Are you interested in buying your own piece of earth? There’s nothing more fabulous than having a few acres of your own, and building your own place from the ground up. But, buying land, especially in highly regulated areas like California, can be a lot more risky than buying a home. These days of real estate disclosure for a home buyer have come a long way from the traditional law of “Caveat Emptor” (meaning buyer beware)! Land, however, does not have the same rules. I constantly hear stories like:

“I thought we were buying 80 acres, it turned out we got 65!”
“We had no idea this area was in an ancient landslide. Its almost impossible to build here.”
“We thought we got an amazing deal, $1m for 120 acres, but it turns out its going to cost another $1m to get to the pad before we can even think of starting the house.”
“We bought a small lot in town and it turns out we can’t get water service so we can’t build!”
Unfortunately there isn’t one place to get answers. Many local departments are involved and sometimes have conflicting information.
Here are 35 questions you can ask
Or you can get professional help – call me 310 963 7900.
Planning and Zoning
- Is it a legal lot? If not, how do I make it legal?
- What is the zoning classification of this lot?
- Does the Zoning on the property permit my project?
- Does the County General Plan permit what I wish to do?
- Are any planning permits required prior to building on the lot?
- Are there any zoning violations on the lot?
- Are there any special building restrictions in this area?
- Are there any cultural heritage sites on the property?