4 Biggest Mistakes When You Buy Property

buy property

4 Mistakes when You Buy Property

Of the 4 biggest mistakes when you buy property, paying too much for the real estate is the biggest of land buying mistakes. Every parcel of land is unique. You can’t “look up” the value, making it difficult to know the right price. This especially applies in Utah Real Estate as the previous sales price is not disclosed in public records.

You must have an idea of the value before you make an offer to buy property, don’t assume the price you are quoted is even close to the actual value. The seller is telling you what they want to sell it for and that may be 10 times what it is actually worth.

Falling In Love Before You Know Facts

Love at first sight. It might work with romance but it doesn’t work with land. Don’t fall in love with a piece of land until you have all the facts. This is a very dangerous mistake when buying property.

What negatives does the land have? Do you like the area? Do you like the neighbors? How is the road that accesses this property? Will you still like the land in 5 years? Slow down, don’t rush into an offer. Take a deep breath and think about it before you sign the contract.

Don’t Buy Property With Title Problems

There is no reason to buy land with title problems. Use a title company, get a title insurance policy, which will protect you against title problems. I have seen many sad stories of people purchasing land and finding problems later.

Never believe the words, “ I have owned it for years and I know there are no problems.” There could be problems the seller is not even aware of. A Title Insurance Policy will protect you.

Don’t Buy Property Without Legal Access

It is possible to buy land and have no right to access it. This happens when you must cross other land to access yours, and have no legal right to cross the other land. Make sure the title company is insuring access to the property. If there are problems with access in the future they will fix it.

NOTE: Legal access does not mean there is an actual road to your property; it means that you have a right to access your property which may require you to build a road.

Conclusion

First, make sure you don’t pay too much for the land you choose. Next, take your time and look at everything, weighing the pros and cons, before you decide to buy. Finally, get a Title Policy to protect yourself against any problems, including lack of access. These are land buying mistakes you can avoid.

Cheap Land and How To Find It

cheap land and how to find it

Cheap Land and How to Find It

Cheap land or anything else is not always best of course, but in this case we are discussing getting a good deal on land.

Utah Tax Sale

In a Utah Tax Sale the delinquent tax property is sold at public auction. The county keeps the amount owed for delinquent taxes, plus penalties and interest, any remaining money is forwarded to the owner.

You can attend the tax sale auction to buy property. You need to research the property ahead of time, to find out the approximate value, any title problems that the property might have (that aren’t extinguished by the tax sale), and other details such as legal access, water rights, etc.

Many people get an excellent deal on property at a tax sale. Others pay several times what the property is worth, so do your research to get the best price possible.

Another option is to contact the owner before the tax sale and make them an offer on the property. You will avoid the auction itself and often pay less than you would at the auction. A county waits until there are several years of delinquent taxes before selling the property. You can contact the owner before this time and often get a good deal.

Foreclosure Property

Foreclosures may be the best for how to buy cheap land. There are three basic stages in a foreclosure.

1. Default

During the default stage the property has not been foreclosed, but the seller has been notified that a foreclosure is in progress. During the early part of this stage the foreclosure can be automatically stopped by paying the overdue amount or a negotiated amount. You can contact the owner and offer to buy the property. Owners in foreclosure can be very motivated to sell.

2. Foreclosure Sale

If the delinquent amounts are not resolved during the default phase the property goes to a foreclosure sale. Anyone can bid on the property at the sale. Contact the company handling the foreclosure and ask what their requirements are.

Similar to tax sales, you need to do your research before the foreclosure sale. Know what the property is worth before bidding.

3. Foreclosed Property

The lender usually receives the property after the foreclosure sale for a variety of reasons. Few people show up at foreclosures and often the minimum bid is more than the property is worth.

The Lender is motivated to sell the property quickly and will entertain any reasonable offer. Contact them and make an offer.

Assume The Existing Loan

Although this is more difficult to do, it can be an excellent way to buy land. The current owner may be tired of the property and willing to sell it for little or no money, if you will assume the payments. This only works if the property is financed by an individual. Banks don’t usually allow anyone to assume their loans.

This method of buying cheap land can be combined with the tax sale or foreclosure methods above. You can contact the owner, pay the delinquent amounts, and take over the payments. Use an attorney or title company so the proper paperwork is filed, and the land is properly transferred to you.

Bankruptcies

Bankruptcies are public. You can contact the court or attorney handling it and offer to buy property involved in the bankruptcy. You will need to research what property is owned by the person filing bankruptcy.

This method is more difficult to use than the others, but can be an excellent way to buy property below market value. There are many methods to learn about how to buy land cheap. The above are just a few.

 

Buying Real Estate at Tax Sale. How to buy Real Estate at a tax sale. This is a great way to get a good deal on property, but auctions are a buyer beware place. Know before you buy.

Buying Real Estate at Foreclosure Auctions. Buying Real Estate at Foreclosure Auctions. To be successful you need to know the property, its value, and any liens or other title problems.

