The Land Buyer's Checklist
The printable list I walk through with my land buyers in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties. Four pages, fill-in notes lines, and it starts with the thing that sinks the most deals.
What's inside
Use it during your feasibility period, before you're locked in. Bring it to every showing.
- Wetlands & streams. How to spot them on the county map and on the ground, and when to call a wetland biologist.
- Septic. Where to pull existing records in each county, and what a soil evaluation tells you.
- Water. Well logs, flow and quality tests, and water availability letters.
- Access. Recorded easements, road maintenance agreements and driveway permits.
- Zoning & buildable area. Lot size, slopes, flood areas and setbacks.
- Utilities. Power, internet and cell signal.
- Survey & title. Boundaries, CC&Rs, encroachments, mineral and timber rights.
- Costs beyond the price. A fill-in worksheet so you can compare parcels honestly.
THE #1 DEAL-KILLER I SEE
Wetlands. A pretty, flat, affordable parcel can turn out to have almost nowhere you're allowed to build. That's why it's first on the list.
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Got your eye on a piece of land?
I'm happy to take a look with you. No pressure, no homework.
General information for Washington land buyers, not legal, engineering or environmental advice. County rules and websites change, so confirm everything with the county and qualified professionals. Updated October 2026.