Perfect Plot: How to Pick the Right Area to Build Your Dream Home
If you want to build the house of your dreams, finding the right plot to put it on is imperative. There are many factors that play into what makes a good plot of land and what make it a dud. Not only does the cost of the land factor into your overall budget, but the geography will affect your building plans. Here are some tips for finding the right stretch of land for your dream house.
The Future of the Surrounding Land
If you’re considering a plot with a quaint view of your neighbor’s field, complete with horses and cows grazing, how would you feel if they sold out to an enormous car lot? What if the highway extension that’s been planned for the last 30 years is finally approved and your backyard is now home to big rigs whizzing by at 70 miles an hour? While you can’t always guess the future of any area, you can do some digging on the possibilities.
If you absolutely don’t want nuisances cropping up, buying property that abuts a state of national forest is a good bet, as is buying next to generational farms that have been in the family for decades. If you’re looking in the suburbs or urban areas, check the local regulations to see what is and is not allowed right next door. Each area is a little different so knowing what you are getting into beforehand is essential to any dream home.
The Local Zoning Laws and Their Application
Before you buy a tract of land, do heavy research as to the local zoning laws and how they are applied. These laws can be fascinating and bizarre, in addition to putting restrictions on what you can build and what kind of major renovations in Toronto you can do after building. For example, you may not be permitted to erect a carport, but a garage may be okay. You may be allowed to have your in-ground pool, but a high fence, locking cover and an alarm system may be required. Some areas won’t allow you to have a sand mound septic system installed, no matter how far the house will sit from the road, and will demand you pay by the foot to hook into municipal waste lines.
The Presence of a Homeowner’s Association
While plenty of Homeowner’s Associations (HOAs) are perfectly reasonable, others are pedantic and restrictive in the extreme. If you’re considering a lot in a neighborhood controlled by a HOA, go over their contract with a fine-toothed comb. If the HOA is trying to control every aspect, from the color of your curtains to the number of windows permitted, you probably want to look elsewhere.
Picking out the right parcel of land to build your dream home can be a daunting task. By keeping these issues in mind, you will find it easier to choose wisely.