BEFORE YOU BUY
THE LAND
Know what a parcel will really cost to build on — before it's yours.
LAND & LOT EVALUATION
The smartest building decision happens before escrow.
Every parcel tells two stories: the one you see — the view, the trees, the quiet — and the one underneath it: the slope, the soils, the well, the fire zone, the utilities path. Buyers who know both stories before they sign build with confidence, and put their budget into the home rather than into the ground.
We evaluate land for our clients constantly across Placer, El Dorado, Nevada, and Sacramento Counties — and the conversation starts free, on the phone, before you have spent a dollar.
POWER & UTILITIES
Distance to power, trenching runs, and propane vs natural gas — priced before they become surprises.
FIRE-ZONE REQUIREMENTS
The parcel’s fire-severity designation and what Chapter 7A construction will require of the home you build there.
PERMITS & ZONING
County or city jurisdiction, setbacks, easements, and anything recorded on the title that shapes what you can build.
SLOPE & SOILS
How much of the parcel is truly buildable, what foundations it will take, and what the grading and any retaining will cost.
ACCESS & DRIVEWAY
Can trucks, concrete, cranes and emergency vehicles reach the homesite? Long driveways need consideration in the budget.
WATER & SEPTIC
Municipal connections for sewer and water, or well and septic? Perc tests, well yields and connection fees each have their own budget criteria.
WHAT WE EVALUATE
Six things every foothill parcel must answer
HOW IT WORKS
Start with a free phone consultation about the parcel — its location, its listing, and what you hope to build. From there we can walk the land with you, flag what the county records and terrain imply, and give you a realistic picture of site costs alongside the home itself. The phone call costs nothing. Walking the parcel is $150. If the lot is right, you buy with certainty. If it isn't, we just saved you from the most expensive mistake in custom building.
FREE LOT GUIDE
Twelve steps to buying land you can actually build on
The order to do things in, what to check before you remove contingencies, and the six questions every foothill parcel has to answer. Written for people who have not bought raw land before. Five pages.
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