That's good to know, thanks for sharing your experience. I've been casually looking at land myself, thinking I'd just hold onto it until I can afford to build. Didn't even cross my mind that zoning could shift so quickly. Sounds like a real hassle, but glad you managed to keep things residential. Guess I'll have to start chatting up the neighbors earlier than planned...
Have you looked into how property taxes might change if zoning shifts? I've seen cases where people bought land thinking they'd sit on it for a while, only to get blindsided by higher taxes when zoning changed from agricultural to commercial or residential. Might be worth checking out your area's history with zoning changes—could save you some headaches down the road...
That's a really good point—zoning changes can definitely catch people off guard. I've had clients who faced similar surprises, especially in areas experiencing rapid growth. Another thing to consider is whether your local government offers any exemptions or tax relief programs for landowners affected by zoning shifts. Have you checked if your area provides anything like that? Could soften the blow if things do change unexpectedly...
Good call on checking for exemptions or tax relief—lots of folks overlook that. I had a friend who bought land thinking he'd build "eventually," and zoning changes hit him hard. Luckily, he found out about a local program that gave him some breathing room on taxes. Definitely worth a quick call or website check to your local office...could save you some headaches down the road.
Good reminder, but zoning isn't the only risk. A friend of mine bought land and waited a few years—ended up dealing with unexpected environmental regs that made building way pricier. Always worth checking into environmental assessments too...just to be safe.
