What the checklist covers
The checklist walks through seven sections: location and access, zoning and allowed uses, utilities and infrastructure, topography and environmental flags, title and ownership questions, market and pricing context, and next-step professional consultations. Each section lists the questions experienced reviewers tend to ask first.
It's written in plain English for landowners, builders, and buyers — no jargon, and every item notes when a qualified professional (surveyor, engineer, title company, or county planner) should be consulted rather than guessed at.
How to use it
Work through the sections with whatever documents you have: a tax card, a listing sheet, a survey, or just the county GIS map. Mark what you know, what you don't know, and what needs verification. Unknowns aren't failures — they're the list of questions to take to the county or a professional.
Your progress saves in your browser, so you can come back to it. When you request the downloadable copy, we'll email it to you — and if you choose to opt in to SMS updates with the separate consent checkbox, we can text you a link as well. Opting in is optional and never required.
Why it exists
Most land mistakes come from questions nobody asked early — an easement discovered late, a zoning assumption that turned out wrong, a utility cost that changed the math. A structured checklist won't replace due diligence, but it can surface the right questions while they're still cheap to answer.
The checklist is general educational information only. Land rules vary by city, county, state, and parcel, so anything you uncover should be reviewed with qualified legal, title, engineering, surveying, environmental, and local permitting professionals before you rely on it.
Practical examples
- A seller uses the access section to document the recorded easement before submitting their lot for review.
- A buyer uses the utilities section to price out a well-and-septic scenario before making an offer.
- A builder uses the zoning section to confirm density assumptions with the county planner.
Credibility
What this guidance is based on
This page is general educational information, prepared with the following types of sources and considerations in mind. It is not legal, engineering, surveying, or tax advice, and it does not describe any specific parcel.
- Zoning & allowed uses — county planning codes and zoning maps American Planning Association (opens in a new tab)
- Location & access — road records, easements, and parcel access notes USA.gov — find your county recorder's office (opens in a new tab)
- Utilities & infrastructure — well, septic, power, and service considerations U.S. EPA — septic & water systems (opens in a new tab)
- Environmental flags — flood zone and wetland mapping tools as starting points FEMA Flood Map Service Center (opens in a new tab)
- Title & ownership — record review practices with title professionals American Land Title Association (opens in a new tab)
- Market & pricing context — how land value factors are generally assessed USDA Economic Research Service — land values (opens in a new tab)
Links go to external government and industry references for general background. Because land rules vary by city, county, state, and parcel, any of these items should be verified with the relevant county office or a qualified professional before you rely on them.
Frequently asked questions
Is the land review checklist really free?
Yes. The interactive checklist is free to use, and the downloadable copy is emailed to you at no cost. There's no obligation attached to requesting it.
Who is the checklist for?
It's written in plain English for landowners considering a sale, builders sourcing lots, and buyers evaluating a parcel. Every item notes when a qualified professional — surveyor, engineer, title company, or county planner — should be consulted.
Does the checklist replace professional due diligence?
No. The checklist is general educational information only and cannot replace legal, title, engineering, surveying, environmental, or permitting review. Land rules vary by city, county, state, and parcel, so anything you uncover should be verified with qualified professionals.
Do I have to opt in to text messages to get the checklist?
No. SMS updates are optional and controlled by a separate consent checkbox that is unchecked by default. You can receive the checklist by email without opting in to texting.
What should I do with the questions I can't answer?
Unknowns are the point — they become your list of questions for the county, a title company, or a professional. Marking 'I'm not sure' is a useful result, not a failure.
Get the checklist by email
The checklist, plus next-step reminders
Enter your email and we'll send you the free Land Review Checklist, with a few gentle reminders about the seller and buyer intake steps when they're relevant to you.
By submitting, you agree to receive the free Land Review Checklist and occasional next-step reminders about the seller and buyer intake forms from Landmark United LLC by email. You can unsubscribe at any time. Email consent is optional and is not a condition of any service. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. We will never ask for SMS consent here — text-message opt-in is a separate, optional choice on our intake forms.
Educational content is general information only. Land development rules vary by city, county, state, parcel, and project. Always consult qualified legal, title, engineering, surveying, environmental, and local permitting professionals before relying on any land decision.