Looking to build on land

[1pointofview]

I am tired of living around people, ready to look for land and build a house. Looking to find land big enough for 2 houses cause my wife's brother wants in on this as well


I live in franklin and looking at college grove, triune, arrington area. Anyone have any tip, places in the area that they recommend ? Tips for buiding? Thanks

[jacob]

I will be watching this thread closely as my wife and I are looking to purchase around 50 acres or so in mid-TN soon as well...

[gregintenn]

Bad idea! Buying land and building your house is a great idea. Including your brother in law in the deal; BAD IDEA!!!

[UncleJak]

Bad idea! Buying land and building your house is a great idea. Including your brother in law in the deal; BAD IDEA!!!

we almost did this. Flash forward 13 years later: he is on his third failing marriage and we cannot stand him. We arr looking to create a homestead for us and our children. No in-laws allowed. :)

Sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

[1pointofview]

Bad idea! Buying land and building your house is a great idea. Including your brother in law in the deal; BAD IDEA!!!

Haha, yeah, my brother in law is a goofball but with him and his wife near us so my yuppified wife could feel better living out a bit is a price i am willing to pay.

[CQB Elite]

Man, if I ever win the Powerball I'm going to find about 500 acres (mostly wooded) and build right smack in the middle of it. My wonderful wife loves the idea too.

[McGarrett]

I don't know of anything in your area but I did hear from a retired former coworker that he is going to be selling a farm in Loudon County, TN. He had inherited it years ago and there is no house on it. He sold the mobile home that was there to someone who is moving it off the property to another location. I think there are quite a few fruit bearing trees on the property from what I have heard him say over the years.

 

If I hear any more about this deal I will let everyone know.  You never know you may want to relocate to the hills of East TN.

[Dane]

Don't know where to build, but I've decided when I do it is going t be a house something like this: [URL]http://www.enertia.com[/URL] Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Edited December 5, 2013 by Dane

[tnguy]

Bad idea! Buying land and building your house is a great idea. Including your brother in law in the deal; BAD IDEA!!!

 

Glad I am not the only one who was thinking this.

 

Getting into this kind of deal with families is what turns minor disagreements into full-on disputes.

 

If you want to go in this direction, either buy two parcels of land or parcel off what you do buy immediately with no debts outstanding (between you. To banks on an individual basis is OK). Recognize that each may wish to sell their parcel at any time for any reason and agree that if that happens, you'll part amicably.

[gregintenn]

Being near them is great. Joining properties might even be tolerable under perfect circumstances. I assure you that you don't want your name on a property deed with anyone in your family, or your wife's family, with the exception of her.

 

You obviously haven't been married long. I'm trying to save you a whole lot of future headache here.

 

You will NOT get along with family or especially in laws if you have financial dealings together.

Edited December 5, 2013 by gregintenn

[1pointofview]

Been married for 12 years, known the family for 16 years, have been neighbors for the last 5 years. Edited December 5, 2013 by 1pointofview

[gregintenn]

Then you are on your own there my friend.

 

I like the Triune area, as well as Chapel Hill. I expect property values in either place to explode shortly, if they haven't done so already. Make sure the place you buy will not flood, and make sure it will perk for a septic system if applicable.

[tnguy]

Been married for 12 years, known the family for 16 years, have been neighbors for the last 5 years.

 

Sounds like you have a great thing going on. I really would recommend you keep it that way and listen to gregintn. I have seen what financial dealings within a family can do. Heck, listen to Dave Ramsey for a show or two and you can hear it for yourself. These are not people who are at each others throats who enter into these things but they are when they exit. There is no downside to keeping things separate and a whole lot of risk to not.

 

It's up to you but consider yourself advised :)

[ncomarc]

I bought the house next to my in-laws so my wife and kids would have family support during my I deployments. I know I'm in the minority of people who get along with their in-laws and while it's been great, I second these gentlemen on their advice; unless you are very passive and willing to let a lot of things slide. Sorry couldn't help on the land part and good luck.

[Guest Riciticky]

I had a brother in law who moved from another state and moved in. We used to be best friends but not any more. That was a long time ago . Learned my lesson.

