Buying Land for Beginners: Avoid Buying A Lemon With This Land Buying Checklist
Buying Land for Beginners
Avoid Buying A Lemon With This Land Buying Checklist
Kenton Zerbin
ASA Founder
Are you looking to buy property but worried about making mistakes?
In this article, we are going to go over a checklist for beginners looking to buy land.
It will save you thousands of dollars, reduce stress, & save years of time…
Because switching properties?
That sucks. Let’s get it right the first time.
Here’s what we’re going to cover:
1. What Kind of Land Should You Buy?
2. Where Should You Buy Land?
3. What is Zoning & Why is it Important?
1. What Kind of Land Should You Buy?
✅CHECKLIST ITEM #1: Establish Clear Goals
The biggest mistake when buying land? Not having clear goals.
Your goals change everything – where you look, what you buy, how you design.
Be CRYSTAL clear on what you want and why you’re buying land…
Otherwise, you’ll build a property that’s perfect for someone else, not you.
For example:
- -do you want a property that’s low-maintenance?
- -Or is it being productive or ornamental more important?
- -How do you weigh cost vs. size vs. location vs. (insert priorities here).
The list is endless and very personal!
Want help exploring your priorities?
I use a simple goal-setting exercise with all clients and students. It’s available for free in this mini-course:
“Plan Your Land Like a Pro Using Permaculture Design”
2. Where Should You Buy Land?
✅CHECKLIST ITEM #2: Make a Priority List
✅CHECKLIST ITEM #3: Create a Priority Map
✅CHECKLIST ITEM #4: Do Budget Mapping
Once your goals are clear, it’s time to choose where.
Here are three powerful strategies to help:
Strategy #1:
The Personal Priority List
Grab a pencil and make three columns:
a) What/Who
b) Importance Level (1–5)
c) Max Travel Distance (in 15-minute blocks)
In Column A, list what matters: airports, hospitals, schools, family, farmers’ markets, etc.
In Column B, rank how important each one is.
In Column C, write your max travel distance.
P.S. This is especially helpful for couples — you may have different priorities. This exercise helps you discover, honor, and align them before shopping.
Strategy #2:
The Priority Map
If you know your the general region you want to buy land, you can use a map (digital or paper) to plot everything from your list.
Draw circles around pins to show max drive time (e.g. a 60 min rural drive is 100km / 60 miles). When you layer these circles, you’ll see your ideal search zone.
P.S. We teach you digital mapping in our 36+ hour program, or get it done for you as a consulting client.
Strategy #3:
Use Budget to Guide Location
Next, let’s ground this in reality: what can you afford?
Use real estate platforms to filter for size, price, features, and zoning.
You’ll quickly notice pricing trends.
Desirable land (near everything and with ideal features) comes at a premium.
If your budget doesn’t match your dream (yet), you have three options:
- Increase your distance from key features (stick to your non-negotiables)
- Start smaller, with less land, a smaller house, or raw land
- Generate income from the land through food, guest stays, or education
P.S. I help clients 1-on-1 start up land-based revenue models and teach my students how to respectively leverage land for abundance – including financial opportunities.
3. What is Zoning & Why is it Important?
✅CHECKLIST ITEM #5: Do Zoning Research
Zoning is the rulebook for what you can and can’t do on land.
That includes:
- What buildings are allowed
- Whether you can have animals (and how many)
- If you can run a business
- Hosting guests, events, or workshops
- How you access power, water, and waste systems
Zoning varies by municipality and can’t always be changed.
Even if you request a change, it can be denied, be expensive, or be slow.
ALWAYS look up the zoning document from the city or town where the property is located. They’re usually online and public.
I recommend:
- Reading the glossary and table of contents first
- Booking a meeting with local planning staff (they’re usually helpful if you’re polite!)
- Uploading the zoning document into ChatGPT or another AI and asking questions
This one step could save you from buying a property where your dream can’t happen.
Why I Want To Help You Buy Land
I’ve helped hundreds of students and clients around the world buy land and build a life on it. And I want to help you too.
I believe humans can be a regenerative force on this planet.
We can be a keystone species.
We can create abundance.
We can thrive.
And it all starts with the land we buy, care for, and design well.
Let’s get you started with the right land.
In Review: Buying Land Checklist For Beginners
There’s a lot to consider when buying land but it can also be incredibly empowering and exciting.
Here’s your checklist to help you get the right land:
✅ Set clear goals
✅ Make a Priority List
✅ Create a Priority Map
✅ Do Budget Mapping
✅ Research Zoning
Want to go deeper? I can help in 3 ways:
(Click below)
Thanks for reading and happy land hunting!
Kenton Zerbin
ASA Founder
one person,
one property,
one community
at a time.”
All Rights Reserved.
