How to Buy Raw Land: The 9-Point Checklist Every Buyer Should Follow

Raw rural land in Jessieville, AR

Raw land is the ultimate blank canvas—no outdated structures to demo, no previous owner’s design choices to undo. But that freedom also means every road, well, and septic field is yours to plan and pay for. To help you separate diamonds from duds, here’s the exact framework we use at Easton Land Works when we scout new parcels. Work through each step and you’ll know—before you send earnest money—whether a property really fits your vision.

1. Start With Your Vision

Ask yourself two simple questions:

1. “How will I use the land in the next 1–5 years?”

   • Seasonal RV basecamp?

   • Off-grid cabin or tiny-home village?

   • Full-time residence or a barndominium with a shop?

   • Pure buy-and-hold investment?
     

2. “Which attributes matter most?”

   • Absolute quiet vs. quick highway access

   • Cell-service and fiber potential vs. deep-woods seclusion

   • Mountain views, river frontage, mature timber, flat pasture, dark-sky stargazing

Write these down—your answers drive every other decision.

2. Zoning: Match Rules to Your Plan

Zoning is the first gatekeeper. Counties and municipalities assign codes (A-1, R-L, MH, Commercial, etc.) that spell out:

• Allowed uses (single-family, multi-family, ag, short-term rentals)

• Minimum home sizes and setbacks

• RV-living limitations and time caps

• How many structures (and of what type) can share a parcel
  

Action step: Call the county planner with the parcel number. Confirm:

1. its current zoning,

2. any overlays (floodplain, wildlife corridor), and

3. the path—and cost—for variances or conditional-use permits if you need flexibility.
   

3. HOA / POA: Cost vs. Control

Many rural “subdivisions” have a Property Owners Association. POAs can be fantastic—graded roads, snowplowing, trash, community wells. They can also limit short-term rentals, dictate roof colors, and charge steep dues.

Question	Why It Matters
What are the annual or monthly fees?	Budget impact; hikes often require only a board vote.
What services do those dues fund?	Roads, trash, parks, lakes, security, or just overhead?
Are there architectural or building-timeframe rules?	Some POAs require you to build within 2–3 years.
Are RVs or tiny homes allowed long-term?	Many POAs prohibit “temporary” dwellings.

Ask for the CC&Rs (covenants) and by-laws—read them line by line.

4. Access: Paper vs. Physical

• Public road frontage: gold standard; county maintains.

• Private easement: legal but you (or the POA) grade and plow.

• “Prescriptive” track: used for years but never recorded—riskier.
  

Stand at the gate after a rainstorm. If you need 4-low to reach the lot, budget for roadwork or a 4×4 lifestyle.

5. Utilities: Budget Reality Check

Utility	What to Verify	Typical Cost Range*
Electric	Distance to nearest transformer	$10–$35 / ft trench + hookup
Water	Municipal tap fee or well depth & flow in the area	$6–$12 K for well in CO; taps vary
Sewer	City sewer tie-in fee or soil test for septic	$25–$45 / ft for tie-in; $8–$15 K for septic
Internet	Fiber, DSL, WISP, or Starlink latency	Fiber may follow power; Starlink ≈$120/mo

*Colorado 2025 ballpark numbers—check local rates.

6. Taxes: The Carry Cost Most People Forget

County assessors post last year’s bill online. Divide by 12—that’s your monthly “burn rate” even if the land sits idle. Large acreage in ag zoning can be pennies per acre; a lakefront lot inside city limits could be thousands per year.

7. Financing: Cash, Bank, or Seller Carry?

• Cash: Fastest, lowest closing fees.

• Land loan (bank/credit union): 20–30 % down, higher rate, shorter term.

• Seller financing: 10–25 % down, quick close, no bank hoops, but verify the note’s balloon terms and prepayment penalties.

Always record the deed of trust or mortgage to protect your equity.

8. Walk the Dirt

Google Earth, drone footage, even LiDAR topo maps are excellent—but boots on ground reveal:

• Hidden washes or rock outcrops that impact a build site

• Road noise you couldn’t gauge from a listing video

• The true orientation for sunrise coffee or sunset fire pits

• How cell-phone bars ebb and flow across the acreage

Bring a compass app, snap GPS pins, and sketch build ideas while you’re out there.

9. Grade the Attributes vs. Your Wish List

Make a simple 1–5 scorecard for each parcel feature:

Attribute	Weight	Score (1–5)	Weighted Total
Quiet / Privacy	3	4	12
Year-round Access	2	5	10
Mountain View	2	3	6
Power Nearby	3	5	15
Zoning Flexibility	3	4	12
Composite Score			55 / 75

A quick matrix keeps emotion in check and lets you compare apples to apples.

Final Thoughts

Buying raw land isn’t complicated—it just requires methodical due diligence. Define your dream first, then stress-test each parcel against zoning, POA rules, access, utilities, taxes, financing, and on-site feel. Do that, and you’ll close with confidence, ready to break ground or hold for future gains.

Have a parcel you’d like us to vet—or need help finding one that checks every box? Reach out to Easton Land Works. We live and breathe land, and we’d love to help you claim your perfect piece of the American landscape.