Have you found that perfect property online, your next vacation home or investment property, and are ready to purchase? Is the only thing holding you back from hitting the “Buy Now” button the fact that you haven’t seen the property in person yet? We get that. You’re not alone. Read through these incredibly easy ways to see your new property online.
Buying land online may seem like a less traditional way to purchase real estate. You’re probably familiar with searching for listings online and then setting up an appointment to see the listing in person with a real estate agent. However, it is possible to do the entire process online, and you can do it without all the normal irritants. It is incredibly easy to research, see, and purchase property entirely online.
Viewing Undeveloped Land Online
Photos – Prettier than a picture.
Aside from seeing a property in person, there is no better way to get an idea of what a plot of land for sale looks like than a photo. Whether it’s of the area or of the property itself, the photo is a great way to get an idea of what you’re going to be purchasing. If a direct photo isn’t available, a photo of the area is provided. Typically, the area photos provided will not vary much from what you will see in a direct photos.
Satellite – Convenience seeing a property, no matter where you are.
From the comfort of your home, office, or wherever you have access to the internet, you can look up any location in the world – including the property you want to buy. Enter the address or GPS coordinates, and the satellite map will pull up the property you want to see.
Satellite Maps are a great way to see:
- What the property’s terrain looks like
- What kind of roads are in the area
- Where a property is located in relation to nearby towns, amenities, and recreation
- What kind of development surrounds the property
For an easy to use experience, head over to Google Earth and try it out.
Street View – Get more than just a birds-eye view; take a virtual stroll down the lane.
Street View is a useful Google Maps feature. This tool allows you to pull up any location you wish and drag a yellow peg-man to the road to see at ground-level. Street views of different roads are more frequent in areas that have development, but for more rural properties you can always get a street view from a nearby main road for an idea of what the area looks like.
Here’s how to use Google Street View:
1) Visit Google Maps and enter in the address or GPS coordinates for the property you want to see at ground-level.
2) Zoom in closer to this specific location.
3) Click and drag the Pegman (he looks like a small yellow man, and he lives in the bottom right corner of the screen next to several colored squares) to the place you would like to see. Note: Street views are only available for roads and areas highlighted in blue.
4) Once you’re viewing the street, you can use the arrows and control panel provided in the street view window to navigate the street and view the areas surrounding the road.
5) To exit the street view, simply click on the “X” located in the upper right-hand corner of the window or the arrow in the upper-left corner.
Parcel Map – What the satellite map and photos don’t show you.
While it doesn’t show you what the property looks like, this map is an excellent tool that will usually give you an idea of what this property looks like compared to the properties around it. At LandCentral, we provide a photo of the parcel map over the satellite map to give you a better picture of where the property is located in relation to the properties around it.
Parcel Maps can provide you with information about:
- Planned roads for the area
- Property location in relation to surrounding properties
- Dimensions
- Legal Description
The parcel map is obtained from the property records to show you the original subdivision plans created before the property and roads around the property were even built. Typically, the parcel map provided will allow you to zoom in and out of the map. This allows you to read text such as street names and lot numbers more efficiently. It is helpful to compare this map against the satellite map. Be sure to keep in mind that the information provided on the parcel map can vary depending on the county that provides the map.
Get Directions – No appointment needed!
With traditional real estate purchases, you have to set up an appointment with whoever is listing the property, coordinate an appointment that works with the seller, the Realtor, and yourself just to see the listing. When buying land from LandCentral, you always have the option of seeing a property in person without needing to set up an appointment. For every property LandCentral provides both a printable PDF of driving directions from the nearest city and a satellite map if you’d like to customize the directions from your location. Use these tools to visit the property at a time that is convenient for you and without having to set up an appointment with a representative. Both options for directions are located on the right-hand side of the “Property Specifics” section of the property’s page.
Ready to explore and find your dream property? Give our advanced land search tool a spin!