Dear Monty: In the back of my neighborhood is an abandoned school. It was purchased recently, with a section now being used for a cell tower (the tower is outside my line of sight when looking straight from my back door). I wanted to know how to research the possibility and process of purchasing a piece of that parcel, specifically, the part/land touching the end of my backyard, and whether that’s even possible. Where do I start?
Monty’s Answer: Acquiring adjoining property appears to have become more prevalent in recent years. Different reasons driving this trend include growing vegetables, more room for your animals to play and additional privacy. Two consenting owners adding adjoining partial parcels can vary from simple and relatively inexpensive to complicated and time-consuming projects. The forces that can complicate matters are zoning and subdivision regulations, homeowners association (HOA) rules and your neighbors.
The Process
No. 1: Determine the identity of the owner. In most of the country, technology has made this process relatively simple. Go to your computer and type the name of the municipality or county, plus three letters, “GIS,” into the navigation bar. If no result appears, call the city and ask which department handles land records. You are looking for an overview map that identifies the school property’s owner and neighboring parcels’ owners. Your property should also appear on the map. The map you are looking at will provide much information. Some GIS maps may not show the owner’s name but instead reveal a parcel number associated with the property tax record, which is also often available online.No. 2: Once you have identified the owner, it is time to contact them. Your task may end here. If the owner has no interest in selling, there will be little you can do to go forward. Consider writing a short letter to the address on the tax bill. The note should be short and contain your identity, address, telephone number and a map showing what part of the property you want to obtain. Consider suggesting a time you could meet on the property to discuss it further. Assuming the owner calls or agrees to meet with you, move to step No. 3.
No. 3: Realize that neither of you may know what the property is worth. Not knowing is understandable because there are likely no comparable sales. Ask a few questions to learn if there may be a common interest. You may know one of their family members. “Are you related to Bill (owner’s surname)?” Try to build rapport. If you are together on the property, mark the boundaries to be acquired with a ribbon or a stick in the ground. At some point, after the owner can visualize what you are proposing, ask them how much they would ask or tell them the price you have in mind.
This process aims to get a written agreement with the owner on the price without investing more than the time it took to get this far. Make the agreement contingent on you proceeding. Once you have done this, call a registered land surveyor for further instructions. You will still have potential obstacles, but with the surveyor’s help, you can better assess future risks.
