That's a good point about landscapers and contractors—never really thought about them as sources before. But how do you usually verify the info they give you? Do you just wait for official city announcements, or is there another reliable way to cross-check it earlier? I've heard some cities post preliminary planning docs online, but they're not always easy to find or interpret. Also, have you ever had a situation where even a reliable source got it wrong? I ask because I almost jumped on a piece of land last year based on a tip from a contractor friend, turned out the zoning board switched plans at the last minute. Dodged a bullet there, but it made me wonder how much trust to put into these informal channels...
Yeah, landscapers and contractors can be goldmines of info, but I always take their tips with a grain of salt. Usually, I'll dig around city websites for preliminary docs or zoning meeting minutes—tedious as heck, but sometimes worth it. Had a similar close call once; my buddy swore up and down a new shopping center was coming, turned out to be a storage facility instead... lesson learned, haha. Always double-check before pulling the trigger.
- Good call on city docs—tedious but usually reliable.
- Still, even official plans can shift last minute... seen it happen more than once.
- Curious, anyone here ever bought land based purely on future development promises and regretted it later?
"Still, even official plans can shift last minute... seen it happen more than once."
Yeah, exactly this. Had a client once who bought a plot banking on a promised shopping center nearby. Fast forward five years—still just weeds and empty promises. Always better to play it safe and trust what's actually there.
"Fast forward five years—still just weeds and empty promises."
Yeah, that's exactly why I don't put much stock in future developments. But here's a thought: how do you balance caution with opportunity? I mean, if you always wait until everything's built and confirmed, aren't you risking missing out on the best deals? I've seen people hesitate too long and end up paying double once the area's already booming...
