Land Development: Avoiding Serious Mistakes During Subdivision

The prospect of subdivision and general land development can be exciting, particularly for first time developers. Unfortunately, this enthusiasm can, in some cases, compromise good judgement. If you do not make the best choices during your development project, you could make critical mistakes and experience losses. Therefore, think about hiring speciality land development consultants to provide professional advice for your subdivision work. In addition, consider using these core tips to avoid common pitfalls in land development.

Consider the Location

Your choice of location for your investment will have an impact on your success and profits. In simple terms, you should keep in mind that land subdivision is like other forms of property investments. The location is essential for success. Therefore, if you are interested, you should conduct research on the different areas where land is available for purchase and development. Identify whether there will be enough buyers if you develop lots in a certain locale. If there are too many similar lots in an area, your earnings will be low. On the other hand, if the interest in an area is minimal, you will not find buyers. Therefore, focus on locations where there is considerable demand on subdivided lots and low supply.

Look for Problems

When planning to acquire land, you must be on the lookout for problems. Often, people lose their investments because they are not willing to conduct thorough assessments. It is your responsibility as the developer to conduct due diligence before investing. Remember, the seller is unlikely to inform you about any special concerns surrounding the land of interest. For instance, when purchasing raw land, there might be undiscovered issues under the surface, which could affect future construction. If you purchase, the development options will be limited. Moreover, it will be difficult to resell.

Avoid Overreaching

You should understand your financial situation fully before proceeding with your subdivision development work. Simply speaking, you should not plan for development if you do not have enough funds. Inexperienced people assume that subdivision is a matter of creating boundaries and acquiring new deeds. However, there are numerous issues involved, such as surveying, installation of boundary markers and setup of utility connections. These processes can be expensive. Therefore, you must set apart enough funds for all the work. It is also important to resist the temptation of developing the lots further if you are uncertain about cash flow. For instance, building houses on the lots before selling can be even more profitable, but the monetary investment demands can be overwhelming.


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