I would be remiss before starting the next topic without adding one more thing to finish out the discussion of the prior posting on "Lots". My old neighbor Pete would have my ass if I didn't mention the importance of having a Geo-Tech assessment done on the lot before finalizing the closing papers. It is VERY important to know what's under your feet - is there Clay? Rock? Weathered Rock? Jed Clampett's Oil? Shallow ground water? In some cases it's really important to know if it "perks", and how much.
If you want to build on it, you must first assure yourself that the ground (a) can be properly excavated for a reasonable cost (extensive Rock could preclued this), (b) can bear the load of the structure you're placing
upon it (some kinds of soil are "weak"), and (c) will not move, sweat, compress, or otherwise deflect over time, causing your house to crack/crumble and deform (extensive clay may cause this). If you have to install a well and septic system, then "perks" must be sufficient to support the size of the house (number of bedrooms/inhabitants) you'd need to build. Hire a good Geo-Technical Engineer/Geologist type to bore some holes down deep into your lot and pull up samples of what's down there, then prepare a professional report of their findings. This could save you from "buying a lemon". You could gamble and assume "it'll be ok", but leaving that stone unturned could end up costing you dearly.
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