Due Diligence Report - Maps & Plans

I will finish the maps and plans section of the Due Diligence Report this week. If you find the "needle in a haystack", use the maps and plans section to contact local government and obtain all of the public information about the property. In Charlotte, NC, most of this information is online. Thus I can make an assessment of a site without leaving my office. The only information which is critical that I have to go to local government's office is for the existing water and sewer line locations. Complete all of this investigation before even considering a purchase.

In site analysis work, it is your job to find out all of the problems, all of the skeletons in the closet, and political baggage with the site. If you find problems, define the ramification of each. Many of the site constraints and solutions are associated with additional costs which are easy decisions. Either the project can absorb the additional cost or it can't. Since you are searching for the value, do not force the project to work. Walk away and look for another parcel. In today's market, you should have plenty of low priced homes with land to consider.

Wetland Inventory Maps – many states have used the soil conservation maps or GIS maps to overlay wetland areas and jurisdictional streams for delineating environmentally sensitive areas. This illustration is not precise. However, in evaluating the development potential of property, these maps will provide guidance on the location and size of area that must be not be disturbed and thus not considered as buildable area. It has been said that most of the good property has been developed so that the remaining land most likely will be impacted by wetlands or jurisdictional streams. The state environmental department would be the agency to contact for copies of the wetland maps. Compare the wetland areas or jurisdictional stream locations with the soils map. The soils in the area of the wetlands or streams should be classified as unsuitable soils for construction activities.