sounds crazy but I have seen that happen too!
Lastly, hire an attorney for the final transaction. Be sure that he or she thoroughly checks for liens. We once bought a piece of property that had several liens. Two of which the owner was unaware of. Ask the attorney about Title Insurance as well.
TRUST and HOPE
Buying mountain property, or any property for that matter, can be a daunting task. It’s easy just to “trust your agent” and “hope for the best.” In reality, “trust” and “hope” serve no meaningful purpose in buying land. It’s easy to skip most of these steps and take a “leap of faith.” But that’s not faith. That’s foolishness. Real faith is based on a set of facts. Do your due diligence when considering buying land because buyer’s remorse is a terrible bed fellow. Some property problems are expensive to correct or can’t be fixed at all.
There may be an extra step or two that you may need to consider depending on your property location. But the list above is a really good plan that worked great for us. And that’s what it takes to successfully buy your dream mountain property. Have a thorough, comprehensive plan and work the plan! Happy buying!
Ambitious Feller
Got questions? Email me at ambitiousfeller@yahoo.com
“If the women don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy!” Red Green
