What to Look Out for in a Lot

The title of the page is not 100% accurate as every property has its benefits and drawbacks. Here are some things to think about when you are looking for property.

What do you want to build? You should answer this before you even start looking for lots unless you are of the mind set that the lot comes first and you will adapt to it.  Generally, the steeper the incline the less options you have and the more it will cost to build.  If you want to build on the side of a cliff, the foundation can cost more than the house. In extreme circumstances, you  have to sink pillars into the ground and tie them together to artificially recreate a stable base.

What is the drainage situation? You not only need to think about getting water away from your property but you need to consider your property is in relation to the overall drainage picture.  I recently saw the remains of a house that used to be located in a pasture area.  After the rains came and the river flooded the river changed it’s course some 300 meters and took almost all of the house with it.

My lot looks OK but... Look at all of the properties surrounding you.  One client bought a beautiful piece of property.  When I looked that the property, I told them that the developer has not installed proper drainage for the lot above them and that I would not recommend that they build on their lot until the lot above them is stabilized.

The drawing below shows some of the possible problems when buying mountain side properties.

This is an actual example of what I saw in Playa Potrero. In the first heavy rains, the loose soil will lose its grip and slide down the mountain.  You can see how it can create a cascading or snowball effect and take out a whole development.

This is how the unscrupulous developer makes lots. They cut out the mountain and push the dirt out without compacting it and tell you that you have a huge lot to build on.  Well heck, even if they compacted the soil, it is still useless for the next 10 - 20 years as the virgin mountain soil is the only safe place to build.

The only way to build on a lot like this is to remove the back fill, install piers going deep into the virgin soil, and back fill with a stable combination of rock and crushed rock. You cannot safely build anything on the back fill. Sure, you can find a builder to do it but you are the ultimate looser. Next, you will need to build retaining walls to cover the area that has been carved out.  A proper retaining wall is not a cheap endeavor.

Do developers sell these types of lots? - Every day!

Do people actually buy these types of lots? -  Sadly, every day