Buying Land and Building a Custom Home in the PNW: What to Know

For some buyers, the perfect home isn't currently on the market—it’s waiting to be built! Buying raw land and building a custom home in Oregon or Washington is an incredible adventure, but it requires a lot more due diligence than buying an existing house.

Here are the crucial things you must know before buying land in the PNW:

1. Oregon’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) Oregon has strict land-use laws designed to protect farmland and forests. The Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) dictates where high-density city development can occur and where it stops. If you buy land outside the UGB, there are very strict rules about what you can build and how large the home can be. Always check the zoning!

2. Washington Land Availability While Washington doesn't have the exact same UGB system as Oregon, Clark County and Cowlitz County have their own strict zoning laws. However, buyers generally find it slightly easier to find buildable, affordable acreage just outside the major city limits in Washington compared to the immediate Portland area.

3. Utilities: Well, Septic, and Power If you buy rural land in either state, you likely won't be tapping into city water or sewer. You must budget tens of thousands of dollars to drill a well, install a septic system, and pull electricity to the build site. You must make your land purchase contingent on a successful "perc test" to ensure the soil can actually support a septic system.

Ready to build your dream home from the ground up? We have extensive experience helping buyers secure buildable land.

Call us today to start your custom home journey!

Call: (503) 300-6614