If you’re thinking about buying or selling land in Northern Virginia, then you need to work with an agent who has experience with land sales. Here are a few good questions to ask as you interview different land agents:
Does the agent have experience buying or selling land for his own personal use or investment purposes?
It would be a little unusual to find an agent who has never bought or sold a house, but very few agents have ever bought or sold land. An agent with experience buying and selling land for himself can put himself in the shoes of his land clients, and he will know the right questions to ask of land buyers and sellers.
How many land clients has the agent represented in the past year, and can he provide references?
Land transactions should account for a substantial portion of the agent’s business. In terms of references, it can be useful to interview both buyers and sellers the agent has represented.
Has the agent taken any specialized courses in land brokerage, such as those offered through the Realtors Land Institute or the Urban Land Institute?
The Realtors Land Institute tends to offer classes more focused on rural, farmland, recreational land, and transitional land. The Urban Land Institute leans more towards residential development and commercial land use.
Is the agent familiar with local county regulations and restrictions that could influence the value and permissible uses of a given parcel of land in Northern Virginia?
To cite one example, in Loudoun County, land located in the Mountainside Development Overlay District may be subject to different engineering standards that could increase development costs.
If you’ve got any questions about buying or selling land in Northern Virginia, contact Jonathan Kennedy @ 202-750-4050.
