A real estate agent who enjoys their job is more likely to help you find the land that is perfect for you. If they are slow in responding to you or keep forgetting who you are, you need to find a different agent. You want an agent who keeps your interests in mind as he is helping you find your perfect homesteading land.
Begin Your Search
Search on google for real estate agencies in the area you want to buy land in. Pick 3-5 agencies that have good ratings and reviews and open their websites. There may be more than 5 that show up, but for now pick 3-5 with the best reviews and begin there. Don’t just choose the agencies that have the most well known names. You might be surprised at how helpful and knowledgable the local agencies are. We worked with an agent who started at Idaho Home Hunters. Not a very well known agency nation wide, but we had an excellent experience working with him. He was attentive to our needs and went out of his way to work with us.
It’s Time To Connect
Don’t worry if you are not particularly good at communication. Go to their websites and contact the agencies through the email addresses provided. If there is not an email address listed, go back to google search and add another agency to your list. While you are on their website look around. Get a feel for what kinds of properties are listed with them.
Give a Brief Introduction
In your first email to them, you want to give a brief introduction of yourself and what kind of land you are looking for. Let them know you are looking to buy land in the area and want to get their help. The goal of this email is to get an idea of how responsive they are. Are they quick to reply? Do they act enthusiastic about helping you? Do they ask you questions about what specifically you are looking for in homesteading land? If so, they might be the right agent for you.
What to Avoid in an Agent
Be picky when it comes to choosing your real estate agent. This is the agent who is going to be instrumental in helping you find your dream land. Avoid an agent who:
- forgets who you are
- is slow to respond
- gives you land to look at that doesn’t meet your requirements
- seems disinterested in you
- is unknowledgeable about the area
This doesn’t necessarily mean that he is rude or inconsiderate but it may mean that he is too busy right now to give you the personal attention you need to have the best buying experience.
What You Didn’t Know
A good agent will provide you with details that you didn’t know you need to know. There are many steps when it comes to picking out and buying homesteading land. You want an agent who is ready and willing to be with you every step of the way. We had an agent who replied to emails almost as quickly as we sent them. We would write him questions and he would reply with long, complete answers. Most of the time answering our questions and then adding more details to help in our search.
We were fortunate to get a real estate agent who was also a homesteader. This was awesome because he related his experience and knowledge which helped us determine what land was best for our needs. If possible, pick a real estate agent who has experience himself in homesteading and has a wealth of knowledge to share.
When we first came in contact with our agent, Toby Atencio, he was at Idaho Home Hunters. He then joined with RE/MAX In Action in Sandpoint, ID. When we met in person we were impressed with how enthusiastic he was about helping us find the land perfect for us. He seemed genuinely interested in us even though we could see he was a busy man.
Here are just a few examples of how helpful our real estate agent was.
- We were tent camping for 15 days while we were in Sandpoint, ID looking for land. Toby drove to our our campsite to share information with us!
- He drove out to some land to help us find the boundary lines and locate the water and power lines.
- Since we wanted land to put a private well on, Toby told us to look for Cedar, Aspen and Birch trees on the property we were considering because that indicated shallow ground water.
- He showed us how to find how deep the neighbors’ wells are and what kind of septic systems they use. For more tips on wells, you can read all about locating nearby well depths and production rates in this article here.
- As we learned exactly what kind of land we were looking for, what our price range was, and how far out of town we wanted to be, Toby willingly provided us with updated lists of land to review. He tailored lists every time we asked him to and with great speed.
- Toby told us about Home Owner Associations (HOA) and to be aware of easements on the land we were considering purchasing. In some HOA’s you are limited on what kind and how many animals you can have. There are specific requirements that your home needs to have to be built in that neighborhood. Sometimes property will have an easement on it that gives your neighbor the right to drive across your land.
- He also told us to not consider purchasing less than 6 acres because in Idaho we would be eligible for a timber exemption which would lower our property taxes considerably.
- Toby encouraged us to choose south facing land because the winter sun is lower if you are far north, and south facing land will receive more sunlight.
- He encouraged us to consider if county maintained roads are important to us. School bus routes are often given priority for snow removal. This could be important for you.
- Toby talked to us about the wildlife in the area as well as what fruits and vegetables grow well at those altitudes.
- Another great resource he showed us is an App called LandGlide. You can download it on iTunes and Google Play and try it for free for seven days. This app lets you see the boundaries of your potential land so you can walk the border lines. LandGlide was so helpful!
All of this information was shared with us because we had a great real estate agent!
What Others Say
There are other recommendations that people suggest which we did not do but you might consider important when choosing a great real estate agent. Some people suggest that you look at the agent’s credentials and licenses. Some people also suggest you get referrals from the agent’s recent clients. Others suggest you ask the agent if they are planning on taking a vacation. I guess then you would know if there is going to be a time when they would not be available for you. Again, we did not do any of these things but it might be important to you.
Do Yourself a Favor
Be as honest as you can with your real estate agent. He can serve you better if you give him as many details as you can about what kind of homesteading land you want to purchase. Are you planning on raising goats, chickens, or cows? Tell him. Do you want to be off-grid? Solar only? Let him know. Are you planning on living in an RV as you are building a home?
He needs to know so that he can tailor a search specifically for your needs. Some land does not allow you to live in an RV. Of course, you may not know exactly what you are looking for at the beginning of your search. Be honest and let him know. A good real estate agent is going to help you think through some of these details. If you pick land that has HOA’s, your building and developing options may be more limited than you would like.
When its time for you to buy land I cannot stress how vital it is to find a real estate agent who is invested in you. Your experience and overall success at purchasing homesteading land that is right for you and your dreams is highly dependent on a great real estate agent.
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