The Land Buyer’s Field Guide

Your one-page checklist

Three things to do first:

• Confirm legal access to the lot, in writing.
• Get utilities to the house spot, with a written cost. Ask each provider to say in writing that it can serve the lot and what it will cost to reach the house spot.
• Check septic feasibility, or the sewer connection if the lot is on city service.

Fifteen free checks:

• Found out whether the lot is in a city or unincorporated county
• Flood zone checked for the whole lot
• Soil rating checked, septic office contacted
• Wetlands and streams checked, wetland permit rules asked about
• Slope checked with Slope Calc
• Zoning and overlays found, planning office contacted
• Road frontage and legal access confirmed in writing
• Easements pulled from the county record
• CC&Rs and HOA rules requested and read
• Permit and septic history requested in writing
• Power, water, and sewer providers called
• Wildfire rating checked, insurance agent called
• Well logs checked, septic office asked about well distances
• State water agency asked whether a new household well is allowed (western states)
• Contamination lookup done if the land was a farm, shop, mill, or dump

The rest of this guide shows you how to do each one.

Before you start

The listing said utilities available. On one lot we researched, site costs came to $93,000 to $110,000. Getting utilities to the house was part of it.

A line like “utilities available” does not tell you what it costs to reach the house.

Finding that out takes free maps and a handful of phone calls, and you can do it before you make an offer. You do not need to be an expert. You need to know where to look, what a bad answer sounds like, and what to ask next.

By the end you will be able to check a lot’s flood zone, soils, wetlands, slope, and wildfire risk from your kitchen table. You will know how to read a listing for the phrases that can hide a cost, and what to ask the county, the power company, the septic office, and the seller. You will be able to add up the costs the listing does not show, and walk into your feasibility period (the window after you sign when your contract lets you back out if the checks go badly) with a plan.

One rule runs through the whole guide. Zoning, septic, access, and permits are set by your state, county, or city, and they differ. The office that governs your lot may be a county or a city. Where we give a rule, we name the source and the place it applies. Where we cannot, we give you a question to ask instead.

1. Before you offer: free checks from home

Start with one question: is the lot inside a city, or in unincorporated county? The county assessor’s parcel page usually says. That tells you which planning office to call, so find it first.

Then run these checks. Each one has three parts: where to look, what a red flag looks like, and what to do next.

Flood zone

Where to look. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Map Service Center: https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home. You can also use FEMA’s flood map viewer: https://msc.fema.gov/nfhl

Enter the address. Read the flood zone label and the date on the map. Look at the whole lot, not just the spot where the house will go.

What it means. FEMA’s rules, the federal flood insurance rules, define a Special Flood Hazard Area as land with a 1 percent or greater chance of flooding in any given year (Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 59.1 (44 CFR 59.1), https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-44/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-59/subpart-A/section-59.1). That is the federal definition. Your county or city may add its own rules.

Red flag. Any part of the build area inside a Special Flood Hazard Area, or inside a mapped floodway (the channel and nearby land that must stay clear so floodwater can pass).

Next step. Ask the county or city floodplain office what the lot would need before a permit. Then call an insurance agent for a flood insurance quote before you offer. Consumer help is at https://www.floodsmart.gov/

Soils and septic

Where to look. USDA Web Soil Survey: https://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/

Draw the lot’s outline on the map. Open the soil reports for sanitary facilities and find the rating for septic absorption fields (the part of a septic system where treated wastewater soaks into the ground). The tool shows a rating and the reason for it, such as a high water table, slow drainage, or rock close to the surface. Rating names can change, so read what the tool shows.

Red flag. A “very limited” style rating with a high water table or shallow rock listed as the reason.

Next step. This map is a screening tool. It is not a site evaluation. Ask the local septic office what test it requires and who can do it. Book that evaluation before closing. Before anyone clears trees or grades the ground, ask the septic office whether the work should wait until after the evaluation.

Wetlands

Where to look. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wetlands Mapper: https://www.fws.gov/program/national-wetlands-inventory/wetlands-mapper

Zoom to the lot. Look for any mapped wetland or stream on it or touching it.

Red flag. A mapped wetland or stream on or next to the build area.

Next step. This is a map, not a ruling on your lot. Ask the county or city planning office whether wetland or stream buffer rules apply, and how wide the buffer is. The width is set by your state, county or city, so get the number from them.

Filling or digging in a wetland or stream can need a permit under the Clean Water Act (Section 404, https://www.epa.gov/cwa-404/permit-program-under-cwa-section-404), usually from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and some states, such as Oregon, have their own wetland permits on top of that (Oregon Department of State Lands: https://www.oregon.gov/dsl/wetlands-waters/Pages/default.aspx). Ask before you grade, fill, or build a road near wet ground.

