So you want to build a your custom home in the mountains of Asheville, NC? Well, the first and arguably most important step to this process is buying the land to build on. We hope this article will help guide you in your first step to building in mountainous real estate that inhabits Asheville and Western North Carolina.
Nothing Is Cheap
It's no surprise that Asheville, NC real estate is a bit more expensive than the national average. From the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, endless hiking trails, waterfalls, abundance of craft breweries, mild weather conditions, and a booming culture of art and music, it's no wonder why everyone wants to move here! However there's only so much land to go around and this high demand drives the price of the limited availability of vacant lots.
While there's always an opportunity to find great deals on land, be wary of "cheap" lots that have been on the market for a long time period. Some of these lots may not even be buildable! Chances are, if it's cheap land in Asheville, NC, there's a reason for that. Here are a few things to look out for so you don't get stuck with a bad lot.
Steep Lots
We know what you're thinking... "Of course the lots are steep. We're in the mountains!" As a general contractor in new home construction since 2014, we have built plenty of homes on the slopes of mountains. It's rare to find land for sale that would be "impossible" to build on. HOWEVER, what you save on the land you will most certainly have to pay for in the grading stage. Depending on the severity of the slope you could be paying $30,000 just to prepare the site to be built on! If you're thinking about buying land for a new construction home, it'd be wise to develop a relationship with your general contractor before hand so they can give you an estimate on these sorts of things.
Too Small for Septic
Small lots aren't a problem most of the time. You can always build vertically for more square footage! If a lot is too small and there's no option to tap into a public sewer system however, there may be not enough room for a septic system. Make sure the lot already has septic approval before you purchase or head to your county permit office to request an inspection. If septic and sewer is not an option and you REALLY still want the land, a compost toilet or outhouse is a solid alternative.