Calera: Alabama’s newest boom town: City’s population more than doubles in last 10 years 

By PERRY SMITH / Staff Writer

CALERA — When a city’s population more than doubles in less than 10 years, some adjustments must be made, and probably no one knows this better than Calera Mayor George Roy.

The United States Census Bureau released statistics June 28 showing, percentage-wise, Roy is mayor of the fastest growing city in the state.

From 2000 to 2006, Calera’s population grew by 161 percent from 3,190 to 8,330, compared to the state’s overall growth rate of 3.4 percent during that same period.

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“We’ve actually been expecting this for quite some time,” Roy said of the population growth.

Roy, who is about to complete his 35th year as mayor, said the city’s growth really took off about seven years ago when food processing corporation Sysco moved in.

“They really kicked things off, and then a lot of other companies started to look at moving to the area,” he said.

He also said ease of transportation was an important part of the growth.

“The biggest positive thing we’ve had for Calera is the three exits off I-65,” Roy said, adding that most new residential subdivisions are being constructed within a few miles of the Interstate.

He said that the growth of both homes and businesses have helped the tax base a great deal and allows the city to offer more services.

It also creates a continuing challenge of keeping pace with roads, sewers and fire departments. City Clerk Linda Steele said city planners are happy with the growth, but it hasn’t been without some pains.

“It’s good for the city, but it has been tough on some of the workers,” Steele said, adding that there’s no longer a time when, “things kind of slow down.”

Jim Brown of Calera’s Housing Authority, said addressing the needs of low-income housing has been one of the biggest problems the city has faced.

Brown oversees the waiting list for available low-income rentals and subsidized-living homes. He the list has been closed since November because it’s so long.

“If I had a hundred houses ,I could find people for all of them,” he said.

In other parts of Alabama, Huntsville saw greater numerical growth in the six year period, adding 8,701 people and ranking first in the state in total numbers, while Calera was ninth (5,137).

Pelham and Hoover were the only other Shelby County cities listed in the top 10 for total number of new residents, coming in fifth (5,724) and sixth (5,640) respectively in the census estimates.

Home sales, prices slip again . Inventory of houses on market grows

Tuesday, June 26, 2007
SHERRI C. GOODMANNews staff writer
May sales of Birmingham-area existing single-family homes dropped 1.2 percent, the fifth consecutive monthly decline from the previous year, while median prices fell for the fourth straight month compared to 2006, a report released Monday shows.

The Birmingham Association of Realtors said 1,668 homes were sold in May, 20 fewer than the number in May 2006. When condominiums and town houses are counted, area agents sold 1,836 homes in May, up 5 percent compared to 2006's May.

The median selling price fell 3.3 percent to $164,275 in May from $169,900 a year ago. The average price slipped 1 percent to $202,800 from $204,895 over the same period.

"The median price has dropped for four months in a row. That's significant," said Jim Lawrence, president of the association and a partner with LAH Real Estate. But Lawrence said the numbers signal a market in the middle of a correction, not a market in a depression.

"This is not a depressed market. All this is, is a standardization in the marketplace, which I think we need," he said. "But there are other parts of the country that have been hammered."

The inventory of homes for sale has risen significantly in Birmingham, just as it has nationwide, Lawrence said. He estimated it would take about 6½ months for Birmingham to absorb the supply. Average time on the market for a house that sold this year is 109 days, compared to 97 days for the same period in 2006.

"We have a large inventory because many of the sellers are still thinking it's a sellers market" and won't lower their prices, he said. "If they're overpriced, they're going to just sit there."

Robert Scott, former association president and owner of Re/Max Advantage in Birmingham, said the increased inventory means that buyers feel less of a sense of urgency to purchase a home.

"People are taking their time," he said. "But a correction every now and then is healthy for everybody."

Home sales are still brisk in the western part of the metro area, Scott said, because "the affordability is a good bit higher."

Gulf Coast boasts state's fifth tallest building

Contrary to worries that the Alabama Gulf Coast economy is sagging, Brett/Robinson, a real estate development and sales firm based in Orange Beach, celebrated the completion of the last floor, the towering 27th, of its mega-condominium Phoenix West on Friday.


Gov. Bob Riley and several hundred guests gathered in what will be the lobby - now a concrete shell - of the massive building, the 5th tallest in Alabama and just shy of the tallest, the 35-story Retirement Systems of Alabama Battle House Tower in Mobile.

