Finding the Perfect Land: Key Elements to Consider

When it comes to building your home, acquiring the land is a fundamental part of the project and an absolute must. It’s not to say that you can’t proceed with other steps in your project, but finding the right location is essential for many reasons, which we will explore in this article.

Identifying What you Want and What’s Important to You.

This is very important from the start, as you’ll quickly realize that certain non-negotiables will repeatedly appear in your mind. We encourage you to write down or discuss frequently what you desire and are searching for, as it helps to bring clarity to these non-negotiables.

For us, the goal was to preserve nature, live in harmony with it, return to our roots, and create a family legacy — these factors were a part of our non-negotiables. We visited land near water sources, cleared plots, and fields. We explored smaller lots of 1 or 2 acres, as well as plots in the middle of nowhere. As we visited, other important elements emerged for us, including wooded areas, proximity to a community, and open space. The magic of the process of identifying your desires and goals lies in how it becomes clearer over time, allowing your friends and family to better understand what you're truly seeking.

Feasibility of the Project

It’s important to understand the restrictions that might be in place from the developer, municipality or Regional Service Commission, as they can be quite limiting, especially if you’re pursuing a project like ours. We identified plots with ideal locations and good neighboring areas, but unfortunately, constructing a small passive ecological home wasn’t allowed. Some of the restrictions required new constructions to be at least 1200 or 1400 square feet, which exceeded our initial goal of keeping it under 1000 square feet. We experienced a lot of frustration early on because of these restrictions, but the more we moved forward, the better we became at identifying these obstacles quickly.

We became quite good at asking, as the first question, what are the restrictions or rules in place? This saved us time and helped avoid wasting the seller’s time as well. It is crucial to ensure that the land you acquire aligns with your vision. It’s better to find land with fewer restrictions than to try to convince the seller or developer to bypass or change their rules for your project. That’s a waste of time and energy, and you need to come to terms with the fact that that plot is simply not for you. Don’t lose hope — keep searching.

You’ll need to lean into patience, hope, and openness

Searching for land can take a long time. In our case, it took almost a year — and we have friends for whom the journey lasted more than four years. It’s essential to listen to yourself, respect your pace, and keep an open dialogue throughout the process.

There will be moments of discouragement, and that’s perfectly normal. For example, you might find what feels like the perfect property, prepare to make an offer, and then learn that it’s already been sold. In those moments, allowing yourself to feel the disappointment, talking about it, and above all, not losing hope are crucial steps to keep moving forward. Don’t be afraid to take breaks when needed — to recharge and stay motivated for the journey ahead.

It’s also wise to start by defining a few geographic regions to explore, while remaining open to expanding your horizons. This might include visiting areas you hadn’t initially considered. That mindset of openness is what led us to the land we eventually purchased — a story we’ll share in a future post.

Use unconventional search methods

Our best advice: talk to as many people as possible about your project, and be clear about what you’re looking for. Yes, browsing listings from real estate agents is important — but many properties are never officially listed. Just by talking to people, you might hear something like: “I know someone who mentioned selling their land — I could give you their contact info.” And just like that, you’ve got a new lead.

At first, it’s not easy — especially calling someone you’ve never met. But our experience showed us that when you approach people respectfully and explain your project, they’re often receptive. The worst that can happen is they say they’re not interested — and even then, you can offer to stay in touch in case things change.

Don’t underestimate this strategy! We came very close to finalizing several purchase agreements this way. It’s an approach that works, even if it feels a bit unconventional at first.

It’s a bit like job hunting: the market is an iceberg, with only about 10% of properties publicly visible. Networking becomes your best tool for uncovering hidden opportunities and positioning yourself. That said, we also worked with a proactive real estate agent who regularly sent us listings. In the end, we found our ideal land through our own research — but chose to work through our agent for the transaction, since the seller was represented by one.

The Environment

Don’t underestimate the feeling you experience when stepping onto the land and the inspiration or energy the surrounding environment provides. After all, this is where you will build a roof over your family’s head for the future, so don’t neglect this aspect. This advice came from one of our friends who supported us throughout the process, and it turned out to be quite valuable. He even suggested we take a few minutes upon arrival at each site to simply soak in the surroundings and let our senses awaken.

• What do you hear? The sounds of cars on the highway, or the chirping of birds?

• What smells catch your attention and fill the air?

• What do you see around you, and what would the view from your house be?

• How do your hands feel when touching the land or trees?

• What does the neighborhood say to you at first glance?

Conclusion

Finding the perfect plot of land isn’t just about technical and practical factors. The environment in which you build plays an equally important role in creating a harmonious and sustainable home. Taking the time to feel the land, observe the details, and let your senses guide you is an essential step to ensure that this space will truly suit you in the long run.

Throughout our search, we learned to be patient, open-minded, and persistent. Every visit, every piece of land, and every emotion we experienced was part of our learning process. In the end, finding the land that matches your vision takes time and dedication, but it’s a journey that will bring you closer to your dreams of building a sustainable, environmentally conscious home.

Stay open to the unexpected, keep exploring without losing hope, and remember that the perfect land might be where you least expect it. We look forward to sharing the story of our land search and acquisition and the discoveries that came with it in a future article.

Dans la démarche de construction de maison, l'acquisition du terrain est une étape fondamentale du projet, un véritable incontournable. Bien que d'autres étapes de votre projet puissent avancer parallèlement, trouver l'emplacement idéal demeure crucial, et ce pour plusieurs raisons que nous explorons dans cet article.

A peaceful path through the woods, capturing our search for the perfect land to build our future home — a place where nature and simplicity meet.