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2 ' THE MODERN HOME, APRIL 26, 1952 sivat > When And How To Buy Land Watch for These Pitfalls When Choosing Property Points to Keep in Mind When You're Ready to Buy By DAVID G. BAREUTHER Associated Press Real Estate Editor The value of land is always set by what the land can be Is it better for farming, mining, timber, or grazing? used for. Would it make a good site for lot, is a poor investment. is highly important. d suit another. Yet the location yourself. that it lacks resale value. Of course, there are exceptions to all rules. C make your own exceptions in selecting your own homesite. But here are some general factors to weight: The time to buy land is when you are ready to plan your house and build it. Compromises. are inevitable in building a house. Don't add to them by handicapping your architect with a lot that will not accommodate the kind of house you have in mind. If you are goirg to have an architect, it's wise to have him kibitz your land select- jon. If you are buying prepared blueprints, check local require- ments for the set-back from street or building line and the distances needed between the sides of the house and the sidelines of the lot. Fully improved land is the best buy. With paved streets, curbs, storm sewers, sidewalks and utilit- ies installed and paid for, you are not faced with special assessments at a time when your budget may be pinched. Look for fire hydrants. They ir- dicate water supply--a very im- portant asset. With electricity, gas and telephone lines in the neigh- nborhood you are not restricted in your choice of equipment, or faced with expense and delay in obtain- ing utilities. Sanitary sewers are vital in built-up communities. Level land has distinct advan- tages. It minimizes grading costs skyscraper or your home? Unused land, barring discovery of uranium, oil or the like, You can hold it for years and its increase in value may not offset the accumulation of taxes. For the man planning to build or buy a house, it is prudent to consider some of the fundamentals in land value. A good location for one family may not Like architecture, location should not be so unique a factory, chain-store, parking Location must appeal to others besides And you can and erosion problems. A topo- graphical survey is always worth while, you may not notice a grade of 15 feet in 300, but it may affect your building plans, cellar win- dows, and other details. A slope up from the street is preferable to a grade down from the street. It red uc e s drainage problems, facilitates plumbing connections and gives your home a better view. Hilltop homesites often have many advantages if not too hard to approach in slippery weather. A hilltop can mean good drain- age, dry basement, good view and breezes. Well drained soil makes land- scaping and gardening easier. Nor- mal excavation is possible without blasting costs. Drainage minimi- zes mildew and fungus annoyances. Trees are often priceless, It takes 100 years or more to grow good sized oaks and other hard- woods. The shade, windbreak and beauty of trees add to homesite value. A built-up residential neighbor- hood insures lot value. Land be- tween established homes is worth more than a lot far away from any homes. Corner lots naturally LESS VALUE command premiums. Restricted residential zoning pro- tects your home value against un- desirable encroachments -- factor- ies, taverns, gasoline stations, shopping crowds. Convenience to schocls, churches and stores makes for happier home life and adds to home value. Es- tablished fire and police protection add to peace of mind. Refuse removal and snow removal free you from those chores. Transportation nearby, apprec- ciated in bad weather, shortens the working day. The man who has an eight-hour day is cheated if poor transportation adds two to three hours to his day. The time to hesitate in buying land is when you are dreaming of a house in the future. Land styles can change along with house styles. If grandma gave you a fine city lot measuring about 20 by 100 feet on, the day you were born, you'd be in a tight fix today with so-called rdnch houses rambling out in width. Lots often are picked up at auctions because hasty buy- ers let them go for unpaid taxes. To pay taxes for years on an un- used lot does not help you save toward your house. Lack of water is a severe handi- cap. You can get electric power in many remote locations. You can use bottled. gas or have an electric range. You gan wait for a telephone line, But without water you are faced with the expense of drilling a well. Lack of fire protection boosts insurance rates. A slope down from the street, if deep enough, can complicate sewer connections and may pro- hibit basement plumbing. Drive- way may drain into garage and other problems arise. Soil with rock outcroppings handicaps excavators and may make a complete basement more costly than it is worth. Rocky soil is a headache for the gardener. Treeless land, except on a beach where trees can't grow, presents a barren, hot prospect in summer and cold, whistling winds in win- ter. If there's no choice, investi- gate tree moving. New subdivision lots lack the supporting value of neighboring houses. Your house may stand alone for years. Other lots may become involved in foreclosures and tax sales, Unrestricted land offers no pro- tection in surroundings. Owners of adjacent property may sell for undesirable industrial development bringing noise and smoke to the neighborhood. ! i A neighborhood of too expensive homes may compel you to keep up with the Joneses and handicap your children socially. A neighbor hood of less expensive homes can detract from the value of your home, making it less desirable for resale. Too much isolation may mean long auto trips for groceries, hard- ships in getting td work and school, prospects of being snowbound in winter, fire hazards and lack of help in emergency. You can't de- pend on a car with a dead battery or a flat. Too much transportation on heavily travelled streets is a draw- back. The noise and traffic hazards for children usually cause such property to be zoned sooner or later for business. A lot too large may call for the help of a gardener. Even a half- acre--about 150 by 150 feet--can be too much to care for in spare time. A lot too small brings neigh- bors' windows too close. Find your happy medium. Sloping land calls for more grading. In some places the use of a bulldozer costs $90 a day. You may find some advantages in a slope, such as garage in base- ment, or large windows in base- ment. But usually a sharp slope is expensive, and a lawn on a slope needs constant fertilizing. At the base of a hill, a home- site often risks flood in storms. 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