With a completion date set about a year from now, Phoenix West will amass nearly $200 million in construction spending, and currently 1,540 workers are on the payroll, according to a presentation by Brett/Robinson.

Friday’s affair was held for the building’s construction workers, a celebration called a “topping out” party since concrete was recently poured for the final floor.

And with $57.6 million in construction wages paid to the Phoenix West crew, an estimated $1.1 million per year in property taxes that will be collected from the building, $735,000 in annual lodging tax, and an anticipated $2 billion in economic impact for Baldwin County, Gov. Riley assured guests that the Gulf Coast economy will continue to thrive.

Knowing listing contract types lets you tout your home best

Sunday, June 24, 2007
By ANNA THIBODEAUX
For The Times htimes@bellsouth.net

Agreement's form can vary, say local real estate agents

If you've decided to sell your house, then you may want to get a better understanding about listing contracts and getting your best listing to ensure you get the most from one of your most important investments.

To get a better feel on the significance of listing, consider that the North Alabama Multiple Listing Service (MLS) included 6,081 listings in May. Of that total, 1,170 houses were sold, with an average of 102 days on the market.

An exclusive right to sell contract is the mostly commonly used in the real estate business, say Regina Underwood, owner-broker of A Realty Group of North Alabama in Madison, and Cindy Allen, broker with Rise Real Estate-Chase Park. "Seller and buyer have representation and the property gets maximum exposure," Allen says. Under this contract, the seller is represented by one broker, who lists the property in the MLS so other brokers and agents can bring these listings to their buyers.

With this agreement, the agent or broker has exclusive right to sell your property, Underwood says. Basically, a seller who has any contact with anyone interested in the house must go through the agent to make the sale.

The agent or broker will help the seller market the house and to help prepare it for market by suggesting improvements to improve visibility and desirability. The only disadvantage some may see with the contract, she adds, is it requires the buyer to pay the agent's commission.

"It allows the agent to represent the seller as an advocate," Underwood says of one of the advantages of the arrangement. "This exclusive right to sell is hiring a professional to work for you."

Underwood said you also have the option to make an exclusion with this contract, which means it allows you to reserve the right to offer to sell the property to a particular, prospective buyer who does not have to pay an agent or broker commission. Even with the exclusion, the property is still listed on the MLS to generate other prospective buyers, and the listing will stipulate that it has an exclusion.

Underwood says she prefers to specify a time limit (typically 10 to 14 days) for the exclusion. If the prospective buyer passes on buying your property, the agent may have other interested buyers. Underwood said a possible disadvantage with this arrangement is that the seller may lack the experience to overcome some of the pitfalls that can arise in selling property, such as inspection issues and negotiating the sale.

"Our home is our heart and our whole being," she says, adding that some sellers aren't prepared to deal with personal attachments to the property to negotiate the sale.

If you want to eliminate the exclusion to go to an exclusive right to sell contract, then Underwood says you only to have to pay a fee (negotiated between you and agent or broker) and you're situated.

Office exclusive listing

Another type of listing contract is sometimes called an office exclusive agreement, in which the listing stays in the listing broker's office with no MLS entry, Allen says. The seller signs an MLS entry waiver saying there will be no co-broker and no sharing commission with other brokers. "The form states the seller understands the property may be negatively impacted by minimizing exposure to the market," she says.

An open listing contract is typically a for sale by owner or FSBO (pronounced fisbo by agents), Allen says. "The seller can have an agreement with multiple brokers to pay only the broker who brings the buyer," she says. "It's not really a good way to go because the seller has no representation. The seller is paying the broker to represent the buyer."

With a one-time showing contract, a broker or agent can approach a FSBO with an offer to show the property one time to a potential buyer, she says. Terms of this agreement should be outlined in writing prior to a showing, including the specified time to show the property (usually 24 to 48 hours). The seller agrees to pay a commission to the broker if the broker's buyer purchases the property.

Underwood says in this arrangement the agent would approach the seller to arrange a showing for a buyer client. At that time, the one-time showing agreement is situated so the agent will be paid a commission.

"This agreement allows me as the buyer to extend my agreement and representation with my agent to this FSBO," she says, "and to the commission for handling it."

Now that we've situated your contract, it's time to talk listing tips.

Allen's top listing tip is to price the property right. Underwood says knowing what buyers are looking to ensure the listing reflects those desires is vital in making a good listing. You want the listing to include those items like updated bathrooms, tile floors, and updated appliances and their colors.

