NE Metro-Can you buy just a building lot anywhere?

Mrs. Grouse and I have been talking about moving for quite a while. We have looked at existing houses and we have determined that neither of us is willing to take on someone else’s mistakes. The bottom line is that I just can’t live with the construction quality that we’ve seen so far.

Honestly, we’ve looked at so-called “high end” developments (with prices to match) with homes that are less than 10 years old. On first glance they look fine, but on closer inspection they were trash. Crooked walls, low end millwork, cheap windows with broken seals, particle board cabinets dressed to look like hardwood, HVAC and plumbing from no-name makers and they look like a monkey did the plumbing/installs, etc, etc.

Bottom line is that we want to build and as I’ve always done, I want to be my own general contractor. I want to buy a lot, pick my own plan, and have it built my way.

The problem is that on most of the reality websites, I don’t see any listings for just buildable lots. Lots of cookie cutter “buy a lot, choose 1 of 3 available plans, and let our preferred builder screw you” type of deals.

I have my own plans (yes, actual blueprints done by my own architect), I don’t want cookie cutter, and I don’t want to pay builder to mark up everything twice. I’m the GC and I’ll sub everything that I want subbed and source my own materials.

Two questions:

Is it even possible to just buy land/a building lot anywhere in the NE suburban area?

Basically, anywhere north of 94, outside of 694, and as far north as Hugo and as far east as 35 E? Can it even be done or do strip development companies control all the land and just a lot is a no-go?

– Where should I be looking for land? I’m finding nothing on Edina or the other big national sites. Am I looking in the wrong places?

Has anyone else built their own house on their own lot in the NE? I’d love to hear from you.

Grouse

Edinarealty.com, pick your desired city, then refine your search criteria to only show Lots/Acreage under “type”

Grouse, your most likely seeing the builder’s listings which would be the (or multiple builders) that completed the lot improvement; thus the exclusive building rights.

Try to do listings on vacant land or available land. Working through a realtor to sort out all the bs that you don’t wantr to look at or won’t consider might be a good route.

Check out http://www.landwatch.com/

I’ve been trying to find bigger parcels of land north of metro, but I did a quick search for Lino Lakes and found some buildable lots available.

Check and search on here:

MLS Online

I’ll check with my Son inlaw. He is a building inspector and Septic Designer/Inspector in NE Metro. He has knowledge of many lots, and options with many Realtors.

I’ll have him PM you if he has some info.

Quote:

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Check and search on here:

MLS Online

I’ll check with my Son inlaw. He is a building inspector and Septic Designer/Inspector in NE Metro. He has knowledge of many lots, and options with many Realtors.

I’ll have him PM you if he has some info.

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Using the link, searching for Lot/Land I found numerous parcels from $20,000 to $3,200,000.

Easy and quick, lets you view other info. too.

I appreciate all the suggestions and feedback so far, thanks guys.

I should note that there are two challenges that rule out strip and cookie cutter developments. First, my design is a modern home. And by modern, I mean modern-modern as in something you’d see in Dwell Magazine modern.

The second challenge is that I need a shop/studio/storage building seperate from the house. Many cornfield developments have bans on additional buildings or restrict them to just a garden shed, which isn’t going to fly.

I’ll be looking at the suggeted sites tonight, but keep the info coming. I’m still hoping that this won’t be mission impossible, but I guess time will tell.

Grouse

Pleanty of buildable lots out there with your requirements. I’m in the NW metro and can find a lot with a phone call. Most lots around here wont stop me from building an extra garage as long as were not talking 12 thousand sq. foot lots. Out side the immediate metro shouldn’t be a problem. Those listings above should get you some where. Another thing you can do is find an area you want to be in and drive through you should be able to find some signs (Lots for sale) or try finding the developer.

Just so I’m not misunderstood, I’m certainly not saying that all newer houses are trash or are poorly built. I’ve seen plenty of quality homes that I would consider well-built.

My original post was just relating our experience after looking at a number of newer houses where the owners clearly had been sold on qauality and high-end materials/finishes. It was obvious to me that they were sold a lot of snakeoil and they probably had no idea that they had been duped by the developer.

What I was seeing was walls that were 1 inch out of plumb or with visble waves/bows, doors that were out of square, crooked drywall with bad tape/seams, “solid hardwood” cabinets that were actually vaneered particle board with screws already pulling out, undersized HVAC systems, houses advertised as having been built with all Andersen windows that had no Andersen markings in the usual places, and tiled showers that were cracked and leaking. The list was endless.

I have seen much better construction quality in homes costing half as much.

It’s this issue of construction quality that convinced me that the only way I could be sure I was getting what I pay for is for me to be the GC again.

Grouse