Non-Buildable Lot (apartment, lawyer, new house)

[BettyBoopMini]

How can a parcel of land that is deemed non-buildable keep increasing in value?

[brightdoglover]

Could be the sellers are hoping someone will come along who doesn't understand why the lot is unbuildable.
There was a 5,000 sq.ft. lot adjoining my property. Rumor was that it didn't perk (for a septic system) and I was the only abutter. Still, some developer guy was sniffing around, maybe hoping to squeeze some kind of weirdo septic system in (it's happened before) or maybe he'd just cut the trees down, as another guy did in the neighborhood, stupidly thinking the sunshine would dry up the land (unclear on the concept of high water table).
Anyway, I jumped to buy it. Got it for $4K and doubled my property size, plus ensured that my wall of windows will always look out into trees. I incorporated the two in the deed, so it can't be subdivided. If town sewer ever came in, maybe such a lot would be buildable, so my property is protected.
If there's no septic system issue (town sewer), I'd want to know why it's considered unbuildable. Maybe it's a lot of ledge or something that would make it difficult to build, or expensive, but not prohibited.

[RESouthShore]

It may also be undevelopable because of wetlands. We have many areas in my town that have vernal pools or other wetland issues and because of that, either the lot is entirely un-developable or the wetlands make the area too small to conform to zoning laws for building.

[RESouthShore]

Also, to address the price issue, towns have a formula that they use to put value on land and buildings. The land, even being undevelopable, goes up in value in step with what land in the town is worth. It will obviously be worth less than if someone could build on it but it does increase or decrease as all land in the town does.

[BettyBoopMini]

Thanks for the tips.
The lot of land I had purchased has a two bay garage with an apartment above has fairly new septic system. Not wet land was inspected by Town. We had wanted to build house where the garage is and was told it was a non-buildable lot.
We purchased a home with a detached garage. The garage is in the back yard. The taxes in past 3 years have gone up over $1200. Yet taxes on house we live in (Front Yard) only went up $700.00 and it has a higher value (always did) than Garage. Just got quarterly tax bills have to dish out just under $1,000 for each; 3 years ago the garage was under $400.00
Quarterly. Just seems unreal that a lot that I can’t build on can keep increasing. Thanks

[vter]

Just out of curiosity, what was the reason the town told you that you could not build?

[brightdoglover]

I live on a lot that was grandfathered in, being too close to wetlands for new constructions. As long as the former cottage was continuously occupied, the town had to give me a permit for a "maximum feasible upgrade" for a new septic system. The issue came up that I was, in fact, tearing down the crumbling cottage, but I'd lived in it for eight years. If I moved out, it would be abandoned property, and any new house would have to meet full current standards for new construction. No point on the property was 100 feet away from the wetlands to construct a septic system that far away.
All of this took almost 2 years of my living in the failing cottage, practically camping, so as not to "abandon" the property. Took a lawyer to the last hearing and got my permit.
Just to say, I heartily don't recommend getting into any septic battles or issues. Life is too short, believe me.

[BettyBoopMini]

Sorry for taking so long to thank everyone and answer questions been real sick.
The first year we were told that the zonning laws changed and we were twenty square feet short, I did notice the following two years, even local builders couldn't rebuild on lots they purchased everyone was gutting their houses to remodel.
Then the third year new house build kitty corner to my land, seemed like it was build on a postage stamp ,house was build upward when finished it looked like it was out of scale (like putting Barbies dream house with HO scale trains.
We try again now we are told it's a Non-conforming lot, still tring to figure that one out

Thanks again

[CaseyB]

If your abutters don't object could you possibly apply for a waiver, even if it was non-conforming? What is the current zoning?