Give somebody who has been living on a small subdivision lot long enough, and eventually I hear it:
“Lisa, I just want some LAND.”
I get it. 😂
Room for a workshop. A garden. Chickens. A boat or RV. Maybe a big porch where your morning coffee doesn't include staring directly into your neighbor's kitchen window.
Homes with acreage are one of the things buyers can still find as they move farther outside Savannah into areas such as Effingham, Bryan, Bulloch and Screven counties.
But here's what I tell my buyers:
Don't fall in love with the acreage until we know what you can actually do with it.
Buying a house with several acres isn't quite the same as buying a home in a traditional neighborhood.
There are some questions we need to ask.
1. What Is the Property Zoned For?
This is one of the first things I want to know, especially if you have plans beyond simply living there.
Maybe you're dreaming about:
- Building a workshop
- Keeping animals
- Adding another home for a family member
- Running a business from the property
- Parking commercial equipment
- Adding an RV hookup
- Eventually dividing the property
Don't assume that because there's plenty of land, you're automatically allowed to do those things.
Acreage doesn't equal permission.
Zoning classifications, local ordinances, setbacks and other restrictions can affect what you're allowed to build and how you can use the property.
If a particular use is important to you, we need to investigate it before you buy, not after closing when you've already ordered the chicken coop. 😂
2. Are There Restrictions Beyond Zoning?
“No HOA!”
For some buyers, those might be the three most beautiful words in the English language. 😂
But no homeowners association doesn't necessarily mean no restrictions.
A property can potentially have recorded covenants, easements, deed restrictions or other limitations that affect its use.
That's why we don't stop at:
“There's no HOA, so I can do whatever I want.”
We verify.
Especially if there's something specific you intend to do with the property.
3. Where Are the Property Lines?
Five acres sounds pretty straightforward.
Until you're standing there asking:
“Okay...where exactly are my five acres?”
Don't assume a fence is the property line.
Don't assume where the grass gets cut is the property line.
And please don't assume the seller's cousin pointing toward a pine tree and saying, “I think it goes to about there,” is a survey. 😂
Depending on the circumstances, an existing or new survey can be extremely important when buying acreage.
You want to understand what you're actually purchasing.
4. How Do You Access the Property?
Most people don't think much about access when buying a house in a subdivision.
With rural property, we need to.
Is there direct access from a public road?
Is a private road involved?
Is there a shared driveway?
Are there recorded easements?
Who maintains the road?
If you're buying property where access crosses somebody else's land, that isn't something I want to discover casually after closing.
We need to understand how access works.
5. Well and Septic Are Different From City Utilities
Many rural properties in Southeast Georgia aren't connected to municipal water and sewer.
They may have a private well and septic system.
That's not automatically a problem. Plenty of people live happily with both.
But if you've always had city water and sewer, I want you to understand what you're buying.
Where is the septic system?
How old is it?
Has it been maintained?
Where is the well?
Does your future plan for the property interfere with either one?
And if you're thinking about adding another structure or dividing the land someday, don't assume the existing systems, or the property itself, will automatically support that plan.
Again:
Ask first. Buy second.
6. Flood Zones, Wetlands and Drainage Matter
We live in Southeast Georgia.
Water matters here.
A beautiful piece of property can look completely different depending on rainfall, drainage and the characteristics of the land.
That's why I want buyers to investigate things such as flood-zone information and, when relevant, wetlands or drainage concerns.
And here's an important distinction:
Being outside a designated high-risk flood area doesn't mean a property could never experience water issues.
Look at the land.
Ask questions.
Look for drainage patterns.
And if something concerns us, we investigate further.
7. Don't Assume You Can Divide It Later
This one is BIG.
I occasionally hear:
“We'll buy the five acres, and later we'll just cut an acre off for the kids.”
Maybe.
But we're not building a financial or family plan around the word maybe.
Minimum lot sizes, road frontage, zoning requirements, septic considerations, access and other local development rules can affect whether land can be subdivided.
If future subdivision is important to your decision, let's investigate that before you purchase the property.
A seller telling you, “I'm sure you can,” isn't enough.
I want an answer from the appropriate authority.
8. Think About the Whole Property—Not Just the House
Here's where acreage buyers sometimes get distracted.
They walk inside and see the kitchen.
LOVE IT.
They see the porch.
LOVE IT.
Then they look out over five beautiful acres.
LISA, WRITE IT UP!
Hold on, Rockstar. 😂
We still have work to do.
With acreage, I'm evaluating more than bedrooms, bathrooms and countertops.
I'm thinking about the land.
Access.
Utilities.
Outbuildings.
Restrictions.
Zoning.
Drainage.
Future use.
And whatever else is important to your particular plan.
Because the right house sitting on the wrong property still isn't the right purchase.
9. Acreage Requires Maintenance Too
There's another little detail about owning land:
Somebody has to take care of it. 😂
Five acres sounds wonderful until you realize five acres doesn't mow itself.
Think about how much of the property is wooded versus cleared.
What equipment might you need?
Are there fences to maintain?
A long driveway?
Outbuildings?
Trees near structures?
Drainage areas?
None of those things necessarily make acreage a bad choice.
For the right buyer, having land can be absolutely wonderful.
I just want you buying the lifestyle that actually fits you, not simply the romantic idea of it.
The Best Question Isn't “How Many Acres?”
It's:
“What do you want those acres to DO for you?”
That's where I start.
If you tell me you want privacy, that's one search.
If you want horses, that's another.
If you want a giant workshop, we need to know that.
If you're hoping to build another home someday, tell me.
If you simply want enough room for a garden, dogs and nobody five feet from your back porch, that's useful too. 😂
The acreage number alone doesn't tell me whether the property fits your life.
Your plans do.
Want to see an example of acreage living?
My listing at 2362 Millen Highway in Sylvania sits on approximately 5.3 acres and is a great example of the kind of space buyers may find as they expand their search into Screven County.
Take a look at 2362 Millen Highway →
Looking for a Home With Land in Southeast Georgia?
Whether you're searching in Effingham County, Bryan County, Bulloch County, Screven County or elsewhere around the Savannah area, tell me what you're actually hoping to accomplish with the property.
Then we'll search for more than a pretty house sitting on a few acres.
We'll search for a property that makes sense for how you want to live.
I've been helping buyers and sellers throughout Southeast Georgia since December 2000, and one thing I've learned is that the questions we ask before closing can matter just as much as the negotiations that get us there.
My job isn't to make your decision. It's to make sure you have what you need to make a GOOD one.
And sometimes that means saying:
“Hang on. Before we write this offer, let's find something out.”
That's not slowing down the purchase.
That's protecting the decision.
Lisa Ortiz, The Rockin' Realtor
Robin Lance Realty — A Tradition of Trust
📱 912-695-6932
☎️ 912-756-2448
📧 [email protected]
GeorgiaHomesbyLisa.com
Serving Savannah, Effingham, Bryan, Bulloch, Screven and communities throughout Southeast Georgia.
