Resources for land investors
Tools, checklists, and reference materials to help you evaluate and close land deals faster.
Land Due Diligence Checklist
- Verify ownership via county Property Appraiser
- Check for back taxes at county Tax Collector
- Search for liens at county Official Records
- Confirm road access (deeded, not just physical)
- Check FEMA flood zone designation
- Check NWI wetlands data
- Verify zoning at county planning dept
- Confirm acreage via survey or county GIS
- Check HOA/POA dues and restrictions
- Research comparable sales (vacant land comps)
- Confirm parcel is not landlocked
- Review any deed restrictions or easements
Quick Reference Links
Understanding Flood Zones
- Zone X
- Minimal flood risk — most favorable
- Zone AE
- High risk — 1% annual flood chance
- Zone VE
- Coastal high-risk with wave action
- Zone A
- High risk — no detailed analysis
- Zone D
- Undetermined risk
Understanding Wetlands
Wetlands are among the most important factors to check when evaluating vacant land. Federally protected wetlands are regulated under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act — disturbing them without a permit can result in significant fines.
The NWI (National Wetlands Inventory) is a free USFWS database that maps wetland locations across the country. It's not 100% definitive — a formal wetland delineation by a certified wetlands scientist is the only way to be certain — but it's a fast and free first check.
Every lead on Motivated Land Leads includes an NWI wetlands indicator so you know before you call whether wetlands are a potential issue.
Ready to put this to work?
Browse available leads — every one comes pre-enriched with comparable sales, AI valuations, parcel maps, zoning data, GPS coordinates, and a full AI property brief. Every lead is downloadable as a CSV or print-ready PDF.
Get Access Free