• Location is everything when it comes to building a home. Yes there are only certain areas you can live in, but you want to make sure you find a plot of land that's in a good area. You need to think about whether or not your home will appreciate in 10 years because of the area or if the home will depreciate because of the area. What are the other homes like?
• Will the lot you are building on be on a busy street? It's sometimes hard to tell especially if you're building in a new area with little traffic now. In 10 years it could be very different. Busy roads are a big deal for growing families so be sure to check with the surrounding area and what the city plans on building there in the future.
• The size of the lot should also be a consideration when it comes to building. How much of the lot will be home and how much will be yard? Will the home you want to build fit on the lot you have chosen? Many people like building on cul-de-sacs but a lot like that requires a specifically designed home to fit the shape.
• What kind of zoning is the lot on? Check with the city to make sure you know what the zoning is for the lot you are building on.

How to get your lot ready to build on Once you have found the lot of your choice it's time to do a little homework. If you're building in an area that has no development activity near it yet then it's a good idea to take some boring tests of the soil before you purchase and build on the lot. Some soil has high load bearing capabilities while other types of soil does not. Why waste your money on a soil test? Having the soil tested before you begin building can actually save you a lot of money in the long run. You can end up paying thousands of dollars for foundation and drainage work if the soil is not suited to building a home on. There are a few different ways you can do this:

You can hire a specialist to do the work for load bearing soil in the Yellow pages under "Engineers, Consulting, or Engineers, Foundation."

• Go down to the county health department. Most will do soil tests for free or for a lower cost than a specialist might do it for. They can also provide the information you need about soil testing.
• A real estate broker can handle all tests with the land purchase, so if you're using an agent have them get the broker to do all the work. There is a lot of legal wok and checking that has to be done and this can make it much easier on you.

So before you decide on your building lot make sure you know what you're looking for and do the necessary homework needed on how to get a lot ready to build a new home.