Ask in writing wherever you can. An email reply is evidence; a phone call is a memory. And ask before any money moves, not after.
The parcel itself
- What is the APN or parcel number? If a seller cannot produce one immediately, stop. Everything else depends on this.
- What is the legal description? You need it to look the parcel up independently.
- Who is the current owner of record? Then verify it at the county yourself. Land fraud works by impersonating absent owners.
- Is there legal access — public road frontage or a recorded easement? "You can drive there" is not access. A recorded right is.
- Who maintains the road, and is it passable year round?
- What is the zoning, and what does it permit? Get the classification, then confirm with the county what it allows.
- Is any part in a flood zone, wetland or protected habitat?
- Has a perc test been done, and is it still valid? Some expire. Without a passing perc there is often no septic, and without septic there is often no building.
- Is the acreage surveyed, and are the boundaries marked?
- Are the mineral rights included, or have they been severed? Severed minerals can mean someone else has the right to disturb your surface.
- What are the annual property taxes?
- Are there back taxes or liens, and who clears them?
- What utilities reach the parcel, and what would connection cost?
The financing structure
- On closing day, will a deed be recorded in my name? The single most important question on this page. Why →
- If not, when does the deed transfer, and what exactly do I hold until then?
- What is the interest rate? Almost nobody in this industry publishes one. Ask anyway, and get a number.
- What is the full payment schedule, and is there a balloon payment? Ask for the amortisation schedule and read the last line.
- Is there a prepayment penalty? What to look for →
- Is my down payment refundable, and is the document fee separate? The usual answers →
- Is there an existing mortgage or lien on this parcel? Verify independently. Why this matters →
What happens if something goes wrong
- How many missed payments put me in default?
- Do you forfeit or foreclose, and does my equity survive? The difference →
- What notice do I get, and how long is the cure period? What is reasonable →
- Can this note be sold or assigned to someone else?
- What happens to my position if you die, or your company fails? Ask it plainly. The reaction tells you as much as the answer.
Three more worth adding
- Can I build before the land is paid off? Several sellers prohibit this, and permits often require title in your name.
- Who handles closing — a title company, an attorney, or you? Escrowed funds and a professional closing are worth the cost.
- Will you provide a written payoff statement on request? You will need one to refinance or sell.
The two rules behind the list
Verify independently. A seller's answers are a starting point, not a conclusion. The county recorder, the assessor and the planning department will all talk to you for free. One veteran land-buying guide puts it bluntly: "I would not rely entirely on their answers."
Pay a lawyer to read the contract. A real-property attorney in the state where the land sits, costing a few hundred dollars against a purchase of many thousands. It is the highest-return money in the transaction, and the discomfort any seller shows about it is itself a finding.
General information, not legal advice. Land law is state law and varies considerably.