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We are thinking of making an offer on a lot in Sneads Ferry that is close to an acre but the back of the lot is considered wetland. We have walked the lot several times over the winter after major rain and the lot was always dry. At the back of the property is a dry creek bed but no signs of any real wetland. Does anyone know what the implications of buying a lot with wetlands. We were told we could not have sod on the wetland portion nor any type of shed or building structure. Will homeowners insurance be more? There are other houses on the block with the wetlands so building permits don't seem to be a problem. Will resale in the future be an issue? Should we look for a different lot?
Thanks for any info...it's appreciated greatly!
Last edited by mkozlpn; 04-14-2010 at 07:06 PM..
Reason: clarify
Walking a property to detect moisture in the ground is not how wetlands, soil type or flood zone is determined. And looking at neighboring properties and where they built is not necessarily relevant to your property.
There are a variety of flood zone designations and wetland designations.
The The North Carolina Division of Coastal Management and the Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) are in charge of determing and permitting. Go to there website to find out about rules, regulations and permitting:NC Division of Coastal Management
A wetland cannot be touched or altered. No structure, no sod, nothing. An area can still be dry for the most part and still be considered a wetland. The designation has a lot to do with soil type and plant species in the area. You should have no problem building on the protion of the lot that is not a wetland.
A wetland has no impact on your insurance but the flood zone designation will. Do not confuse the two.
When in doubt, contact the permitting authority. The local planning department will be able to explain what is permissible and what is not. A buyers agent could do this for you but I'd prefer to hear it straight from the horses mouth.
I agree with the above posts and would actually recommend that you hire a buyer's agent to make sure you're not over paying for the lot. It won't cost you a dime. The southern Onslow County market is tricky to navigate when it comes to buying land or lots.
We are thinking of making an offer on a lot in Sneads Ferry that is close to an acre but the back of the lot is considered wetland. We have walked the lot several times over the winter after major rain and the lot was always dry. At the back of the property is a dry creek bed but no signs of any real wetland. Does anyone know what the implications of buying a lot with wetlands. We were told we could not have sod on the wetland portion nor any type of shed or building structure. Will homeowners insurance be more? There are other houses on the block with the wetlands so building permits don't seem to be a problem. Will resale in the future be an issue? Should we look for a different lot?
Thanks for any info...it's appreciated greatly!
I highly suggest you find an agent that is experienced in land. There are many factors that should be considered when choosing a lot.
By the way, you are in a great market for buying land right now.
As a broker in the Inner Banks, I do work exclusively with land and I can tell you there is quite a variety in lots available. Make sure you price compare in the area you are interested in. A good broker, with land experience, can help you do this. I'd be happy to assist, if needed.
Anything the government considers "wetlands" (and they may be very liberal in their interpretation), or property even within 250' wetlands, may trigger a nightmare of overlapping Local, Regional and/or State reviews. The expense you could incur to propose ANYTHING on the property could be prohibitive, with 10 or more State-certified experts being required to be hired, even if in the end what you are proposing does not affect the wetland in the least.
Don't know specifically about your state, but most urbanized states seem to be the same in this regard.
If you aren't buying oceanfront and understand how much extra you'll be paying for the privilege, wetlands simply aren't worth getting involved with.
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