What a land buyer
looks at first
By Justin Kelly
NJ Real Estate Broker-Salesperson
Before a builder or investor makes an offer on land, they look at who owns it, the zoning, the land itself, utilities, anything the town has already approved and recent land sales nearby. You do not need to gather any of it before you reach out.
At a glance
- A buyer starts with who owns the land, what the zoning allows and what the land is like, since together they decide whether a home can be built
- Whether the land has public water and sewer, public water with septic, or a well and septic affects how many homes can be built on it
- A buyer also takes into account anything the town has already approved for the land, and recent land sales nearby set the price range
Guide
Before a builder or investor makes an offer, they take a close look at the land. Are you thinking about selling a building lot, open acreage or a larger piece of land with an older house on it in South Jersey? Here is what a buyer usually checks first, and what you do not need to pull together beforehand.
Ownership, zoning and the land itself come first, because together they decide whether a home can go up at all. A buyer checks who legally owns it, what the township's zoning allows there and what the lot is like. The buyer also checks how you get onto the land from the road.
Utilities come next. Whether a lot has public water and sewer, public water with a septic system, or a well and septic affects how many homes can be built on it. A buyer also takes into account any approvals the town has already given for the land. Once you accept an offer, the buyer takes time to check the land and to take care of any approval the town has not given yet.
Recent land sales set the price range. A builder sets a price for the land by comparing it with similar land nearby that has sold, and by looking at what its zoning and utilities allow.
You do not have to gather any of this first, and you do not need a survey, engineering work or town approvals to start the conversation. Send us the address of the land. If you already have a survey, a plan for the land or a town approval, send that too. An older house on the land does not rule out a sale either. Land is typically bought as-is, and any demolition is handled by the buyer after the sale.
Not every lot fits a buyer who is looking right now, and sending the address does not commit you to selling. When a property fits what a builder or investor is looking for, you hear from us about their interest. A lot that does not suit one buyer may still suit another.
General information about how land is evaluated, not a promise of an offer on any specific property. Written by Justin Kelly, NJ Real Estate Broker-Salesperson. More at South Jersey New Construction.
Our take
A buyer's price for land depends on what the zoning allows, what utilities it can use and what similar land nearby has sold for. If you own land in South Jersey and are weighing a sale, sending us the address is the first step.
