The five-question feasibility test
Run every parcel through these five questions before falling in love.
- Is the use allowed? Zoning, deed restrictions, HOA, conservation overlays.
- Where can it sit? Setbacks, easements, floodplain, critical slopes.
- What does it cost to get utilities to it? Public sewer or septic. Public water or well. Power drop distance.
- What does it cost to get vehicles to it? Driveway length, grade, culverts, gates.
- What's underneath it? Soils, rock, fill, drainage, environmental.
When to walk away
A perc test fails, the parcel has no recorded access, the buildable envelope is too small for what you want, or the cost to make it work exceeds the cost of a different lot. Sentiment is expensive on land.
See also
Last updated June 29, 2026. Reviewed against our editorial policy.