Design & Lifestyle...

Yesterday we looked at tips regarding land selection for green home building. Since it would be bulky to smash all the tips together, I split up the tips into a more manageable size. Today we'll look at some more tips.

1. Avoid swamps: Ok, true, not many people build on swamps. However, many folks build on marshy areas because they haven't done their homework. Marshy land can cause some big problems for you, the home dweller, as well as destroy valuable wildlife habitats.

2. Choose local land: This comes down to material availability. Building too far out in a rural area can be cost prohibitive and it's not all that earth-friendly. Having to ship all supplies long distances creates plenty of pollution. If you do build far out, consider if you'll be clearing any trees and if you can recycle them into your home building.

3. Check for decent soil: You can add soil amendments, but it's also nice to start with good, rich soil. Especially if you'll be growing some of your own food.

4. Find out who can access your land: In many cases utility companies and sometimes cable and phone companies may own some access to your potential land. We'll discuss how this can be legal later on, but the reason to find out is because why would you want the utility company to build a road through your front yard or hang lines?

5. Watch out for future development: Find out who owns the surrounding land and if they seem likely to sell. My friend bought land on the edge of a wildlife area, with tall trees, creeks, birds, animals, and more, plus a stunning view. Fast forward five years from date of purchase and now she's in the middle of a war with the people who bought the land. They're ripping out the forest and building McMansions, and she has few legal rights. It's gross, sad, and really lame, but you don't want to be in the same situation.

Tomorrow we'll finish up this list and next week move on to specifics regarding each tip.

[Photo via author's personal home building photos - New Mexico land]