"Don't put something like you've got a lovely home, and then I get calls about horrible paint colors or wallpaper" from buyers who have viewed the house, Underwood says. "A dead giveaway is offering carpeting and decorating allowances. That means, 'Hey, I'm really ugly - come over and buy me.' You've got to work on the positives. If the house is decorated poorly, emphasize the large lot, open spaces, etc. Emphasize the positives and not the decorating allowance."

A stronger listing hooks buyers, she says, with an opening sentence like "luxurious, French-country style home" or "kids can walk to the school" or open floor plan with vaulted ceilings."

According to Allen, a basic listing should include price, square footage, address, directions, room sizes, lot size, amenities, period of agreement, possession date, legal description and brokerage fee.
http://www.al.com

Fractionals Introduced in Alabama

Private residence clubs are well-positioned to initiate fractional ownership projects in the most exclusive locations, which now includes a stretch of coastal Alabama. The Residence Club at Bon Secour Village has recently announced its opening after receiving approval from the Alabama Real Estate Commission and has become the first fractional ownership resort program in the state.

The first homes available for fractional ownership are located in southern Alabama's Azalea Park neighborhood of the 945-acre Bon Secour Village. Each three story home is 3,900 square feet with three or four bedrooms - a typical size for most private residence clubs. Other features of the home include a bonus room on the third floor, 980 square feet of covered porches, and a butler's pantry. Like most private residence clubs, amenities here consist of tennis courts, swimming pools, a fitness center and concierge services. With these clubs, you’re buying a lifestyle of exclusivity, sophistication, and belonging.

The Residence Club at Bon Secour Village only plans to sell 83 homes, but more may be added later. Besides offering fractional ownership opportunities, Bon Secour Village also offers single-family homes, condominiums, and retail spaces. Ownership is going to be sold in 1/8th fractions (which equals six weeks) through Bon Secour Realty, starting at $239,000.

Not surprisingly, the best deals at private residence clubs go to those who sign up in the earliest phase. Developers must clear a pre-sale threshold to secure construction financing, and a well-timed prospect can cut an extraordinary deal. It’s a classic risk vs. reward payoff. Early buyers are equally well-positioned for market appreciation. Developers tend to keep initial retail prices lower to stimulate sales, build momentum, and increase the likelihood of a sellout. There is typically a 30+ percent price increase between the first and final phases. Developers seek to close out the property as quickly as possible – both to get paid sooner and to avoid competing with the first wave of resales.

The breadth of fractionals from Alabama to Los Cabos and The Caribbean can be further explored through Helium Report's online directory. Asking due diligence questions of the developers and being well-informed of other fractional options is key in making a smart purchasing decision.

Council OKs development ( real estate Fort Payne Alabama )

By Greg Purvis
Published June 22, 2007

The Fort Payne City Council voted to approve a rezoning request on land located at the southwest intersection of Alabama Avenue and 38th Street NW. Johnny Croft of Croft Land Surveying owns the land about 3.6 acres near Mi Casita restaurant in Fort Payne. Croft requested the city rezone the land from low-density to high-density residential district.

I don't have any final plans on utilizing the property, Croft said. My immediate plans are to make the property more attractive before I would consider initiating any building. I wanted to get the property zoned appropriately, that was the first step. Croft said making property marketable could often be difficult for developers because of zoning restrictions. Sometimes revamping a neighborhood is the only way to really work it, Croft said.

The council has discussed a number of zoning issues during recent council meeting work sessions. The council is also considering adding a zoning classification that would allow smaller lots to be developed as garden homes. This is popular in many areas, as people get a little older, they may not need as much space and may not want the upkeep of a large yard, said Fort Payne Mayor Bill Jordan.

Jordan said during Tuesday's council meeting he believes creating a zoning class to take advantage of this real estate trend is very progressive. Croft said he has not ruled out the possibility of developing homes to take advantage of these trends. I'm going to get the land cleaned up, and then I'll make some decisions about development, Croft said.
http://www.times-journal.com/report.lasso?WCD=9028 

Montgomery County foreclosure rates on rise

By Francis X. Gilpin

For those struggling to scrape together a down payment, it seems like the answer to buying a home: an adjustable-rate mortgage with an unbelievably low introductory interest rate and no money down.