Real Estate Agent – 6 Reasons to Use One

6 Reason to use a Real Estate Agent

Buyers and Sellers should find an experienced, trustworthy Real Estate Agent and let them guide you through the land closing process in Utah.

A Realtor is your best friend during this process and will walk you through it from beginning to end. They will help you avoid many of the pitfalls and problems that arise when buying land.

Sellers are also usually better using a Real Estate Professional. There are many possible problems with a sale and the agent can work through most of these.

The Real Estate Agent May Be Free!

The Real Estate Agent is paid a commission from the sale of the property. The commission is paid by the seller so buyers use a realtor for free.

Buyers don’t have to use the realtor who listed and advertises the property. Choose the realtor you want, the payment will be worked out between the two realtors, and you will have the realtors services for free.

Will Help You Find The Right Property

A Real Estate Agent has access to the local MLS (Multiple Listing Service) which lists all the property for sale by realtors in the area. Using the MLS the realtor can find properties that meet the buyers criteria and take you to those properties.

Many MLS’s are now listed on Realtor.com, where anyone can view them, but the realtor is an expert at using this information to find the land you are looking for. When selling the agents access to the MLS allows your property to be seen by many potential buyers.

Will Do the Work For You

The Real Estate Agent will do most of the work involved in finding and purchasing property, and finding buyers. A real estate purchase transaction is a complicated procedure which involves many details as well as many people. In most cases the transaction will be easier and much smoother if a realtor is involved in the process.

Will Help You Pay a Fair Price

One problem for buyers is paying too much for land. It is difficult to know what the land is really worth. Because Realtors deal with many parcels of land they know approximately what a specific parcel of land is worth.

In my line of work I have observed those who use a realtor usually buy land at a fair price. Keep in mind the realtor who listed a parcel of land has an obligation to sell for the highest price since they represent the seller.

Will Show You The Property

The Realtor knows the local area and will help you find the land you are looking for. Looking for land may involve driving down back roads without directions or street signs. The realtor will take you to the properties you want to look at, and the areas you want to look in.

Often a piece of land does not have an address or directions. Sometimes you will need to read legal descriptions and topographical maps. The realtor has experience in reading these and can take you right to the property, and show you the property boundaries.

Will Help You Avoid Many Problems

Using a Real Estate Agent will help you avoid many of the problems experienced in land transaction. Many of these problems don’t arise until after the purchase.

There are many possible problems, too many to mention, but include such things as: road issues, water rights, mineral rights, etc. Save yourself from many problems and use an experienced, trustworthy realtor.

Do I need title insurance, when buying a Utah home?

buying home

Question: Do I need title insurance, when buying a new home in Utah?

Answer: Construction of a new home raises special title problems for the lender and owner.  You may think you are the first owner when constructing a home on a purchased lot.

However, there were most likely many prior owners of the unimproved land.  A title search will uncover any existing liens and a survey will determine the boundaries of the property being purchased.

In addition, builders occasionally fail to pay subcontractors and suppliers.  This could result in the subcontractor or supplier placing a lien on your property.

Again, lenders want to make sure the property has clear title.  Purchasing owner’s title insurance will protect you against these potential problems and pay for any legal fees involved in defending a claim.

The Eagle Policy offers additional coverage

eagle policy

The Eagle Policy of Title Insurance

The Eagle Policy provides more coverage than any previous policy offered.  Some of the new coverages are completely new and never before offered by any title insurer.

This policy includes the following coverage:

  1. Your Title is lost or taken because of a violation of any covenant, condition or restriction, which occurred before You acquired Your Title, even if the covenant, condition or restriction is excepted in Schedule B.
  2. You are forced to correct or remove an existing violation of any covenant, condition or restriction affecting the Land, even if the covenant,condition or restriction is excepted in Schedule B. However, You are not covered for any violation that relates to:
    1. any obligation to perform maintenance or repair on the Land; or
    2. environmental protection of any kind, including hazardous or toxic conditions or substances

    unless there is a notice recorded in the Public Records, describing any part of the Land, claiming a violation exists. Our liability for this Covered Risk is limited to the extent of the violation stated in that notice.

