How to Make an Offer on a Parcel of Land. When you make an offer on a parcel of land, you must consider many factors other than price.
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Get an idea of what the property is worth. You can contact the county recorder's office to get a list of properties in the area and find out what they sold for, or you can read the local newspapers; often the paper will list recent sales, prices and dates.
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Contact a local real estate agent. The agent may be willing to give you a list of recent sales from the board of realtors if he or she is a member of the board. Be upfront: tell the agent you are interested in a parcel of land and you want to know how much it is worth.
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Go to the county recorder's office or local escrow/title company and get information on liens recorded against the property.
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Talk to property owners surrounding the parcel; they may have information the seller has not disclosed. If there is a problem with the parcel or area, neighboring owners are likely to know and very often are willing to share their information.
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Go to the county planning department and see what the plans are for the area. Most counties have plans that extend several years into the future for development.
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Write an offer on the land containing contingencies. Contingencies should allow for any inspection to be ordered - and paid for - by the buyer (you). Allow yourself enough time in the contract to get any desired inspections.
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Make your offer subject to getting financing if you will be seeking a loan. Consider financing that will pay for both the purchase of the land and the construction of a residence.
