1. The APN
Every parcel in America has an assessor's parcel number. If a listing doesn't show one, close the tab. If it does, type it into the county assessor's website and see whose name comes up. It should be the seller's company. Ours show the APN on every listing, top of the page.
2. The coordinates
Put them into Google Maps. Switch to satellite. Is it where the photos say it is? Is there a road? Is there a lake next to it, or a landfill? You can learn more in ninety seconds of satellite view than in an hour of reading adjectives.
3. The county's rules
Zoning, minimum build size, camping days, RV rules, whether a mobile home is allowed. The seller should print these. If they don't, call the county planning office. They answer, and they're usually happy someone asked before buying.
4. The total, not the monthly
Take the monthly payment. Multiply by the number of months. Add the down payment and any fees. Compare it with the cash price. If the seller won't show you that math, they've done it and don't want you to. We print it on every listing, next to a slider that lets you change it.
5. The seller's name and face
This is the one people skip. Find the human. Name, photo, address, a phone number that rings through to a person. Search the name. A company that won't tell you who's behind it is telling you something. Mine is on the About page.
6. What happens if you change your mind
Read the refund terms before you pay, not after. What comes back, what doesn't, how many days. Ours: 90 days, down payment back. Written down, here.
7. Who records the deed, and when
Ask exactly what document you get when you pay, and when the deed goes in your name. With us: the agreement when your payment clears, the recorded deed when the last payment clears, or right away if you pay cash. Any seller should be able to answer this in one sentence.
The worksheet
If the seller can't fill in every line for you on the phone, that's your answer.
Want $100 off any parcel? Join the list below. The code comes with new land 48 hours before it's public.
P.S. If you run a parcel of ours through all seven and something doesn't add up, call me and tell me which one. (904) 456-0972. I'd rather fix it than sell it.
