3 things you MUST know before you buy undeveloped land

I purchased 6.74 acres of rural, undeveloped land last year and have weathered dramatic highs and lows since then.

I will be the first to admit I had absolutely no idea what I was doing when I put in an offer for 6.74 acres of undeveloped land last year. I was aware I had no idea what I was doing, yes, but I was unaware of the monumental obstacles that awaited me in 2024. Big time.

Since then, I have navigated the roadblocks to the best of my ability (still working on the whole town special use permit problem), and have an enormous amount of first-hand experience and knowledge when it comes to this stuff now.

Before I dive in, I will note: my land did come with a well. It did not come with electricity (the nearest pole was down the road), a driveway, or a septic tank. I also had no idea if the water in my well was usable or safe. Being a novice at developing rural land, I figured having a well already drilled into the property made this a ‘smart investment’ for me. Boy did I have no clue, lol!

With this being my fifth real estate transaction, I felt I had a fair grasp on investing in land and buildings. I even studied for - and earned - my real estate license in Florida from 2021 until 2023.

I soon learned that undeveloped land was in its own category, and through many, many mistakes, I emerged on the other end in one piece (sort of).

I don’t mean to scare anyone reading this - I just always want to be honest and transparent so no one thinks I tricked them into a massive investment unprepared!

3 Pieces of Advice That Will Change the Land-Buying Game for You

Topic #1: Bringing Electricity to Your Property

We’re going to kick things off with, arguably, the most dramatic meltdown I endured with undeveloped land: bringing electricity to your property. Along the way, I learned if the nearest pole to my property is below a ‘magic number,’ the electricity installation will be free. That magic number was…