Two years into the loan, however, the interest rate jumps. A much higher interest rate means a much higher house payment, which many families find they can't make.

And the American dream falls into foreclosure. It's a nightmare happening across the country and right here in Montgomery County, even in better neighborhoods.

The number of loans in the county written for more than $100,000 on homes that have gone into foreclosure almost doubled in the first three months of 2007, compared with the same quarter last year.

While the number of foreclosures countywide dipped slightly during the first quarter, a Montgomery Advertiser analysis of property records shows $100,000-plus mortgage foreclosures increased from 18 in 2006 to 32 for the January-to- March period this year.

Alabama Deputy Banking Superintendent Trabo Reed isn't surprised.

"This isn't atypical, from what we've been hearing," Reed said.

Alabama isn't unique, according to Scott W. Corscadden, who licenses mortgage brokers at the state Department of Banking.

"I'm a homeowner and I'm concerned," said Corscadden, who has attended conferences lately on the troubled mortgage industry. "I'm a regulator and I'm even more concerned."

Realtor J.C. Schulte is concerned, too.

Schulte listed a house for sale in east Montgomery's Young Pointe subdivision last month. A couple of doors away are two homes -- side by side -- that were recently sold to lenders by auctioneer or foreclosure deed.

James and Krista Coons, Schulte's clients, hope their former neighbors' failure to make the payments on $100,000-plus mortgages won't keep them from getting a fair price.

More and more homeowners with specific types of adjustable-rate mortgages are facing foreclosure. The mortgages devolve into essentially a 2-year balloon loan.

From 2002 to 2006, lenders heavily promoted sub-prime loans to borrowers with poor credit scores. Many of the loans required little or no money down. After a low introductory "teaser" rate of below 4 percent, the interest rate adjusts to a double-digit percentage. The monthly payments become unaffordable and foreclosure isn't far behind.

Many homebuyers qualified for their mortgages on a debt- to-income formula only for the teaser period, yet lenders wrote the mortgages anyway, Corscadden said.

The spike in foreclosures brought sub-prime loans to the attention of federal lawmakers. A Senate banking subcommittee called a hearing last fall.

"Sub-prime lending is not a small problem that affects only a few homeowners," Michael D. Calhoun, who heads the Center for Responsible Lending, told the senators. "One in every four home loans originated in 2005 was a sub-prime loan."

In 2005, Montgomery had the 16th highest sub-prime refinancing activity of more than 300 U.S. metropolitan areas studied by the Consumer Federation of America. Almost 22 percent of Montgomery area homeowners refinancing their mortgages were given a new interest rate 5 percentage points or higher than the U.S. Treasury rate.

By comparison, Decatur and Dothan each had about 25 percent of homeowners refinance. Mobile, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa each had approximately 20 percent.

Cinque J. Cullar purchased one of the houses on the circle where the Coons family lives. Although county records don't indicate his $158,000 loan came with an adjustable interest rate, a Decatur mortgage company apparently financed Cullar's entire March 2006 purchase.

The mortgage was sold in November to Wells Fargo Bank, which foreclosed and bought the property at auction for $167,402, the loan balance. For tax purposes, the county values the 1,794-square foot, two-story house at $169,600. Cullar, who couldn't be located for comment, held title for less than a year.

Real estate agent Schulte has noticed more and more higher- end Montgomery homes going into foreclosure.

"It's the result of what's going on with these sub-prime loans," Schulte said.

Corscadden, the banking official, and other regulators think the full impact of the loose lending practices hasn't been felt yet.

" '08 is the really worrying year," Corscadden said.
Source: http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com

Real estate agents welcome new state legislation on licenses

By Candace Roberson
06-20-2007

RE/Max Realty Pros and all other realty companies can now place “For Sale” signs like this one in yards all over the state without having to buy additional licenses.
Some real estate companies are in the dark when it comes to the new Alabama real estate legislation.
As of June 11, real estate agents in Alabama no longer have to buy a city license for every city they work in. Now if a broker buys one license for the city in which their office is located, the license will allow their agents to do business throughout the state.

Even though Gov. Bob Riley signed the legislation more than a week ago, word of the new law has yet to reach real estate professionals such as Greg Atkinson, associate broker of Atkinson Real Estate in Sylacauga.

“I heard about it, but I didn’t know it had passed,” he said.

Atkinson said he believes the bill passed at a good time.

“Spring and summer are usually busy seasons for us,” he said.

