Great questions! And here are some more things to ask before buying raw land... GENERAL LEGAL ISSUES 1) Is this a legal lot? If not, how do I make it legal? 2) Are there any existing liens against the property? 3) Does the Zoning on the property permit my project? 4) Are there any existing zoning violations on the lot? 5) Are there any cultural heritage sites on the property? 6) Does the deed also convey the mineral rights to me? (Don't be surprised if it doesn't b/c on almost all land, the mineral rights have been divided from the surface rights. But do find out what minerals are likely to be located in your area and who owns those rights. Consider the possibility that the owner of the mineral rights may decide to mine for them. Laws generally give mineral rights owners amazingly broad rights of access to the surface property as NEEDED in order for them to reach their underground minerals. You do NOT want someone deciding to drill an oil well or strip mine for copper in YOUR back yard. It might be worthwhile to find out who owns the mineral rights and whether they would be willing to sell those rights to you for a small fee.) NATURAL HAZARDS 7) Is the site subject to flooding? (Get a FEMA flood plain map and do NOT plan to build inside of or very near a 100 year flood plain. Even better, don't build in a 500 year flood plain!) 8) Is the area subject to any other natural (or semi-natural) hazards? (landslides, forest fires, earthquakes, faults, subsidence, liquifaction, etc. ACCESS ISSUES 9) Does the lot have legal access to a public road? (For example, if the only access to the public road system is via a private road over a neighboring property, will the buyer of the lot acquire a legal right to drive over that private road?) 10) Does the existing access roadway meet the fire department access requirements? If not adequate, what will it cost to improve the road? SEWER/SEPTIC 11) Is the lot served by a public sewer system? If so, what is the sewer connection fee and does the sewer district have the capacity to serve my lot? 12)If public sewer connection is not available, will I be able to install a septic system on the lot? If a perc test has already been done, what were the results? (IF NOT, AND YOUR ARE GOING TO NEED A SEPTIC SYSTEM, MAKE THE CONTRACT CONTINGENT ON PERC RESULTS THAT WILL ALLOW FOR AN ADEQUATELY SIZED SEPTIC SYSTEM!) WATER 13) Is the lot served by a public water system? If so, does the water purveyor have enough capacity to serve the lot? Do water lines already run to the edge of my property and if not, how far away are there and how much will it cost to get them to my property? How much is the water connection fee? How long does it take to get a water hookup? 14) If the lot is not served by a public water system, is it possible to drill a water well on my property? How much is drilling a well likely to cost? 15) Does the local fire department have water pressure requirements that I must meet before I can build? OTHER UTILITIES 16) Does the lot already have access to electricity, gas, telephone, cable, trash pick-up services, etc. If not, what is it going to cost to get these services to the lot? HOA 17) Does a Homeowners Association have jurisdiction over the lot? 18) Are there any Homeowner Association or Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R�s) related to the development or use of the lot? 19) What deed restrictions exist on the lot? SURVEYING 20) Has the lot been recently surveyed? (Get a copy of the survey but also have your own survey done BEFORE you buy... and either be on site when the survey is being done or have the survey company mark the boundaries with very clear markers that YOU can see. You don't want to purchase land, start building and then discover that the land you actually purchased is the next one over from the one that you thought you purchased and started building on! BUILDING PERMITS 21) What building permits are required to build on the property and what do those permits cost?

We were in much the same boat. We opted for mid-grade windows as an upgrade, an ICF basement which was an upgrade, installing the footings for our future deck now (when it's easier and cheaper, even though it wasn't in the initial build budget), upgraded flooring in the main space (bc it had better longevity), upgraded cabinetry, countertops. The front door. Sprayfoam insulation. The shower (steam shower) and bathtub because I'm pretty sure we'll have to use a chainsaw to get them out of there (tub is a 5'x6' 2-person jacuzzi...you can imagine). The kitchen sink was also an upgrade (pain to reinstall with the granite counters), along with the stove top (my man is an amazing cook and well...kinda deserved the spoiling since he makes dinner). In-floor heat because my old job involved showering 8 times a day in cold rooms, and I deserve to be warm after a shower. Sound proofing and insulation because again, it would be expensive to do later. We skimped on bathroom cabinetry because it's easy to replace and remembering my parents' house, it takes a ton of abuse from kids (which someday hopefully not too far in the future will occupy the space). Likewise bedroom flooring, light fixtures (did a ton of online shopping to get cheap but attractive, not a million hideous "boob" lights flushmounted everywhere). Toilets I bought $80 low flush ones with $10 seats because I really don't care about the 5 minutes I spend there a day). Fridge and stove I bought good, attractive appliances at discounted prices. They'll break in 5 years even if I bought more expensive ones. Door handles, trim, the drybar because it's easy to replace later. Same for the pantry cabinets which are currently shelves. Closet organizers because I want to spend time designing something cool.

Why not do a photo search here for fantasy brown counters. There will be lots of pictures with all sorts of variations on flooring, cabinetry, and wall colors etc. I would focus on the ones that appeal to you the most and then head in that direction for your selections. You really need to zero in on what combos you actually like and what about a photo is drawing you in. Collect them all into an ideabook if you haven’t already. No question, I would make all the flooring the same across your entire kitchen and living space (wood). But along with others, I would caution you about very dark flooring. I know of no one personally who would go that route again....floors that dark show every speck of dust and dirt and it’s a real chore to keep them looking good without constant vacuuming/dusting. Also, unless you have tons of sunshine and natural light with lots of windows, those floors will suck the light right out of the room. Remember that many of the photos you see here with dark flooring and a bright interiors have been manipulated with artificial lighting or shadow brightening in photoshop or have tons of windows. You need to analyze your own space to determine what you’re dealing with. It was also suggested that you go with super bright LED’s that mimic daylight. I personally would not want my nighttime interior to look like daylight. That is very harsh lighting that many find unappealing because it can look cold (even when using dimmers). I prefer a softer warmer light. But that is my personal choice. Just be careful to figure out the look that appeals to YOU.....do not simply go with suggestions that are made here, but ask “why” questions and see if the answers really work for your tastes and situation.

I have purchased a number of older homes, and this sounds like par for the course for me. All this "money pit" and "walk away" stuff is perplexing. If you want a new home, then get one. If you want one from 1960, it is going to have systems near the end of their lives and some items to repair. Anything already disclosed or already visually obvious is off the table. No Seller is going to rebuild the deck for you, or replace a roof that is not leaking. You are buying what you see. The only reason for inspection is to reveal unknown issues you will have to deal with in the future. I'd ask for repair of the electrical issues because those can be safety issues. Then evaluate the cost of a new roof and a new deck, compare that with the cost of a similar house in perfect new repair, and ask for some reasonable dollar amount or amount off the purchase price. If you cannot afford to repair these items, think twice about an older home.