Had a similar experience when we bought our lot. Neighbors saw the surveyors and suddenly rumors flew about everything from a new shopping center to condos... Took some casual chats to clear things up. Definitely helps having solid answers ready.
We had something similar happen when we bought our property last year. We weren't planning to build immediately either, just wanted to secure the land while we figured out our finances and plans. But as soon as the surveyors showed up, neighbors started speculating about everything from apartment complexes to strip malls. It was honestly surprising how quickly rumors spread.
One thing I noticed is that having clear answers definitely helps calm things down, but I'm curious—did anyone here run into zoning or HOA issues when holding onto land without building right away? I've heard some areas have specific timelines or restrictions on how long you can leave a lot undeveloped. Our realtor mentioned it briefly, but didn't go into detail since it wasn't an immediate concern for us at the time.
We're still in the early stages of planning, so it'd be helpful to know if others have encountered unexpected hurdles with zoning or neighborhood associations down the line.
We ran into something similar a few years back. Bought a lot in a subdivision thinking we'd build within a year or two, but life happened and plans got delayed. A few things we learned along the way:
- Our HOA had a clause about maintaining the lot, meaning we had to keep it mowed and free of debris, even without building. Wasn't a huge deal, but something to factor in.
- Zoning-wise, our area didn't have strict timelines, but a friend in another county had to apply for extensions every year after the first two years of holding undeveloped land. Apparently, some municipalities do this to prevent vacant lots from sitting indefinitely.
- One neighbor got pretty vocal at HOA meetings, worried about property values dropping due to empty lots. It helped a lot when we shared our eventual building plans, even if they weren't immediate.
Did your realtor mention anything about maintenance requirements or annual fees for undeveloped lots? Might be worth double-checking the fine print on your HOA docs or local zoning codes, just to be safe.
Good points about HOA and zoning—those are exactly the kind of details people tend to overlook. I’ve seen a few clients caught off-guard by similar situations. One family bought a beautiful lot in a lakeside community, thinking they’d build their dream home within two years tops... but job relocations delayed their plans indefinitely. They weren't thrilled to discover annual assessments kicked in after the first year, even without a house on the property. It wasn't outrageous, but definitely unexpected.
One thing I always advise is to check if there's a minimum square footage for new builds written into the HOA covenants. Some subdivisions have surprisingly strict requirements, which might not align with your eventual budget or vision. Did you happen to notice anything like that in your docs? It can really influence your timeline and planning process down the road.
Good advice overall, but honestly, I think the minimum square footage thing can sometimes be a bit overstated. Sure, it's important to know what you're getting into, but I've found that most people who buy land intending to build later usually have a pretty clear idea of their dream home's size anyway. The bigger issue I've seen is actually the timeline restrictions some HOAs impose—like having to start construction within a certain number of years or facing penalties. A friend of mine bought land in a mountain community and got hit with fines because they didn't break ground within three years. They knew about the square footage requirements upfront, but the timeline caught them totally off guard.
So yeah, square footage matters, but I'd argue that timeline clauses can be even trickier and more restrictive in practice. Always worth double-checking those details carefully before signing anything...
