A field guide for land buyers
Vacant land is the easiest kind of real estate to buy badly. No inspection, few disclosures, and problems you cannot see from the road. These guides show you what to check, what it costs, and how to pay for it.
Follow them in order, or jump to the stage you are in now.
How a land purchase works, start to finish.
Guides coming soon
What to verify before you commit a dollar.
2 guides
Land loans, owner financing, and paying cash.
1 guide
Contracts, title, and getting to the closing table.
Guides coming soon
Making a raw plot usable, and what it costs.
Guides coming soon
Financing
Land loans need bigger down payments and shorter terms than home mortgages. Here is why, where to find one, and how the government and seller-financed alternatives work.
10 min readReviewed September 20, 2026
Due Diligence
Seven ways to find the property lines on a piece of land, from free county maps and phone apps to locating survey pins, and when only a licensed survey will do.
11 min readReviewed September 20, 2026
Due Diligence
A perc test shows whether soil can absorb wastewater from a septic system. Learn how the test works, what it costs, what passing means, and your options if a parcel fails.
10 min readReviewed September 20, 2026
Land is a money-and-legal subject. You deserve to know where the information comes from.
Read our editorial policy