Thinking about buying land for commercial development? There’s more to evaluating a property than just location.
Before purchasing land for a commercial project, buyers should consider factors that can affect whether the property is suitable for the intended development and what it may cost to prepare the site.
What Should You Look for When Buying Commercial Land?
Zoning & Entitlements
Make sure the property is zoned for your intended use and understand whether additional approvals, permits, or entitlements may be required.
Access & Visibility
Road frontage, traffic counts, visibility, and ease of ingress and egress can all be important considerations, particularly for retail and other customer-facing businesses.
Utilities
The availability and capacity of water, sewer, electricity, and other utilities can significantly affect development costs and timelines.
Topography & Drainage
Site conditions matter. Topography, drainage, flood risk, and other factors can affect how a property can be developed and what site work may be required. These considerations can be particularly important when evaluating land in South Louisiana.
Surrounding Growth
Look at what is being developed nearby. New residential and commercial development can influence future demand and the potential uses for surrounding land. In many markets, retail development follows population and residential growth.
Why Does Due Diligence Matter?
A piece of land may appear to be a good fit based on its location and price, but development feasibility depends on much more.
Understanding zoning, access, utilities, site conditions, and surrounding development before purchasing can help buyers better evaluate the property’s potential and identify issues that could affect the project.
Ask a Broker
With decades of experience in land sales and development across Louisiana and Mississippi, Mike D’Amico has helped clients navigate transactions involving everything from raw land to large-scale commercial projects.
Have a question about commercial real estate or land development? Contact Mike to learn more.