Ronnie Foster, owner of RE/Max Realty Pros in Pell City, also said he was glad the bill had passed.

“I didn’t feel like (the old law) was right anyway,” he said.

Foster, who is licensed in several cities, said the old law made it expensive to conduct business.

“In the past, whether it was Pell City, Lincoln, Talladega, each agent and the company would have to buy a license for each city,” he said. “This will definitely cut down on expenses.”

Foster isn’t the only one who has out-of-town customers.

“We have them all the time,” said Elaine Stringer, broker for RE/Max Hometown Realty in Talladega and a member of the Alabama Association of Realtors.

Stringer said the law will help her with her company’s listings.

“If I put a “For Sale” sign up, that meant I was doing business in that municipality and I had to buy a license,” she said. “But not now.”

According to the new law, except for business done in Jefferson, Shelby or Etowah counties, which have countywide municipal business licenses, no municipality may require an agent to buy a municipal business license unless the agent separately incorporates a business entity to receive his commission from his broker.

Though the guidelines are different for those three counties, the new law still applies in that any business done outside those counties does not require an additional license.

Country music stars make video in Enterprise

Associated Press - June 21, 2007 8:05 AM ET

ENTERPRISE, Ala. (AP) - Several country music heavy hitters spent part of this week in Enterprise, Alabama shooting a music video.

Singer Tracy Lawrence was in the southeast Alabama city to shoot the video for his new hit song "Find out who your friends are."

Fellow singers George Jones and Darryl Worley were also in Enterprise to shoot cameos for the video.

All three singers are involved in a real estate deal with developer Ronnie Gilley of Enterprise.

The video debuts on Country Music Television next month.

HUD counsel Couch touts housing:

June 21, 2007

Housing and Urban Development General Counsel Rob Couch spoke in Birmingham Wednesday at the Downtown Rotary Club's weekly luncheon.

It was a homecoming. Couch, who was sworn in as the federal agency's top lawyer Friday, worked from 1992 until 2006 as a top banker at Birmingham's New South Federal Savings Bank. In 2006, he was tapped as the president of Ginnie Mae, the government corporation that guarantees mortgage-backed securities.

He told the crowd the U.S. housing market is fine, with most of the half percentage point increase in foreclosures confined to areas where the most reckless real estate speculation happened.

"I prefer to see the glass as 98.5 percent full," Couch said of the 1.5 percent national foreclosure rate. "We need to make sure credit remains available." Russell Hubbard --

See Inside Homes Offers HD Marketing for Real Estate Listings

Birmingham, AL, June 14, 2007 --(PR.com)-- SeeInsideHomes.com is a revolutionary new website for real estate agents. Now agents have the opportunity to introduce buyers to their listings, and themselves, through HD video.

Unlike a virtual tour, which is actually still photography, using HD video allows a new level of property marketing. Agents are filmed talking about the property, and then a walk through is taken of the main rooms. Professional audio and a soundtrack are added to the production. The production is then available on Video On Demand cable, SeeInsideHomesTV.com, Brightcove.com, agent websites and marketing websites, HD DVDs, and even on portable devices such as PDAs, iPod, Zune, and PSP. See Inside Productions can be posted almost anywhere a virtual tour can, including realtor.com, but then exposure is increased by showing the listing on broadband tv sites as well as cable on demand.

Different packages are available, from free productions that agents video themselves, to a full production that includes one month of cable placement. Additional months of cable advertising are also available. All productions include broadband tv placement and mobile device downloads. Free productions can be upgraded to include audio and professional editing to improve the quality and flow of the video.

Video is the next natural medium for real estate. Realtor.com recently announced it will begin to offer video enhancement to listings, and several real estate companies have already begun to replace their virtual tour logos with video logos in anticipation of this type of product.

Taking advantage of technology is one of the most important steps in showcasing an agent’s sophistication and marketing abilities. Especially in markets that are more competitive, such as high end properties, it is important to make sure the property is available in every possible way. See Inside Homes allows you to See Inside Homes – whenever you want.

Careful consideration is key to buying home site
Sunday, August 26, 2007
By ANNA THIBODEAUX
For The Times htimes@bellsouth.net
Check schools, development, experts advise

If you're going to build a house you'll need land, but getting it can be a complex transaction fraught with pitfalls, so let us help you avoid them.