Slope and ground shape

Where to look. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Map viewer: https://apps.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ and the LiDAR explorer: https://apps.nationalmap.gov/lidar-explorer/ (LiDAR is a terrain map made from aerial laser scans).

Look at the contour lines across the lot. Check the likely house spot, the driveway path from the road, and the septic area.

Red flag. Steep ground between the road and the house spot, or a creek bed or drainage swale through the middle.

Next step. Run the free Slope Calc at https://www.sitefactsreport.com/slope-calc. To estimate cut and fill (dirt dug out and dirt brought in) for a crawlspace or slab foundation pad, use the free Excavation & Fill Calculator: https://www.sitefactsreport.com/tools/excavation-fill-calculator. Then ask planning whether the area has slope or landslide rules. Steep or mapped ground can trigger extra review. The trigger is local, so get it from them. In Oregon, DOGAMI (the state geology agency) publishes landslide hazard maps. Ask your county which one it uses. DOGAMI is the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries: https://www.oregon.gov/dogami/

Zoning and overlays

Zoning is set locally, and there is no national zoning map.

Where to look. Search “[your county] parcel map” or “[your city] zoning map.” Some counties post an online parcel map with the zoning on it. If yours does not, call the planning office. As one example, Clark County, Washington posts its map here: https://gis.clark.wa.gov/mapsonline/

Find the zoning district, the minimum lot size, and any overlays. An overlay is an extra layer of rules on top of the base zoning, such as flood, wildfire, historic, airport, river protection, or archaeological or cultural resource areas.

Red flag. A zone that does not allow a single-family home. A lot smaller than the district minimum. Any overlay that covers the build area.

Next step. Call planning with the script in Section 3 and ask for the answer in writing. Section 2 lists reviews a listing may not mention, and shows examples.

Parcel, acreage, and road frontage

Where to look. The county assessor’s parcel search. Note the parcel number, the acreage on record, the owner of record, and whether the map shows road frontage. Then check the county treasurer or tax collector page for unpaid property taxes.

Red flag. A parcel with no visible road frontage. Listing acreage that does not match the assessor’s acreage. Unpaid property taxes on the treasurer or tax collector page.

Next step. Assessor acreage is a record, not a survey. Ask the seller for a survey, and ask what it shows.

Recorded easements and deed restrictions

An easement is a legal right for someone else to use part of the land, such as a neighbor’s driveway or a utility line.

Where to look. The county recorder or auditor document search. The title report you get after signing a contract also lists them.

Red flag. An easement across the likely house spot. Access that depends on an easement not recorded against this parcel.

Next step. Ask a title company or a real estate attorney to read the documents. We can show you where to look, but reading a deed is their job.

CC&Rs and HOA rules

CC&Rs (covenants, conditions and restrictions) are private rules recorded against the land. A homeowners association (HOA) often runs them.

Where to look. Ask the title company for copies of every recorded restriction. You can also get them from the county recording office. In Clark County, Washington, the county says to ask the HOA, the County Auditor records office, or a local title company (https://clark.wa.gov/county-manager/about-neighborhood-associations). The office may be called the recorder or the clerk in your county.

Red flag. Recorded covenants that limit the house size, materials, or outbuildings, or that need an architectural committee’s approval before you build.

Next step. Read them before your feasibility period ends. CC&Rs are a private contract. Clark County says it does not enforce them, so a building permit does not mean the covenants allow your plan.

Legal access and road status

Where to look. The county road department or public works office. Ask whether the road is county maintained, privately maintained, or unimproved.

Red flag. A private road with no recorded maintenance agreement. A road that ends before the lot. Access over a neighbor’s land with no recorded easement.

Next step. Ask public works whether a driveway approach permit is needed. That is the permit for the spot where your driveway meets the road.

Utilities: power, water, sewer

Where to look. Call811.com is where you request utility line marking before you dig. The utilities mark the approximate location of their own buried lines. It does not tell you whether service can reach your lot or what it would cost. For that, you call each utility yourself (Section 3).

Walk the lot if you can. Look for poles, a transformer, a meter, a water meter box, and a sewer cleanout (the capped pipe where the sewer line can be accessed).

Red flag. Service at the street but not at your lot line. A power line far from the house spot. A sewer main in the road with your lot sitting lower than it.

Next step. Ask each provider for a written statement that they can serve the lot, plus a written cost estimate. If a provider will not give you a straight answer, the SiteFacts Report lists who serves the lot, how far the lines are, and what they charge to connect (Section 9).

Wildfire

Where to look. USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities: https://wildfirerisk.org/explore/

Use the ratings as a first look, then ask the fire marshal about your lot.

Red flag. A high rating plus one long road in and out.

Next step. Ask the fire marshal or planning office which fire access rules apply. Ask an insurance agent whether they will cover a home there, and at what price, before you offer.

Permit history

Where to look. The county or city permit portal, then a phone call to the building department.

