10 Things That Add Value To A piece Of Land

I just got back in from showing a large parcel we’re selling up here in New Hampshire; boy was it beautiful today and a great reminder how lucky we are to be in the land business!

As we walked through the woods, I went over some of the positive attributes of the property and also the negatives - I always try to be up front about things, it’s much better than having something bite you on the ass later on. On the drive home, I thought of a few important factors to keep in mind when considering a piece of land for vacation or retirement - these are the physical components that can add value and of course make it easier to sell on the back end… here’s ten of them:

1. Exposure: Look for Southern and Western orientation of the property; this is what most people want.
2. Views: Anything with a view will add value and remember, a Winter view may be obscured by leaves in the Summer!
3. Water: Some form of water on or very near to the property enhances it’s atmosphere - year round brooks are better than seasonal ones and anything swimmable is a huge plus.
4. Quiet: That gorgeous view lot is worth so much less when there’s the sound of traffic in the background, so always listen when doing a land tour.
5. Trees: Mature woodlands are far more desirable than scrappy new growth after recent logging activity!
6. Proximity to Ameneties: Most folks want to be within an easy drive of local shops, healthcare and recreational attractions - the further out you go, the more you’re cutting down on the number of people who would buy your property on the back end.
7. Topography: Is there a good spot to build, or even better, several nice spots to choose from?Too much steepness or wetness can be prohibitive; same goes for a long and/or steep driveway for access.
8. Special Features: Such as granite stone walls, mossy escarpments, waterfalls or existing trails. Try and find out what the ’secrets’ of the property are.
9. How’s the Apporach?: Several run-down mobile homes and a half a junkyard preceeding your subject lot aint gonna help matters when looking for good value!
10. Developer Reputation: If it’s in a development, protective convenants, road maintenance and a well thought-out design, in addition to a good developer reputation are all important factors.

This is by no means a complete list and I’m sure you could add a few….. there’s actually quite a lot to it, when you think about it. Taking the time to consider some of these items will really help when making that all-important land-buying decision.

Richard is a Land Specialist at Northern Acres (www.NorthernAcres.com) and the creator of Black Widow Network (www.BlackWidowNetwork.com) for the real estate investment community.

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