[1pointofview]

Yall are planting the seed of doubt. I will say that i found land that is in a 100% better location, just a little more expensive but is not able to subdivide. We are finding it hard to find land that does would support or the county would allow for 2 homes. I cant afford a huge portion of land and cant get the wife to sign off on going a little deeper into the county. But the other issue is if something happens, it would be hard to sell the property if needed after we split it up. This is going to be a long process

[gregintenn]

You really need to get the sharing idea out of your wife's head. You just don't know what everyone's situation will be in 5 or 10 years form now. I can tell you story after story of seeing this sort of thing becoming screwed up beyond belief, ruining relationships and even lives.

 

I get along great with my in laws, and they are good people. Still, I refuse to do business with them. This keeps our relationship good.

 

Don't get in a hurry, and you'll find something that suits your wants and needs. I looked for several years before I found the place I wanted. I'm glad I was patient.

Edited December 6, 2013 by gregintenn

[jwinter]

Make sure the place you buy will not flood, and make sure it will perk for a septic system if applicable.

^^^ Beat me to it. Check what utilities are available and what future upgrades may be happening in the area. Contact the planning commission in the area that you are looking in to make sure that the adjoining land is not getting ready to be apartments, trailer parks, industrial buildings, etc. most people are selling for a reason, make sure you know what the facts are. Get it surveyed and find out if there are any easements encumbering the property. As a surveyor I have seen many properties that were "good deals" but had hidden problems. Know where your lines are when you buy. That way you won't have to worry about neighbors who try to encroach on you or tell "you" where the line should be. I am not trying to scare you or make you worry, just do your due diligence and you won't be surprised.

[Wingshooter]

I own some land jointly with my parents. We entered into the agreement cautiously with the intention of building two houses. It has been a huge challenge getting everything setup legally and talking through all the "uncomfortable" details. We all get along great, and they want to live close to us as they get older. I would not buy land jointly with a BIL.

Have you considered who's name will be on the deed? Deed of Trust, Deed of Surviorship? How will you finance two houses? Will you be responsible for the financing on two homes if he looses his job? What if he wants to sell the timber/raise goats/dig a pond/etc but you don't? Can you even leave your home to kids, etc or will he own it upon your passing? There are so many tough questions and complications. I would take the above advice in this thread and look for two adjoining tracts... You buy one and he buys the other. Just my thoughts on it. This can be a lot of fun and a great thing, but I would definitely eliminate the complication of joint ownership. Good luck!

[seez52]

I can't think of any county that's going to approve 2 building permits on one tract. Might get away with it if there is an old house already on the property and you can convince them its not going to be used. Usually each dwelling will require a min 50 ft access to a public road even if that access is not actually used for access.

[Guest PapaB]

I can't think of any county that's going to approve 2 building permits on one tract. Might get away with it if there is an old house already on the property and you can convince them its not going to be used. Usually each dwelling will require a min 50 ft access to a public road even if that access is not actually used for access.

There are counties in TN that don't have their own building codes and don't require permits. My property once had 2 houses on it (well, 1 house and 1 mobile home) each with it's own septic, water and electric. The area the OP is looking at probably has more regulations but not everywhere does.

[jgradyc]

I agree with everyone else about the in-laws. I currently have a 4-way joint ownership of property in SC and I can't do squat with it.  

 

There are two parcels of land near me (36 acres and 10 acres with an old house) currently for sale. I'm pretty sure property this big can be subdivided.  Neither is a location I would want personally, but just throwing it out there.  It's on Old Hickory Blvd (OHB) northwest of Nashville about a mile north of the intersection of OHB and Ashland City Hwy.

 

Unless you really have an eye for dimensions, I would not build a house. I have seen disasters. Toilets that could be seen from the front door, dining rooms that were too small. Hallways that were claustrophobicly narrow. Just be careful.

 

All that said, where and how you locate a property is a big deal, especially in the hills.  My current house is built into the east side of a hill about 2/3 of the way down. In summer, the trees block the sun from about 4PM on. At night the cool breeze flows down the valley and makes our house at least 5 degrees cooler than at the top of the hill... sometimes 10 degrees... and it's not a very big hill. We have large windows facing south with an overhang to protect from the sun in summer, but in winter the lower angle of the sun lets it shine in and heat up the room. The downstairs is partially underground in the back of the house, so the downstairs stays cool even in the summer without air conditioning. My point is where you locate the house on the property and how you face the windows and such is a big deal, so be sure to consider it.  A house halfway up the slope of a hill facing west, for example, is going to get full sun until 7PM in the summer, which will negate any energy savings you might build in with insulation.