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Consider - where would you like to live? Most people have a fair idea of where they would like to live. They may choose to live closer to work, they may wish to live on acreage, or desire to be in particular school district.

There are many factors that can help determine where you may wish to live. If land/home values are important to you, choose a development with protective covenants. Protective covenants restrict what you can build, but they do establish minimum standards for new construction. These standards help protect the value of the existing homes in the development. Land without building restrictions may have less value and thus be cheaper to purchase upfront; however, you risk having less value in your home because of this unprotected ground. In essence, the proverbial pig farm built next door would likely have a negative impact on your land value if your intention were not farming.
Other considerations for choosing your building site could include the following:


· Solar orientation (how a house is exposed to the sun) a North/South exposure to the main axis of the house can lead to a brighter home inside. It can also be useful for solar efficiency and collection, if that is a desired criterion. An East/West exposure has advantages as well depending upon latitude and lifestyle. For example, an eastern exposure to the back of the house lends itself to a shaded evening outdoors for hotter climates.

· Utilities (water, sewer, natural gas, and power) if you decide to live on an acreage, water and sewer may not be available. Hence, the cost of a well and septic system, and sometimes power (if it is over 200’ to the nearest source) must be factored into your land costs. Access to cable TV, the Internet, and security services are other considerations as well.

· Land elevations are also important. Selecting level building sites can lead to cost savings because they are easier to build on. However, if capturing a view is important, a level site may not be conducive to this consideration. If your vision includes a daylight or walkout basement, it will be necessary to find ground with slope.

· The geology of the land can influence the amount of money that would have to be spent on site preparation. Ground with a foot of top soil and the subsequent layers of subsoil are more conducive to digging a basement than land on top of a lava flow. If a water well is required, the availability of ground water becomes an important consideration. Additionally, the cost of septic systems can also be influenced by geology.
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