The Basic Land Due Diligence Checklist

Parcel and ownership

Confirm the parcel number (APN), legal description, county, and current ownership. Pull the tax bill and confirm taxes are current.

Zoning and land use

Verify current zoning with the local jurisdiction. Confirm permitted uses, density, setbacks, and minimum lot size. Check for overlays.

Utilities

Water, sewer, power, gas — what is at the property line, what is down the street, and what will it cost to connect? Ask about tap fees and capacity.

Access

Confirm legal, recorded access. Note any easements, shared driveways, or private road agreements.

Flood and drainage

Pull the current FEMA map. Note the flood zone and any elevation requirements. Walk the lot for drainage patterns.

Environmental

Check national wetland maps. Research known habitat or protected species issues in the area. For sensitive sites, budget for a delineation and biological review.

Title and easements

Order a preliminary title report. Read the exceptions. Identify any liens, unreleased mortgages, or unrecorded interests early.

Survey and buildable area

Consider a boundary survey. Apply setbacks and easements to identify the actual buildable envelope.

Topography

Note slope, soils, and any fill. Steep sites and poor soils affect foundation type and grading cost.

Comparable sales and buyer criteria

Pull recent sales of comparable finished homes. Confirm the lot matches what active buyers in the market are looking for.

Practical examples

A single-page checklist filled out for each lot makes it easier to compare parcels and spot the ones worth pursuing.
For a portfolio of scattered lots, a shared spreadsheet with these fields keeps the review consistent.

Seller takeaway

You do not need to complete this checklist to submit a lot. Share what you have; buyers can fill in the rest.

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Builder takeaway

A consistent checklist is the difference between a disciplined pipeline and a series of one-off deals.

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Questions to ask before moving forward

→Which items on this checklist do I already know?
→Which items do I need help verifying?
→Are there deal-killers I can identify in the first hour?

Put this into practice

Submit your lot for review, or tell us what you're buying. We connect landowners with real demand and help builders find off-market lots that fit their criteria — subject to due diligence.

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Disclaimer: This article is educational only. It is not legal, engineering, environmental, title, or tax advice. Land rules vary by city, county, state, parcel, and project. Always consult qualified professionals before making decisions about any specific property.