As a novice, gear up because this move requires considerable planning. First and foremost, you need to know that Alabama is a caveat emptor state, which means "buyer beware." Translation: due diligence or researching all aspects of any desired property is your job.

Robbie Lamb, who has 17 years experience in land brokerage as owner of Lamb Real Estate in Huntsville, advises hiring a professional to help you sort through the technical aspects of choosing land, because you could end buying costly problems that vex your transaction and ownership of that land down the road.

But if you hire someone, Lamb further advises, "No real estate agent should comment as to the quality of a school system or the quality of a neighborhood, so it's binding on us as a purchaser to do our research into the schools and neighborhoods."

With or without a professional, however, you should have a working knowledge about what it involves to buy land.

To get you rolling, Lamb applies what he calls the "DIPPER effect" to help you pinpoint what you're looking for in land use. DIPPER is his acronym for "development, investment, personal and private estate or recreation," and it may even help you decide whether your needs entail a combination of these uses, so you'll better match land to needs.

Steve Cappaert, broker associate with Averbuch Realty in Huntsville, agrees that sorting your wants and needs at the start is a strong move, because just finding what some buyers consider suitable land can be difficult.

"With the tremendous growth we have experienced locally, the demand for 'suitable' land has increased dramatically," he says.

Once you decide what category you're in - we'll assume it's the personal and private estate category - then it's time to focus on matching a property's logistics to your needs to help narrow your choices.

At this point, before you actually start scoping out property, Cappaert says you should also develop a fairly clear idea of what size and type of house you're going to build, as well as lining up a realistic budget.

All right, buckle up. We're going into the nuts and bolts of potential land issues, but we made you a nice checklist:

Did you really do your due diligence?

Lamb says not getting it done is a common land buyer mistake, especially by those who didn't ask enough questions. Remember, caveat emptor. You buy the problem, you own the problem.

Who really owns the property?

Get a title search done by an attorney. Cappaert says a successful legal claim on your land title could be catastrophic.

Do you know where you're buying?

Cappaert says there's more risk if you buy in the county, where there's no zoning. You'll also have to decide what you'll tolerate with neighbors. Lamb says by conducting full diligence by assessing your property's neighboring elements, you will likely determine the outcome of your investment.

What are the desired characteristics in your property?

Do you want flat, wooded, mountainous or rolling hills? Lamb says there is no perfect parcel of land, but there are many more colorful ones or those with a better setting.

How do you access the property?

If you have an easement, you need to check its quality, condition or terms, Lamb says. If you don't check, you may discover later that others have an easement to your property, including the government or a neighbor or just about anyone. He adds be sure you know what encumbers the land before you buy, or you'll have to live with others having access to your property.

Did you check utilities?

Lamb says if the land has electricity, but not public water, then check with neighbors on the quality of their well water and how difficult it was to find it. Cappaert says buyers often overlook utilities, and a problem can increase construction costs substantially, especially in mountainous areas where contractors could charge by the hour.

Does the property perk?

If it doesn't, Lamb says that may not be a problem if you have public sewer service. Cappaert says most county land has no access to this service. A basic perk test will establish requirements for a septic system. Before you buy, ask the seller to provide evidence on if the land perks. Cappaert also warns that if you can't get a county permit to install a septic system then you can't build on that land, so check this before closing on any land.

Are you in a flood zone?

Lamb says being in one doesn't necessarily mean that it's detrimental to the property's overall value. It may have a creek running through the land, which means the affected area only runs along the creek banks. If you comply with flood zone requirements in construction, he says you shouldn't have a problem and could end up with a unique piece of property. A lender will typically require a flood certification, which is typically inexpensive, to identify this for you.

Does it matter if growth sprawls next to your property?

Lamb says you may not mind it raising property values or your equity, but it could be a problem to someone retired who wanted a getaway place, so the potential for future development needs to be checked before buying the property.

Do you know your boundaries?

In land, that's a must. Lamb says that someone else's fence may be on your prospective land. Cappaert advises getting a survey done unless the property is in a subdivision where it's already been done. Even then, it's not a bad idea because of potential problems like fences, driveways or questions with easements.

Who owns the mineral rights?

If someone else owns the rights they can lease the land to an oil company or methane gas company to drill a well on it without your permission.

Did you walk the land?

Cappaert says that with Internet shopping more people are buying land based on photographs or video, but you could be buying problems, too. He says this is just another part of the buyer's need to conduct full due diligence.

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