How to tell if a vacant lot already has a well, septic and power
A lot where a house or mobile home once stood can be a far better buy than raw land next door. If the well, the septic system, the power line and the driveway are already in, you may skip what can easily add up to tens of thousands of dollars of site work. The trick is knowing what is really there, and whether it still works.
Clues that a home once stood there
- An address sign. In rural areas a numbered fire or 911 address sign is usually assigned to a home. A vacant lot with one probably had a house.
- The assessment history. County tax records show the land value and the building value separately. A building value that used to be there and dropped to zero is the clearest sign.
- Old aerial photos. Google Earth Pro's historical imagery and the county's own aerial photos show whether a house was there and when it disappeared.
- On the ground: a gravel driveway to nowhere, a clearing, a well casing (a pipe sticking up out of the ground, often 6 inches across), a septic tank lid or vent pipe, an electric meter pole.
The septic system
Most states require a permit to install a septic system, and the county keeps the file. Depending on the state, that is the county zoning, sanitation or health department. Ask for the septic records by parcel number. The file can tell you the type of system, when it was installed, and sometimes includes a drawing of where the tank and drain field are.
An old system may not meet today's code. Many counties require an inspection or evaluation before a system that has sat unused can serve a new home, and some old systems need replacing. Make your offer contingent on that inspection.
The well
Many states keep well-construction reports from drillers and make them searchable online by location, usually through the state's environmental agency or geological survey. A report shows the well's depth, how much water it produced, and when it was drilled. Search for "[your state] well construction records".
A well that has sat unused for years should be tested for bacteria and nitrates before anyone drinks from it, and the pump may need replacing. If a well cannot be used, state rules usually require it to be properly sealed.
Power
Call the electric utility that serves the road and give them the address or location. They can tell you whether there is an existing service to the parcel, whether the line is still there, and what reconnecting costs compared with bringing a new line in. A transformer on a nearby pole and an overhead line running to the property are good signs.
The catch most people miss: zoning
When a home has been gone for a while, the right to put a new one in the same place is not always automatic. If the old home did not meet current rules, such as a setback from the lake or the road, some zoning codes say that right lapses after the home has been gone for a set period. Call the county or town zoning office, give them the parcel number, and ask directly: "Can I build a home here, and where on the lot?"
A simple checklist before you buy
- Assessment history and aerial photos: confirm a home was there.
- Septic permit file from the county, then an inspection contingency in your offer.
- Well construction report, then a water test.
- A call to the electric utility.
- A call to the zoning office about rebuilding.