Many buyers searching for the right piece of raw land or acreage for sale hit a major roadblock when they try to locate the parcel they want to purchase. Vacant rural properties may not have clear property lines and may not be marked by pins. Boundaries are often defined by legal descriptions that are a hundred years old. Many rural counties lack accurate property maps or computerized land records.
We try to help buyers locate our vacant lots for sale by providing nearest cross streets, pictures of the property, aerial photographs, maps, and even coordinates, so you can find the property with a GPS receiver. Still it may be difficult for you to figure out the exact location,and you may need to use a bit of your resourcefulness to pinpoint the acreage for sale you plan to purchase.
To get the most accurate property location you should hire a surveyor, but this may be rather expensive for large parcels. Here are a few effective ways to locate your property for free.
As a first step we suggest you contact the county auditor or assessor and ask for specific location details. Often times they have detailed maps and online ownership records. This information is free and may be available online at the county’s website.
Next, you may want to contact the seller or listing agent, and ask for descriptive details, such as cross streets and landmarks near the property. If the lot has access to a public road, it should be easy to get to. Just ask the owner or auditor how far it is away from the nearest intersection. If there’s no access to the public right of way you need to get specific instructions from the seller on how to get to the property.
Try to arrange for a personal tour with the owner or real estate agent. Sellers of bargain rural land may live far away, so this is not a viable option. They may be able to guide you to the lot over the phone. Some owners even abandoned their properties and did not set foot on it for 20 or 30 years.
Once you gathered all of this information, it’s time to head out and find the property. Use free resources, like Google Maps or Bing Maps to get directions. When you are near the vacant parcel look for the landmarks and road crossings. If you have a GPS receiver or a car navigation system you can track your coordinates to get to the site. And don’t forget to ask the neighbors for help. They may be the best source of information about the acreage for sale you are going to purchase.
Use these steps to get a better picture of the property you want to buy and you will feel confident when you submit your purchase offer.