  3. You do not have actual vehicular and pedestrian access to and from the Land, based upon a legal right.
  4. Someone else claims to have rights affecting Your Title because of fraud, duress, incompetency or incapacity.
  5. Someone else has an encumbrance on Your Title.
  6. Someone else has a lien on Your Title, including a:
    1. lien of real estate taxes or assessments imposed on Your Title by a governmental authority that are due or payable, but unpaid;
    2. Mortgage;
    3. judgment, state or federal tax lien;
    4. charge by a homeowner’s or condominium association; or
    5. lien, occurring before or after the Policy Date, for labor and material furnished before the Policy Date.
  7. Any of Covered Risks 1 through 6 occurring after the Policy Date.
  8. Your Title is defective. Some of these defects are:
    1. Someone else’s failure to have authorized a transfer or conveyance of your Title.
    2. Someone else’s failure to create a valid document by electronic means.
    3. A document upon which Your Title is based is invalid because it was not properly signed, sealed, acknowledged, delivered or recorded.
    4. A document upon which Your Title is based was signed using a falsified, expired, or otherwise invalid power of attorney.
    5. A document upon which Your Title is based was not properly filed, recorded, or indexed in the Public Records.
    6. A defective judicial or administrative proceeding.
  9. Someone else has a right to limit Your use of the Land.
  10. Someone else has an Easement on the Land.
  11. Someone else claims to have rights affecting Your Title because of forgery or impersonation.
  12. Someone else has rights affecting Your Title because of leases, contracts, or options.
  13. Someone else owns an interest in Your Title.
  14. The violation or enforcement of those portions of any law or government regulation concerning:
    1. building;
    2. zoning;
    3. land use;
    4. improvements on the Land;
    5. land division; or
    6. environmental protection,

    if there is a notice recorded in the Public Records, describing any part of the Land, claiming a violation exists or declaring the intention to enforce the law or regulation. Our liability for this Covered Risk is limited to the extent of the violation or enforcement stated in that notice.

  15. An enforcement action based on the exercise of a governmental police power not covered by Covered Risk 14 if there is a notice recorded in the Public Records, describing any part of the Land, of the enforcement action or intention to bring an enforcement action. Our liability for this Covered Risk is limited to the extent of the enforcement action stated in that notice.
  16. Because of an existing violation of a subdivision law or regulation affecting the Land:
    1. You are unable to obtain a building permit;
    2. You are required to correct or remove the violation; or
    3. someone else has a legal right to, and does, refuse to perform a contract to purchase the Land, lease it or make a Mortgage loan on it.

    The amount of Your insurance for this Covered Risk is subject to Your Deductible Amount and Our Maximum Dollar Limit of Liability shown in Schedule A.

  17. You lose Your Title to any part of the Land because of the right to take the Land by condemning it, if:
    1. there is a notice of the exercise of the right recorded in the Public Records and the notice describes any part of the Land; or
    2. the taking happened before the Policy Date and is binding on You if You bought the Land without Knowing of the taking.
  18. You are forced to remove or remedy Your existing structures, or any part of them – other than boundary walls or fences – because any portion was built without obtaining a building permit from the proper government office. The amount of Your insurance for this Covered Risk is subject to Your Deductible Amount and Our Maximum Dollar Limit of Liability shown in Schedule A.
  19. You are forced to remove or remedy Your existing structures, or any part of them, because they violate an existing zoning law or zoning regulation. If You are required to remedy any portion of Your existing structures, the amount of Your insurance for this Covered Risk is subject to Your Deductible Amount and Our Maximum Dollar Limit of Liability shown in Schedule A.
  20. You cannot use the Land because use as a single-family residence violates an existing zoning law or zoning regulation.
  21. You are forced to remove Your existing structures because they encroach onto Your neighbor’s land. If the encroaching structures are boundary walls or fences, the amount of Your insurance for this Covered Risk is subject to Your Deductible Amount and Our Maximum Dollar Limit of Liability shown in Schedule A.
  22. Someone else has a legal right to, and does, refuse to perform a contract to purchase the Land, lease it or make a Mortgage loan on it because Your neighbor’s existing structures encroach onto the Land.
  23. You are forced to remove Your existing structures which encroach onto an Easement or over a building set-back line, even if the Easement orbuilding set-back line is excepted in Schedule B.
  24. Your existing structures are damaged because of the exercise of a right to maintain or use any Easement affecting the Land, even if the Easement isexcepted in Schedule B.
  25. Your existing improvements (or a replacement or modification made to them after the Policy Date), including lawns, shrubbery or trees, are damagedbecause of the future exercise of a right to use the surface of the Land for the extraction or development of minerals, water or any other substance,even if those rights are excepted or reserved from the description of the Land or excepted in Schedule B.
  26. Someone else tries to enforce a discriminatory covenant, condition or restriction that they claim affects Your Title which is based upon race, color,religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.
  27. A taxing authority assesses supplemental real estate taxes not previously assessed against the Land for any period before the Policy Date becauseof construction or a change of ownership or use that occurred before the Policy Date.
  28. Your neighbor builds any structures after the Policy Date — other than boundary walls or fences — which encroach onto the Land.
  29. Your Title is unmarketable, which allows someone else to refuse to perform a contract to purchase the Land, lease it or make a Mortgage loan on it.
  30. Someone else owns an interest in Your Title because a court order invalidates a prior transfer of the title under federal bankruptcy, state insolvency,or similar creditors’ rights laws.
  31. The residence with the address shown in Schedule A is not located on the Land at the Policy Date.
  32. The map, if any, attached to this Policy does not show the correct location of the Land according to the Public Records.
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