W.H. Burruss III | Publications

BUYING LAND,
BUYING CENTRAL VIRGINIA

Purchasing land involves taking a series of practical steps leading to the right decision.

Every person has unique purchasing requirements. Some place price and terms at the top of their list, while others focus on the setting and surrounding amenities. This brochure outlines what to include in your decision-making process and where to look for assistance.

The information assembled here will be especially helpful to first-time buyers looking at Region 2000, including Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, and Campbell counties; the Town of Bedford; and the City of Lynchburg.

Getting Started
Start by collecting data to assist you in locating an ideal site. Topographic and Department of Transportation maps will help. Review the maps and locate sites that meet your interests or needs.

If you like culture, locate area colleges, the Fine Art Center, Academy of Music.... If it's nature, find the Appalachian and Blackwater Creek Trails or look for the James, Staunton, and Big Otter Rivers... If you have special medical, educational, or business needs, you should pinpoint local hospitals, schools, offices, or industries.

Collect brochures or purchase books on points of interest.

After you have done all this, start driving around. Get a feel for how long it takes to get from place to place. Experience why you like certain areas and are less receptive to others.

Creating Your List
If you buy land in the City of Lynchburg, you'll have access to public water, trash pick-up, maintained roads, a major hospital, and other amenities. Once you get away from the city many of these services start to diminish.

Use the following list to determine your priorities. All of these items are essential to some degree. The question you have to ask yourself is: To what extent do I need them?

The List

Utilities:
Water - Is the water public or well? If you need to dig a well, how much will it cost? You may want to call well drilling companies and ask if they have encountered any problems in the area. Purchasing property where construction will take place should always be contingent on getting well water. This expense is customarily the Buyers.

Electricity - This should not be a problem unless you are off a service road of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Telephone - Telephone service should not be a problem unless you are off the Blue Ridge Parkway. However, Central Virginia still has places where reception is poor to nonexistent when using a mobile phone.

Access - You will want to either be on an existing road or have a 20' - 60' deeded right-of-way to your property. A wider right-of-way allows greater future development. You may want to ask your Realtor or municipality what is allowed with the type of access the property offers.

Sewer/Septic - The City of Lynchburg has a sewer system. Even so, some places do not offer it due to the location of the lot and the elevation of the sewer line. Most of the area's larger towns have sewers, but again all lots may not be served. Always check. Region 2000 has places were the soil has too much clay and septic tanks cannot be installed (see "Soil" below). If you plan on building, you should have a contingency in your contract that the land percolates.

Cable or Satellite TV - For many, a television is a major necessity. You will find cable in the most populated areas of the region, but the rest is left to satellite and antenna reception. You may want to check with satellite providers regarding reception.

Soil - If you are a farmer or if you plan on building in an area where you need a septic tank, this item is very important. Soil maps are available for little or no cost from USDA Service Centers as follows: For Amherst County, Campbell County, and City of Lynchburg contact the Campbell County USDA Service Center, 163 Kabler Lane, Rustburg, VA. For Bedford County contact the Bedford County USDA Service, 1031 Turnpike Rd., Bedford, VA. Finally, Appomattox County does not have maps. For assistance, contact the Appomattox USDA Center located in History Junction Shopping Center, Appomattox, VA.

Curb Appeal:
The Neighborhood - What does the area look like? Is there anything that bothers you? Are there unsightly cars in the neighbor's front yard, a noisy factory nearby, the county dump ... Does it have great amenities? Look for a highly recommended restaurant, access to the Blue Ridge Mountains, a golf club, great demographic statistics ...

The Site - Since the site is what you desire, greater attention should be focused here. If you are looking at a site for business purposes, your point of view will differ dramatically from a recreational, residential, or farm-user's perspective.

Before reviewing the next items, think about future uses for the land. You may see it as something you want to pass on to your children or have placed in a conservation easement. It could be land that has great road frontage and level topography but is still a little too rural for your lifestyle or business needs . Does the land have the potential to become commercial space in ten or twenty years?

Remember real estate changes its use. Also remember that once you become an owner of real estate, you also become a disposer of it. This will happen through a sale, deed-of-gift, or will.

Commercial
1) Is access to the main road good?

2) Are utilities on site, or do they need to be brought to the site?

3) Does it have a sufficient traffic count?

4) Will you have to do much excavating?

5) Is the property the correct zoning for your activity?

6) Is there a traffic light at the site?

7) Does the traffic allow easy access?

8) Does it pass a Phase 1 environmental test?

9) Will you be able to maximize the use of the site?

Farm, Recreational, and Residential
1) Scenic appeal?

2) Creek, pond, or lake on property?

3) Is it fenced?

