KPA LAND BLOG

A parcel doesn't have to look swampy to have wetlands on it. A dry-looking meadow, a stand of trees, even a gently sloped field can meet the legal definition if the soil, vegetation, and seasonal water patterns line up — and if they do, that part of the property may come with real limits on what you can build, clear, or grade. Here's what wetlands designations actually are, why they catch land buyers off guard, and how to check a parcel before you buy. What Is a Wetland, Lega

A parcel can clear every zoning and access check and still carry a risk that doesn't show up in any of those reviews: wildfire. Like flood zones, wildfire risk is a hazard designation tied to the land itself, and it can affect what you're able to build, how much it costs to insure, and how easy the property is to finance or resell. Here's what wildfire risk zones actually are, why they catch buyers off guard, and how to check a parcel's risk before you buy. What Is a Wildfire

A parcel can have road access, utilities nearby, and zoning that allows exactly what you want to build — and still not be buildable, because the soil won't absorb wastewater the way a septic system needs it to. If there's no public sewer line, septic isn't optional. It's the only way to handle wastewater, and not every piece of land can support one. That's where a perc test comes in. Here's what it actually measures, why some lots fail it, and how to find out before you're un

A parcel can pass every zoning check in the county and still come with rules that are just as limiting — written not by the government, but by a previous owner, a developer, or a homeowners association. These are deed restrictions, and unlike zoning, they travel with the land itself. Here's what deed restrictions and CC&Rs actually are, why they catch buyers off guard, and how to find out what's recorded against a specific parcel before you buy. What Are Deed Restrictions (CC

Getting to a parcel is only half the access question. Once you're standing on it, you still have to ask whether you can actually live on it or build on it — and that comes down to water, power, and waste disposal. A lot of buyers assume these things can always be added later. Sometimes that's true. Sometimes it adds tens of thousands of dollars to a project, or rules it out entirely. Here's what utility access really means for vacant land, why it's worth checking before you b

A great price on a parcel doesn't mean much if you can't actually get to it. Every year, buyers close on land only to discover afterward that there's no legal way to reach it from a public road — no deeded easement, no recorded right-of-way, nothing but a neighbor's driveway they happen to be using informally. That's a landlocked parcel, and it's one of the costliest things to find out about after closing instead of before. Here's what "landlocked" actually means, why it matt

Not every risk on a piece of land is visible when you walk the property. One of the easiest things to overlook, and one of the most expensive to discover after closing, is whether the parcel sits in a flood zone. Flood zone status affects more than whether the land occasionally gets wet. It can determine whether you're required to carry flood insurance, how much it costs, what it takes to get a building permit, and even whether a lender will finance the purchase at all. Here'

You've found the perfect parcel. The price is right, the location checks every box, and you're ready to sign. But there's one question a lot of buyers forget to ask: who owns what's underneath the land? Owning land doesn't always mean owning everything about it. In many parts of the country, the rights to oil, gas, coal, and other minerals below the surface can be separated from the land itself, bought, sold, and inherited independently of the property on top of them. If you

Buying vacant land is one of the smartest financial decisions you can make. It's tangible, it's scarce, and when chosen wisely, it tends to grow in value steadily over time. But like any investment, land ownership comes with responsibilities — and the buyers who protect their investment from day one are the ones who get the most out of it in the long run. The good news? Protecting a land investment is far simpler than protecting most other asset classes. There are no tenants

If you've been paying attention to the economy over the past few years, one word has probably been on your mind more than most: inflation. The rising cost of groceries, gas, housing, and just about everything else has pushed investors — from seasoned professionals to everyday savers — to ask a critical question: where do I put my money so it doesn't lose value? Stocks? They can be volatile. Bonds? They often lose ground during inflationary periods. Cash? It's literally shrink

When you buy a piece of vacant land, you expect it to be yours — completely and fully. And in most cases, it is. But there's one concept in real estate that can complicate that picture in ways many first-time buyers don't anticipate: easements. Easements are one of the most common — and most misunderstood — aspects of land ownership. They show up on title reports, property surveys, and deeds all the time, and yet most buyers aren't entirely sure what they mean or how they aff

Imagine waking up on your own land, stepping outside with a cup of coffee, and gazing out at the same breathtaking landscape that draws millions of visitors every year — except you don't have to drive hours to get there, fight for a campsite, or check out by noon. You're already home. That's the reality for landowners who own property near national parks — and it's one of the most compelling reasons to consider location just as carefully as price when buying vacant land. At K