Finding the right piece of property.

So you're ready to build your dream home. You have ideals and visions of what it'll be like. Now you have to execute. The one thing that everyone seems to ask is, "How did you find your lot?" Here's a rundown of how it went:

Stephen and I had a checklist of things we wanted:

• At least an acre
• Waterfront
• Trees
• At least 100 ft wide
• In the city of Olympia, WA

Searching for the perfect spot proved difficult. We found a couple of lots on the market but some were extremely narrow (50-60 ft wide.) Others consisted of difficult terrain to build on. Still others may have been wide enough and decent terrain but there would be no view of the waterfront due to overgrown trees and current regulations that prevent said trees from being cut down. 

When my search in the MLS system proved difficult, I turned to zillow's satellite view. I zoomed in on the map and scouted along the waterfront. When zoomed in close enough, Zillow provides a satellite view with lots bordered along with a value Zestimate. If the lot looked as though it wasn't developed I would research it further. I would write down the address and drive by. If it still looked interesting, I would find the owner, (your county's assessor data should be helpful,) and give them a call. Rarely were the properties worth looking into. Usually there was a reason it wasn't developed yet. 

I drove by this run-down cabin several times on my way to a local park. I hadn't really thought of purchasing a lot with a structure before because usually the asking price is too high. But this cabin was tiny. And it was run-down. And it didn't even have plumbing or a septic system. So I called. I left a message. A week passed, and I got a return call. The owner had inherited the property and she was indeed interested in selling! Score! Bingo! Jackpot.