There are still great deals on lots and land on Cape Cod! Many of these listings have great potential for your New Cape Cod Home.  However, there are some things you should know before you buy your lot. 

• Never Purchase a Lot without a Building Permit

• Make your offer contingent on issuance of a full building permit for the size and type of home that you want to build. Without a permit, there is no guarantee you will be able to build your dream home, or any home at all for that matter

• Site Engineering

• Have the site engineered with a site plan, septic design and percolation tests. You want to make sure that you have good soil conditions, and there won’t be additional expenses for fill on the site.  You also want to know where the water table is on the site.

• House Design

• Depending on the location of the lot, the project may be subject to review by a historic commission, which may preclude some styling and design ideas.

• General Site Conditions

• Having the site engineered and applying for a permit will also identify potential issues such as, zoning, wetlands, or endangered species issues that can cost time and money to address.

The building permit process is clearly the best way to guarantee your investment in land will meet your expectations.  We have worked with customers in the past who have purchased land without permits, and have been disappointed in the final results.

If you are considering a land purchase on Cape Cod, CONTACT US, for a free site visit and initial consultation on your lot.  We are highly experienced in both simple and complex permitting for projects and can manage your engineering, design, permitting and construction processes in a predictable and timely manner. 

   We have seen land prices fall somewhat over the last few years, and we can say with some certainty, that the prices are about as low as they are going to get. With the bottom of the market here, many people are thinking about purchasing a piece of land to build their new home.  This is a great idea, given the economy, permitting environment, and favorable lending rates.  However, there are some things you definitely want to think about before purchasing a piece of raw land.

1. Get a Building Permit before you close on the property
2. Understand all of the zoning, and other regulatory issues that apply to a certain property. (Historic, septic, conservation etc.)
3. Make sure you can build what you want to build, where you want to build it on the lot.  A good design/build contractor can help with this
4. Find out about the cost of construction prior to committing to the purchase. What you think the house will cost you vs. what it will actually cost you may not be the same
5. Find a team of professionals to help you.  A good realtor, working with a competent design/build contractor like REEF can point you in the right direction, and assemble the other experts you will need.

Here is some additional information from about.com

http://homebuying.about.com/od/secondhomes/qt/102507_buyland.htm