fbpx

How to Buy Florida Land

"Investing in Florida land can be a great way to add diversity to your portfolio. Unlike other forms of real estate, it is less hands-on and requires more research before any money changes hands." - Jennifer @ Compass Lands

For example, you may have an idea for building homes on the property that will eventually increase its value substantially so even if there are no immediate returns from just owning the ground itself; something like this could pay off big time down the road. And while some might think investing in rental properties would provide better return opportunities than purchasing Florida land outright what they don’t realize is how lucrative long term investments with little effort required such as buying up raw parcels of undeveloped or underutilized lots near residential areas where new construction projects seem likely often turn out bigger profits than flipping residential homes.

Listed Below Are Four Land Buying Stages to Consider:

 

LOCATION

The first step is simply to locate a good piece of land somewhere in Florida. Often, the best way to do this is by speaking with real estate agents or brokers who specialize in finding property for sale. You can also use an online search engine and sift through properties listed on sites like Craigslist that might be selling their homes themselves (often at lower prices) as well as auction companies which often have government surplus property available if you want something more rural than city living offers but still need some amenities nearby such as schools and hospitals.

Online search is more convenient than ever. Craigslist has land listed in virtually every state and community, which makes it a great place to start your research. Additionally, there are online equivalents to land brokers like Guidelot that can provide you with plenty of options based on the area where you’re looking for property or farmland.

If you have ever driven in less developed parts of town or more rural areas, chances are that you’ve seen a property for sale. FSBO sites often advertise developable land and lots as well as other properties like rural area homes.Some government agencies have land available for sale. This variety comes in two forms: surplus property when they no longer need it, and from people who don’t pay taxes on their properties anymore to the point where it’s sold off at tax lien or deed sales.

This can be a great opportunity if you’re looking for something cheap while still being close enough to major cities like Miami!

DUE DILIGENCE

Florida land deals can be enticing because of their pricing. Inexperienced buyers are often lured by amazing-sounding deals on lots and parcels, literally costing only a few hundred dollars or promoted as “can’t-lose” investments by shady dealers. Be prepared to thoroughly research potential purchases before you end up buying a piece of dirt that’s good for little more than holding the earth together!
Possible areas to investigate when looking into land transactions include deed history (who owns the property), taxes owed, zoning restrictions and issues with current usage rights – all factors in determining whether it is worth your time investment to pursue this deal further!

Ownership claims on vacant land can be more complicated than with property that has already been built out. That’s because a lot of the time, ownership is transferred through gifting or inheritance and there are multiple parties who may have legitimate claim to it even if some were never recorded in previous title searches – eventually those unrecorded claims could come back up but will ultimately need substantiation by way of legal research.

When you are considering buying land, always do a thorough title search and purchase appropriate insurance to protect your interests. The proper people for these services might be the company that handles titles or an escrow office where real estate law is practiced; this will uncover those who have claims against the property as well as liens filed against it. Purchasing insurance could save you from unforeseen complications by providing peace of mind in knowing there’s third party protection should something come up later on down the road.

We recommend that you do a thorough title search and get title insurance when purchasing. This can be done with the help of an escrow or real estate law office. By doing this, not only will it uncover any claims on the property but also protect your interest in case something unforeseen arises later down the line!

ZONING CONSIDERATIONS

Zoning designations are a useful tool for shaping the appearance of Florida properties in any given area of the State. These letters-numbers codes can change based on location, but their function is to define what types of buildings may be put up inside that parcel’s limits.

Zones have specific uses ranging from residential housing to industrial spaces or agricultural areas with different restrictions placed on them depending upon where they lie. Often these zones will dictate which type of building you’re allowed to construct as well as how high your structure could rise if it were built at all!

Zoning is the way a county organizes its space. Different areas are designated for different purposes and certain types of buildings, effectively limiting what can be built in that area as well as how dense it may get.

One thing to be especially watchful of when buying land is pending zoning changes. Zoning changes can make lot more or less desirable, but rezoning always affects what you can do with the land and that often costs you dearly. For example, if a property was zoned agricultural in hopes for building a single-family house on it but then the county decides it should now become industrial instead; your plans may have been thwarted by this change as well. Similarly, even though an area had originally been designated light commercial while planning for construction of small retail center there – if later they decide to zone residential all around here too soon after beginning work; one will need pursue different project altogether from before due to these sudden changes.

CONSIDER ACCESS TO UTILITIES

The availability of utilities at a land lot can make or break your decision to purchase. If they are not already connected, you will either need to pay for the construction process yourself and wait until it is completed before moving on with other aspects of developing the property like landscaping, building structures/improvements and so forth. This may result in wasted time as well as money if this occurs during winter months when there’s no chance that new utility lines would be buried by snowfall etc., leaving them vulnerable from damage due to freezing temperatures which could lead up expensive repairs down the road.

 

LAND SURVEYS

There are a number of things to investigate before you buy land, and one is the lot size. If it’s too small, then that could be an issue because there will not be enough room for your project or whatever else you want to do with it in the future. You should also check if access can enter from public roads on at least two sides (the south side would work well) since obviously no parcel can have easy access just by itself!
 
It’s important to know who oversees the land in your county. You can find out by looking at plat maps, which will show you all of the various parcels and lot lines for a given area. These records are searchable online through the county office or GIS database that might be found on the county website!

FUNDING YOUR LAND BUY

The act of buying property can be a daunting task, but with the right financing it’s as simple as one two three. When you buy land by using cash to fund your purchase instead of obtaining traditional loans or mortgages, there are some benefits that could work for people who want to take on less debt and have more available funds when they need them. If you decide not to use this strategy in order save time dealing with lenders or lower monthly payments over 30 years then finance through mortgage options like getting an FHA loan- which is guaranteed against foreclosure up until twelve months after defaulting- will allow buyers without enough money for down payment still own their dream home while avoiding costly private mortgage insurance premiums per month from lender charges.
 
Because prices of Florida land properties tend to be lower, many people pay cash rather than borrow money from a bank or other lender; because financing is more difficult due to its high risk factor. Also keep in mind that if you buy your property with cash then it’ll save on mortgage expenses! This makes it easier for an investor who wishes not only stability but also flexibility when selling their plot down the line as well as making them eligible for certain grants and subsidies while developing new homes too!
 
A number of conventional lenders do offer long-term mortgages for land purchases. The loan-to-value (LTV) is generally rather low – so be prepared for options with only 50% coverage on your new purchase price.
 

Owner financing is the easiest way to buy a property, as it’s not uncommon for owners of vacant land or raw parcels have their own money in them. That makes getting an owner-financed deal easier than going through traditional channels with banks and other lenders who are loathe to give loans on unimproved properties.

With many options out there, from those funding themselves entirely up front to investors looking at equity sharing arrangements like 50/50 partnerships between seller and buyer, you’ll find that Owner Financing is one option worth exploring when buying your next piece of vacant land real estate!

Join The Discussion

Compare listings

Compare