4) What is the topography?

5) Well fertilized?

6) Service buildings? Will you have to do any/much maintenance?

7) Any illegal dumping?

8) Types of crops, or trees?

9) How old are the trees? Were they planted, or natural?

10) Are there utility easements?

11) Are there documents or aerial photographs that describe/show the site?

Price:
For most people "price" dictates what they can buy.

Once a month I receive an email similar to this: "I would like 15 - 30 acres with a pond and trees that has not been cut-over with a view of the mountains. I'd like to spend $25,000 - $30,000 max." The main problem with this request is the price. When many people are looking for the same thing, demand drives up the price.

If price dictates what you can buy, please contact me and ask for a list of properties that meet your financial needs. Remember, the farther you get from cities and towns, the less expensive land costs will be. (One exception to this rule is Smith Mountain Lake.) Also keep in mind that driving from the countryside into Lynchburg takes time and you will spend more money on gas.

Through the Lynchburg Multiple Listing Association and the Loopnet listing service, I can find properties that may meet your criteria. And, because I maintain a database of properties that have sold around Region 2000, I can give you an estimate of what you might expect to pay. If you have financial concerns, contact me first before searching the back woods of Central Virginia!

SELLING LAND,
SELLING CENTRAL VIRGINIA

To start, remember that potential buyers and the Realtor you select know nothing about your land. It is important for you, the Seller, to collect documents that will assist your Realtor in selling your property. Also, the Seller needs to show the Realtor the boundaries of the property. Below is a punch list to guide you in the selling process:

Finding the Right Realtor
Trust and experience are the two major ingredients Sellers look for in a Realtor.

After 16 years of selling land in Central Virginia, I can tell you that advertising or promoting trust is nearly an impossible task. Trust is something only satisfied customers and professional associates can give you. You can't buy it or go to school to get a trust degree. Good reputations are something Realtors earn by delivering high quality service and expertise to Sellers year after year.

On the other hand, requesting information about qualifications and experience is possible. Simply ask a prospective Realtor: What is your background in selling land? What types of land have you sold -- residential, commercial, industrial?

Your land may need to be rezoned or subdivided. If so, you'll want to ask what experience a Realtor has had working with the local municipality or with surveying companies. One of a Realtor's major responsibilities is getting the highest and best use out of your property. If you want to sell your land "as is," you may get a lower price compared to land that has been enhanced through subdividing or rezoning. Find a Realtor who knows about these things and will work with you throughout the process.

Build Your Sale with Documents
1) Plat - This is probably the most important document you can have. Because a surveyor created it, it may not be a document that is filed at the courthouse.

2) Deed(s) - probably the second most important document. This gives you a metes

and bounds description of the property and tells what easements are present. If the property you are selling was created from multiple purchases, you will need those deeds. If you sold part of the original property, you will need to provide those documents as well.

3) Tax Map - This is a handy document because it shows your property along with all adjoining and nearby owners. This document can be purchased at the courthouse. You will need the tax map reference or parcel I.D. number printed on your real estate tax bill. This number will be needed if the property is placed in our Multiple Listing Service (MLS). The cost runs $3 - $10 per page.

4) Topo Map - If you have a large tract, or one that can be used for commercial or industrial development, a topographic map will assist the Buyer with knowledge of the terrain. The cost per page is about $15.

5) Aerial Photo(s) - Most people do not have them, but aerial photographs can be very beneficial. Commercial and large residential developers use them to see what the area looks like. For a Realtor they can be used in marketing brochures. The cost can vary greatly from $150 to $450. If you are not in a rush, you can generally get a better price when a photographer shoots photos for several clients at once.

Marketing
The role of the Seller is to know how the property is to be marketed. It should be the Seller and not the Realtor who determines if the listing is going into a Multiple Listing Service (MLS). It should also be the responsibility of the Seller to know what he or she is getting in return for the commission paid.

Multiple Listing Service - Sellers may not be aware that they do not have to place land or a commercial listing in a MLS. Some Realtors prefer not to because they feel many agents are not educated enough in showing this type of real estate. This may be true if the land is being promoted for a shopping center or an industrial park. But many other types of land listings can and should be considered. You need to speak with the listing agent and determine if being in a MLS is beneficial. In 90% of cases, I feel that land should be listed.

Selling Is More Than A Sign - I keep telling my clients this. For most agents, signs are still the number one way of marketing a property. For others, it's the newspaper ad. Today, the Internet is becoming the fastest and cheapest way to market land on a national level. The National Association of Realtors is involved in two major Internet sites, Realtor.com for residential listings and LoopNet.com for commercial and agricultural listings. LoopNet currently has over $120 billion in listings.