Haha, easements really do sneak up on you. When I bought my first place, I thought I'd done all my homework—then boom, found out about a drainage easement right where I'd planned a veggie garden. Ended up moving it to the other side of the yard, which actually turned out better (more sun!). Definitely learned to triple-check everything since then... but hey, live and learn, right?
Easements can definitely throw a wrench in your plans, especially if they're not obvious at first glance. I've seen clients surprised by utility easements too—had one buyer who discovered a gas line easement running diagonally through the lot after closing. Thankfully, it didn't derail their build completely, but it did limit their layout options. Curious if anyone's run into zoning or setback surprises when buying land without immediate plans to build? Seems like those can be just as tricky...
You're spot-on about zoning setbacks—they can be sneaky. I once had a property where the setbacks changed slightly after purchase due to updated local ordinances. Didn't ruin things entirely, but definitely required some creative adjustments to our original vision... patience and flexibility became key.
"patience and flexibility became key."
Haha, ain't that the truth... zoning setbacks are like the fine print nobody bothers to read until it's too late. Reminds me of a client I had a few years back who bought this gorgeous wooded lot with dreams of a spacious deck overlooking the creek. Fast forward a year, zoning tweaks hit, and suddenly that dream deck was now a "cozy balcony." We joked it was more "coffee nook" than "entertainment space," but hey, they made it work. Turned out pretty charming in the end, actually. Moral of the story: always budget extra room (literally and figuratively) for life's little surprises.
"always budget extra room (literally and figuratively) for life's little surprises."
Couldn't agree more with this. I've seen plenty of folks underestimate the hidden costs and zoning hurdles when purchasing land without immediate building plans. One client of mine waited nearly three years before breaking ground due to unexpected permitting delays—talk about patience being tested. But in the end, careful planning and adaptability usually pay off. Good to hear your clients turned their setback into something charming; that's often how it goes.
