How to Buy Colorado Land – 8 Things to Watch Out For

⬜ IMAGE: Scenic photo of vacant land in the Colorado mountains or foothills: open meadow, pine trees, blue sky. Suggest searching 'Colorado vacant mountain land' on Adobe Stock or Unsplash.

In this article, Felicia talks about how to buy Colorado land and the 8 key things you need to watch out for. If you're looking for rural or vacant land in Colorado for sale, knowing what points to look for can really help you find the right property for you.

The 8 Key Things to Watch Out For

When my company invests in Colorado land, we follow these same 8 points. You don't want to skip any of these steps because it could really derail your whole land purchase.

1. Confirm Who Owns the Property

The obvious first step – you need to confirm who owns the property. There are unfortunately some bad people out there who will try to scam you, and you need to protect yourself. You need to know that the seller actually has the right to sell you the property. Verify ownership records through your county assessor or clerk and recorder's office. Most Colorado counties have this available free online.

2. Check for Delinquent Back Taxes

This is a really crucial one because you could be buying Colorado property that has hundreds or even thousands of dollars of property taxes owing, and as the new owner, you would be responsible for these debts. Don't skip this one. Check delinquent tax status through the county treasurer's office.

3. Understand the Property Uses

You really need to understand the property uses. I've seen lots of people get their heart broken because they've bought land and wanted to camp or RV on it, but it's not allowed. Land use can be limited by 3 factors:

• County zoning
• City bylaws
• HOA level restrictions

Start at the top, and work your way down the list to really understand what you can and can't do on your property.

4. Check for Legal Access

You need to check for legal access. This is not a given for Colorado mountain land! You don't want to end up with a totally landlocked property that you can only reach by county easement or an unofficial, privately owned trail. There are also properties that have access but it's difficult – you might need an ATV or horseback.

5. Check for Utilities

Included in the utility umbrella is well and septic. You're going to want to know if you're allowed to bring in septic and if you can drill a well, and how deep. For water well information, check the Colorado Division of Water Resources. For septic requirements, contact the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).

6. Check for an HOA or POA

That's a homeowner or property owner association. You need to do this for 2 reasons: First, these associations often have annual dues that can be expensive. Second, these associations have their own restrictions on land use.

7. Check for Water and Mineral Rights

Water rights are especially important because without them, it's much more difficult to build on the property. Mineral rights aren't crucial, but it's nice to know whether you own anything under the dirt on your property. Have a title company perform a search, or look up Colorado water rights through the Colorado Division of Water Resources water rights database.

⬜ IMAGE: Photo of a Colorado stream or water feature on rural land (illustrating why water rights matter) or a screenshot of the Colorado water rights database search results.

8. Check Minimum Septic Acreage

Some counties in Colorado require a 1-acre minimum as guidance for septics. In some areas, it could be more or less than 1 acre because of other environmental factors that determine how much space is needed.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this helps you buy Colorado land. Don't forget to grab your free copy of the Colorado Land Buying Checklist guide. If you have any questions about these 8 points, leave a comment below.

Want to learn more? Check out our Colorado Land Buying Questions video series.

⬜ CROSSLINK: Add links to '5 Things You Need to Know Before Buying Land in Colorado' (/before-buying-land-in-colorado/) and 'Understanding Zoning Regulations in Colorado' (/understanding-zoning-regulations-in-co/) once those pages are published.