California land diligence guides

All guides

• How do you check if land is buildable in California? Start with jurisdiction, zoning, hazards, access, and utilities—then verify with planning staff. GIS screening (including Parcel View) is a …
• How do you read a California APN? An APN (Assessor’s Parcel Number) is the tax assessor’s ID for a parcel. Formats vary by county. Use it to find maps and records—but confirm…
• What is the difference between a FEMA flood zone and flood insurance? A FEMA flood zone is a mapped hazard classification. Flood insurance is a policy decision and often a lender requirement in the Special Floo…
• What does a CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone mean for buyers? FHSZ maps classify wildfire hazard severity for many California lands. They can affect building standards, disclosure, and insurance—but the…
• What should buyers check on Williamson Act land? Williamson Act (land conservation) contracts restrict land to agricultural or open-space uses for property-tax benefits. Buyers should read …
• How can you screen ADU feasibility on a California lot? California state ADU law sets a baseline, but local objective standards, setbacks, utilities, and hazards still matter. Use GIS to flag cons…
• How do you find parcel boundaries in California? Use the county assessor or statewide parcel GIS for a first look, then confirm with a survey when stakes, fences, or setbacks matter. Online…
• What are the core due diligence steps for California land? Combine title, survey/access, planning/zoning, hazards, utilities, and environmental screens. Do cheap GIS and document checks before expens…
• How do you find zoning for a California parcel by APN or address? Find the APN, confirm city vs unincorporated county, then read base zoning plus overlays on the controlling planning map—or screen the parce…
• What should you check before buying vacant land in California? Before you write an offer on vacant California land, screen APN and jurisdiction, access, zoning, flood and fire, soils/utilities, and title…
• How do you check the FEMA flood zone for a specific California APN? Look up the parcel polygon (not just the ZIP), open the FEMA NFHL / Map Service Center for that location, note SFHA vs Zone X, then confirm …
• How do you check the CAL FIRE hazard zone for a specific California property? Resolve the parcel, open CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for that location, note Moderate/High/Very High (and SRA vs LRA context), t…
• How should California real estate agents screen land deals before writing an offer? Agents can triage land deals with a repeatable GIS-first screen—APN, jurisdiction, zoning, flood, fire, access flags—before burning hours at…
• What can GIS tell you about septic, wells, and utilities on California land? GIS can hint at sewer vs septic likelihood, water providers, and soils context—but perc tests, well yields, hookup fees, and shared-well agr…
• How do easements and access work for California land—and what is a landlocked parcel? Legal access is a recorded right—not a dirt track on aerial imagery. Landlocked parcels and unclear easements are classic deal killers; pair…
• How do you screen slope, grading, and buildable pad potential with GIS? Use elevation and slope screens to spot steep approaches, tiny pads, and cut/fill risk early—then verify with survey and civil/geotech befor…