101 Thoughts for Buying the Best Homestead Property

Buying land for a homestead may be one of the largest purchases in your life (it certainly was for us so far!). Buying land is also something that is nice to do just once or twice, so getting it right the first time is a nice benefit. We have been fortunate to have purchased a few tracts of land that comprise our homestead and have learned a lot through our own experience and our careers. Here is a list of one hundred and one things we look for when purchasing land.

Disclaimer: Sentry Hill Homestead, LLC is not your professional consultant, however, we can certainly point you in the right direction of a professional land consultant in Pennsylvania if you reach out to us. Contact us for more information regarding professional advice, consulting, and evaluations when buying land!

Land History

Who owned the property previously and how was it used?
Where are the areas of previous development?
What does historical aerial imagery or photographs reveal about your property? Most states have open sources databases of these records.
Have you consulted old USGS maps or municipal mapping to reveal anything about the property?
Have you checked state level environmental mapping for nearby recorded environmental issues?
Was a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment or environmental due diligence ever completed for the property? Contact us to learn more about this!
What is the history of the adjoining lands to your property?
Are there remains of old buildings or potential dumping sites on the property?
Is there evidence of mass earth disturbance such as grading present? What was it for?
Is there any evidence of previously plowed fields, garden bed areas, or land clearing?

Land Survey

Was the property recently survey?
Is the surveyor who completed the survey a reputable surveyor?
Do the adjoining lands have a recent survey? If so, does it match the survey of your property?
Do the notes or annotations on the survey reveal any information regarding setbacks, easements, sanitary sewage, etc.?
What kind of road network does the property adjoin? Township roads are treated differently than state roads in terms of access and permitting.
How much land (size in acres) is listed in the survey? Does it match the deed description?
Does the deed description match the survey description shown on the survey drawing?
What do the prior deeds to the property look like? Any title issues?
How far back can you trace the lineage of the property deeds? This is usually a fun property detective exercise!
Are all the property corners clearly marked in the field?
Are there any rights-of-way or easements that pertain to the land and its use?
Are there any exceptions or reservations in the deed that are still applicable? We highly recommend consulting a land use attorney or title abstractor to obtain and interpret this information.
Do prior deeds show any discrepancies between the deed descriptions? If so, there may be a mistake in the size of the land or at least a reason for the discrepancy that may need explored.
How large are the rights-of-way for local roads adjoining the property?

Local Government

How is the local government structured? Is it a township, city, etc.? Knowing this helps to determine local laws and regulations.
What ordinances or regulations exist in the area?
What permits are needed to do certain work on your land?
How is the property zoned, if the area has a zoning ordinance?
Who maintains the local roadways and utilities?
When and where does your local government meet so that you may attend and be an informed citizen?
Is there a local ambulance or fire service that serves the area? Where are they located?

Subsurface

What is underneath your property? Geology is an important field of study that warrants a check for land ownership.
Was your property ever mined in the past?
Do any sinkholes or karst geology exist on the property?
Who owns the mineral, gas, oil, coal, and rare-earth metal rights below your property?
Are the subsurface rights being conveyed with the surface rights during the land purchase?
What sort of underground utilities exist on the property?
Where do the utilities go and where are they derived?
Are the easements associated with any underground utilities for access and maintenance?
What kind of soil and parent material is underlying your property? Is it conducive for farming, building, grading, restoration, etc.?

Water

What is the main source of water on the property?
Was a water quality test performed by a reputable lab? If so, what are the results?
How many separate water sources exist on the property? Does it have a well, a spring, a stream, public water, etc.? It is nice to have backups.
Do the water source(s) require filtration or purification in any way?
If there is a well, how deep is it? When was the last pump installed?
How deep are any waterlines? Good to know for maintenance and freeze-thaw effects.
How old is the well? What is the discharge rate of the water sources in gallons per minute?
Is there potential to add onto the water system for livestock watering or yard hydrants?
How accessible is the water source(s)?
What are any existing pipes made out of?

Drainage

Are there any surface waters on the property? Ponds, streams, creeks, springs, etc.? Are they mapped?
How often do the streams flow? What kind of streams are they? Do they harbor any wildlife or fish?
Is the pond clean or full of vegetation? When was it last cleaned out? Is it considered a dam?
Do any wetlands exist on the property? If so, are they mapped? What kind of wetlands are they?
Where are the wet areas of the property located, in general?
How does water drain on your property? What major watershed is the ultimate discharge location?
What regulations pertain to the surface waters on your property?
Are any surface waters on your property polluted or degraded in any way?
Is the property or portions of the property in a floodway or floodplain?
Does any water from off the property flow onto the subject property?
What is the class of soil on the property? Is it well drained or compacted?

Sewage

How is sewage handled on the property? Is it in an area served by on-lot sewage systems?
What are the local regulations regarding om-lot sewage systems?
Do any existing sewage systems exist? Where are they located?
When was the last time the sewage system was pumped and maintenanced?
How much ground is available for a replacement area in the event of a system malfunction?

Vegetation & Ground Cover

What sorts of plants and flora exist on the property?
Is there any marketable timber? If so, when was the last time it was cut?
Are there any invasive species on the property, if so, to what extent and how can they be managed?
What is the current ground cover of any fields or pastures?
Was there ever any livestock grazed on the property?
Did grazing livestock contribute to any land issues such as streambank erosion, overgrazed pastures, etc.
If there are crop fields, what are their current production rates?
Were any pesticides or herbicides ever used on the property?
If manure was spread as a fertilizer, was it ever spread in the vicinity of any surface waters?
Do any soil testing records exist for crops?
What are the mapped soils on the property like? What are the scientific and “book value” soil characteristics?
Are there any fruiting trees, nut trees, or orchard type settings on the property?
Do areas on the property exist for the procurement of firewood?
Is burning allowed on the property (campfires, brush fires, etc.)?
When was the last time trees were trimmed and brush lines were cut?
Do any fenced areas exist on the property (new or old)?

General Property

Does the property border any public land?
It is possible to post the property, and if so, what are the local laws regarding posting for access/non-access?
Are there any steep slopes? Where are they located?
Are there any exposed rocks or rock outcroppings on the property?
How close is the property to the nearest neighbor?
What is in the viewshed of the property? What can be seen from the property boundaries and the highest point?
How much traffic does the adjoining roads receive?
Is dust a problem from traffic from driving on unpaved roads?
How close is the property to the nearest town?
Where are the nearest medical facilities located?
Is there cell phone service on the property?
What is the light pollution like at night? Can you see the stars?
Are there any specific wildlife patterns on the property?
In what direction does the wind blow on the property?
Is there tree protection for shade, windbreak, and snowbreak?
How is the property oriented? South facing for maximum sun?
Are there any internal access roads such as logging roads or ATV trails that exist?
What is the elevation and elevation range of the property?
Where is the land located with respect to surrounding terrain features? Is it on a hill? In a valley?