Developing Land.....Even with Low Risk there is Risk

Daily Real Estate News May 5, 2008

Lots of Land, But Building Can Be Risky

There’s a lot of vacant land for sale at the moment, but does building a custom home make sense? Ask different real estate professionals, and you'll get different answers. Debbie Jensen, an associate with Fairfax Realty in Herndon, Va., says the answer is simple: Just don't build. At least not now. Buyers take on too much risk and are at the mercy of builders, she says. "I can't tell you the amount of tears and frustration I've seen.” She recommends instead that her clients buy an existing home, even if it's only 80 percent of what they want. It's much easier to redo an existing house than to start from scratch, she contends.Other see it differently. "Land is a good deal right now," says Mark Hastings, an associate with RE/MAX Gateway in Chantilly, Va., where prices in many nearby areas are down. Hastings says he's seeing a lot of nervousness from potential buyers who are worried that they will get in over their heads and then not be able to sell their custom home. But he believes that concern is overblown because top-quality homes hold their value. "The people who are building are in the more affluent range," he says.Source: The Washington Post, Diane Reynolds (05/03/2008)

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