All Forum Posts by: Wendy Forbes

so is it possible for someone to sell of only a small portion of the APN? only one lot, when the APN includes multiple lots?

I am looking at buying a piece of land in LA county. in the description of the land on the auction website it gives the APN number, but then has parenthesis and says (lot 22) It also mentions being a subdivision lot. When i type in the APN to the government website it shows a half acre lot, but in the description of the land there it also says "blk #___ includes lots 20, 21, 22, 23, and 26" and there appears to be another map that shows smaller subdivisions. My question is IF A LOT GETS SUBDIVIDED DOES IT CREATE A NEW APNs? is it possible the seller is confused about the size? is it possible to sell a small portion of an apn without having separate APN? On the GIS map there is only that one big lot. so i am confused if i am bidding on the whole APN or a small portion of it. any info would be greatly appreciated! time is of the essence on this one. THANKS!

Where in Southern California would you look for buildable land that was suitable for horses, yet reasonably priced and in a somewhat livable area? We had been considering Hemet, but it sounds like the crime situation there may be out of control - is this accurate?

@Ryan Dossey  Right! Forgot to mention that. I plan to build something small to live in for now, if it doesn't already have a home on it, but eventually be able to rent it out. I would like to buy a piece that I could divide with a family member. I hope to have some gardens so water will definitely be an issue. Might also keep some horses and other animals, hence the zoning question.

I am going to be looking at land in the outlying areas of Riverside County, CA, probably in the southern part of the county. What things do I need to look out for? Is there zoning on land outside of town centers that would prevent subdividing in some cases, or is zoning typically confined to the more populated areas? What research can I do to determine the likelihood of wells running dry? My larger question, which would likely encompass those others, is what types of professionals should I bring in to help me uncover any issues? What type of inspector can do an overall assessment of the land itself, not just the buildings if there are any? I would obviously work with a local lawyer, but who else am I not thinking of? I'm from New England, so I'm sure the issues to look at are different.  Please feel free to recommend any specific people I should contact, as well. Thanks!

Thank you so much for this detailed info, @Jay Hinrichs. You have given me several good starting points. Rugged is just fine! I may be in touch further as I get a better sense of what we are looking for.

Thanks to all of you. This is very helpful information. I'll let you know if I find something!

I'm going to be exploring northern California over the next few weeks with an eye toward finding a small multi-family buy and hold. My idea would be to use at least one of the apartments as a vacation rental. What do I need to look out for with short term/vacation rental regulations in CA? I had been thinking I would look in the Sacramento area, but I'm open to other suggestions. Where would I be most likely to find a cash flowing property that would also have a good vacation or short-term rental market? I'd like it to be in a somewhat urban area as I live in very rural New England and would want to use the rental myself on occasion for a change of scene!

My son and I will be spending the first two weeks of November driving around Northern CA and Oregon looking for a small piece of land to develop as a homestead of sorts. It would ideally be sunny, out of wildfire, drought, and flood range as much as possible, near a reasonably good sized community (5,000 people or more) with some basic services, private, and with water and the possibility of building at least one house. We will be looking for between 2-10 acres. Where would it be possible to find that type of land and that amount of acreage for $50,000 or less? I've seen some great deals in the north eastern corner of CA, but that area seems a little too desolate. Is that an accurate assessment? I would be particularly interested in areas that are within 10 miles of the ocean if they fit the other items on our list. 

Info about good areas of Oregon would be especially helpful as neither of us has spent much time there at all.