Land Buying Glossary
Understand the terminology used in our listings to make informed decisions about your land purchase.
Land Types
Residential
Build a home.
Recreational
Camp, hunt, or a weekend place.
Farm & ranch
Crops, livestock or horses.
Timber
Wooded land valued for its timber.
Commercial
Business, retail or industrial use.
Land Condition
Land in its natural state: nothing cleared or built.
For example cleared, a driveway, or power brought in.
Ready for a home, or a home or other buildings are already on it.
Utilities & Infrastructure
City water connected
A water meter is on the land; water is ready to use.
City water at the road
City water lines reach the road or lot line; the buyer pays the tap fee.
Well on the land
A working well is already on the land.
Needs a well
No water source on the land yet; a well is needed.
Needs a well
No water source on the land yet; a well is needed.
No well, water must be hauled
Water is trucked in and stored in a tank (cistern).
City sewer connected
The land is connected to the city sewer.
City sewer at the road
Sewer lines reach the road; the buyer pays the tap fee.
Septic installed
A septic tank and drain field are in the ground.
Needs septic, perc test passed
A soil (perc) test passed, so a septic system can be put in.
Needs septic, not tested
No perc test yet; the buyer checks whether the soil takes a septic system.
Connected
A power meter is on the land.
At the lot line
Power lines reach the edge of the lot.
Nearby (within ¼ mile)
Power lines are within a quarter mile.
Far, off-grid (solar or generator)
No power lines close by; plan on solar or a generator.
Cable or fiber
Wired high-speed internet is available.
Satellite (Starlink)
Only satellite internet, such as Starlink.
Cell signal
Internet over the cell phone network.
Access & Roads
Legal Access
On a public road
The lot touches a road the state or county keeps up.
Easement
A recorded right to cross a neighbor's land to reach the lot.
Private or shared road
A private road, for example in a subdivision or HOA.
Road or path used, no recorded right
People use a road or path to get in, but no recorded document gives the right. A buyer should check this.
No legal access (landlocked)
No public road, easement or private road gives a legal way in.
Road Surface
Paved
Asphalt or concrete.
Gravel
A gravel road that holds up in most weather.
Dirt
A dirt road; it can get muddy after rain.
Trail (two-track)
A rough track or trail.
Vehicle Type
Any car
A regular car can get there.
High clearance (SUV or truck)
An SUV or truck is best for ruts or rocks.
4x4 needed
Four-wheel drive is needed most of the year.
ATV or walk in only
Reached only on foot or by ATV.
Legal & Tax
Standard (no exemption)
The normal county tax; no exemption.
Farm (ag) exemption
Lower tax for farming or grazing use. It can end when the land is sold.
Timber exemption
Lower tax for managed timber land.
Wildlife exemption
Lower tax for a wildlife or habitat plan.
Warranty deed
The seller guarantees clean title.
Special warranty deed
The guarantee covers only the time the seller owned the land.
Quitclaim deed
No guarantee: the buyer gets whatever the seller owns.
Tax deed
The land came from a county tax sale.
Contract for deed
The buyer gets the deed after the last payment.
Not in a flood zone (Zone X)
Outside FEMA's mapped flood area.
Partly in a flood zone
Part of the lot is inside FEMA's mapped flood area.
In a flood zone (Zone A or AE)
Inside FEMA's mapped flood area; flood insurance may be required for a loan.
Land Terms A to Z
- Amortization
- The years the monthly payment is based on.
- Balloon payment
- The rest of the loan is due in one payment at this time.
- Cash price
- The price when the buyer pays it all at closing.
- Deed restrictions
- Rules recorded with the deed about what you can build or do on the land.
- Deed type
- The kind of deed the buyer gets at closing. It says how much the seller guarantees the title.
- Easement
- A recorded right to cross a neighbor's land to reach this lot.
- Flood zone
- FEMA's flood map rating. Zone X is outside the mapped flood area; zones A and AE are inside it.
- HOA
- A homeowners' association. It sets rules and collects dues.
- Land type
- What the land is mostly for. Buyers use it to filter, so pick the closest one.
- Mineral rights
- The right to what is under the ground. "Not included" means someone else owns them.
- No recorded right
- People use a road or path to get in, but no recorded document gives the right to use it. A buyer should check this.
- Owner-financed price
- The price if the buyer uses owner financing, often higher than cash (cash $5,000, owner-financed $6,500).
- Parcel number (APN)
- The ID number the county gives this lot. It's on the tax bill.
- Perc test
- A soil test that shows whether a septic system can be put in.
- Road frontage (ft)
- Feet of the lot that touch a road.
- Section / Township / Range
- The survey grid used in many western and midwestern states to locate land.
- Setbacks
- How far a building must be from each property line.
- Tax status
- Whether a farm, timber or wildlife exemption lowers the yearly tax. An exemption can end when the land is sold.
- Water rights
- The legal right to use water (ditch shares, springs, a well permit). It is a legal right, not the water supply itself.
- Zoning
- The county or town's rules for how the land can be used, for example R-1 or AG.
Browse Land by Property Type
Now that you understand the terminology, explore our listings by property type:
Ready to Find Your Perfect Land?
Browse land across the United States, including owner-financed listings. LandyDandy is a marketplace; each seller sets the terms and decides whether to check credit, so ask the seller.