Red flag. An open permit. A past denial. Code violations. No septic record at all for a lot with an old house.

Next step. Ask the building department for the full permit and septic record in writing. Ask whether any open permit has to be closed before a new one can be issued.

Wells nearby

Where to look. Well logs show depth to water and drilling notes. Washington: https://appswr.ecology.wa.gov/wellconstruction/map/WCLSWebMap/default.aspx Oregon: https://apps.wrd.state.or.us/apps/gw/well_log/ In other states, search “[your state] well log search.”

Red flag. A neighbor’s well close to the likely septic area, or no well log you can find for the area.

Next step. Ask the septic office what distance is required between a well and a septic system, then check it against the lot. In Washington, WAC 246-272A-0210 (the Washington Administrative Code) sets minimum separations. Ask a local well driller what wells in the area usually run in depth and cost.

Water rights and well permits (western states)

Where to look. The state water agency. In Oregon, that is the Oregon Water Resources Department, and your local watermaster can answer questions. In Washington, it is the Department of Ecology.

In western states, a neighbor’s well log shows how deep they drilled, not whether you may drill or use water. Oregon and Washington both allow a household well without applying for a water right permit, up to a daily limit (Oregon: Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 537.545, https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors537.html. Washington: Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 90.44.050, https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=90.44.050). The state can restrict those wells, and some areas have tighter local rules (Washington Department of Ecology: https://ecology.wa.gov/water-shorelines/water-supply/water-rights/groundwater-permit-exemption).

Red flag. Nobody can tell you whether a new household well is allowed on this parcel.

Next step. Before you buy, ask the state water agency (or the local watermaster in Oregon) whether a new household well is allowed on this parcel. In other states, ask the state water agency what applies.

Contamination on former farm, shop, mill, or dump land

Where to look. If the land was once a farm, a shop, a mill, or a dump, look it up on EPA’s Cleanups in My Community map: https://www.epa.gov/cleanups/cleanups-my-community. Then ask your state environmental quality agency for its cleanup records.

Red flag. Any listing on the map or in the state records. Not being listed does not prove the land is clean.

Next step. For a closer look, an environmental consultant can do a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment. That is a records and site review that follows a national standard (ASTM E1527-21) and the federal “all appropriate inquiries” rule (https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfields-all-appropriate-inquiries). Done before you buy, it can help protect you from cleanup liability. Ask the consultant how soon before closing it has to be done.

Your free-check list

• Found out whether the lot is in a city or unincorporated county
• Flood zone checked for the whole lot
• Soil rating checked, septic office contacted
• Wetlands and streams checked, wetland permit rules asked about
• Slope checked with Slope Calc
• Zoning and overlays found, planning office contacted
• Road frontage and legal access confirmed in writing
• Easements pulled from the county record
• CC&Rs and HOA rules requested and read
• Permit and septic history requested in writing
• Power, water, and sewer providers called
• Wildfire rating checked, insurance agent called
• Well logs checked, septic office asked about well distances
• State water agency asked whether a new household well is allowed (western states)
• Contamination lookup done if the land was a farm, shop, mill, or dump

2. Listing language decoder

The listing said it. Here is what it can mean, and what to ask.

These phrases are not promises. Agents and sellers can use them loosely, so read each one as what it can mean, never as what it means.

The listing said	What it can mean	Ask or check
“Utilities available”	Power or water is somewhere nearby. It may be across the road or a long way from the house spot. It says nothing about cost. One lot we researched priced out at $93,000 to $110,000 in site costs once utilities were counted.	Distance from each utility to the house spot. Who pays to extend the line. A written statement that the utility can serve the lot.
“Utilities at street”	Lines run in the road. They may not reach your lot line. Hooking up can take a road cut, boring under the road, a pump, or a tap into the main.	Is the main higher or lower than the lot? Connection fees. Road cut rules.
“Power nearby”	A pole or line is within sight. Ask what the utility’s written policy says about how far it will extend a line before you start paying.	The utility’s written estimate to bring power to the house spot.
“Perc’d” or “perc tested”	Someone ran a soil drainage test at some past date. It may have been for a different house size, under older rules, or with an approval that has expired.	Date. Who did it. Whether the local septic office approved a design. Whether the approval expires or passes to a new owner.
“Septic approved”	Some approval exists. Its size, system type, and expiry date matter.	A copy of the approval. Bedroom count. System type. Expiry date.
“Buildable”	The seller or agent believes a house could go there. That is an opinion until an office says so in writing.	Written zoning confirmation, septic approval, legal access, and whether the lot is a legal lot of record (a lot the county recognizes as lawfully created; that status alone does not make it buildable).
“Build-ready”	The lot may be graded or partly prepared. Permits, septic, and utilities may still be open.	What exactly is done. Whether the permits transfer to you.
“Zoned residential”	The base zone may allow homes. Minimum lot size, overlays, or lot status can still block one.	Written zoning verification for a single-family home on this exact parcel.
“Easement access”	Your way to the road may cross someone else’s land.	The recorded document: its width, its purpose, and whether it runs with this parcel. Title review.
“Road access” or “paved road frontage”	Touching a public road is not the same as legal access to where you will build. A driveway permit and sight distance rules (how far a driver must be able to see along the road from your driveway) can still apply.	Who owns the road. Who maintains it. Whether a driveway approach permit is needed.
“Survey available”	A survey exists somewhere. It may be old, partial, or for a larger parcel.	Date. Surveyor’s license. Whether it shows easements and the build area.
“Cleared and ready”	Trees are gone. Whether the septic evaluation came first is the question.	Whether the septic evaluation was done before clearing. Tree removal rules.

Reviews a listing may not mention

Depending on where the lot is, one or more of these can sit between the listing and a building permit. Your state, county, or city decides which ones apply, so ask planning.

• Overlay reviews. Flood, wildfire, historic, airport, and river overlays can add their own review or limits on top of the base zoning.
• Replacement-home rules. On farm and forest land, replacing an old house can take a county planning approval first.
• Scenic river notice rules. A state can require written notice before you build near a protected river.
• Wildfire building codes. Some places require new homes to be built to wildfire building rules.
• Habitat density limits. Land mapped as wildlife habitat can limit how many homes are allowed.
• Geotechnical reports. On mapped hazard ground, a building office can require a report from a licensed geotechnical engineer (an engineer who checks whether the ground is stable).

Example: what Oregon counties and the state can require

These are examples, not a map of your county. They show how much sits between “I like this lot” and a building permit. Rules change, so confirm each one with the county or state office that runs the rule.

The listing says	What the county or state can require	Where it comes from
“Replacement home” on farm or forest land	In Lane County’s farm and forest zones (Exclusive Farm Use, called EFU, and the F-1 and F-2 forest zones), replacing an old house takes a county planning approval before the building permit. The county sorts these into a lighter planning review (called Type I) and a fuller one (called Type II). Expect the fuller review if the old house falls short of the state’s standards for what counts as a dwelling (for example, intact exterior walls and roof, indoor plumbing with a sink, toilet and bathing facilities connected to a sanitary waste system, interior wiring for lights, and a heating system), if the new house goes in a different spot, or if you want to keep the old building for another use. The old house generally must also have been taxed as a home in the last five years, so ask the county assessor for that record early. Confirm the current Lane Code with county planning.	Lane County Planning Director memo, December 2023
“Wildlife views”	In Lane County, land mapped as major big game habitat can limit how many homes are allowed. The county’s 1982 wildlife working paper, based on state wildlife agency recommendations, uses about one home per 80 acres in major habitat (one per 40 acres in outer habitat areas). Some approvals there have been appealed by outside groups.	Lane County Rural Comprehensive Plan, Goal 5 Policy 11, as applied in an Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals opinion
“Hillside lot”	In Lane County, if a home site falls in a hazard area on the county’s geotechnical map, the building office requires a report from a licensed geotechnical engineer. The report’s advice becomes part of your building plans.	Lane County Building Division, geotechnical hazard page
“River view”	In Deschutes County, a new building near a designated scenic river or road (the Landscape Management zone) needs a county land use approval before you build. If the building can be seen from the river or road, extra design rules and setback rules (how far the building must stand back from the river or road) apply. Confirm with the county planning office.	Deschutes County combining zones page
“Quiet rural lot” near a mine	Near a mapped surface mine in Deschutes County, a new home needs a county land use review before you can build.	Deschutes County combining zones page
“Scenic river frontage”	If the lot is within a quarter mile of the bank of an Oregon state scenic waterway, state law generally requires you to give the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) written notice before you build, cut trees, or put in a road or utilities. The wait can be up to a year, though the department can clear a project sooner. Ask them early whether your lot is covered.	Oregon Revised Statutes 390.805 and 390.845 (ORS 390.805, ORS 390.845)
Your lot’s north side	Most lots in rural Deschutes County also have a solar setback. It is measured from the north property line, and the taller the building, the farther back it must sit, so it does not shade the neighbor.	Deschutes County Zoning 101
“Rural, wooded”	In unincorporated Deschutes County and inside Sisters city limits, a new home and most new accessory buildings must be built to Oregon’s wildfire building rules (section R327 of the Oregon Residential Specialty Code, called fire hardening). Additions, remodels, manufactured homes and some small sheds are not covered. Ask the county building office whether the rules apply to your building.	Deschutes County fire hardening page

If your lot is somewhere else, the same kind of surprise shows up in other places, in different forms. That is why Section 3 has you ask planning which overlays and extra reviews apply.