Buying Land

Federal guidelines cap raw land lending at 65 percent loan-to-value, so a regulated lender is working toward 35 percent down.

Price the offer from recent comps, put it in a written agreement with earnest money and a due diligence period, then negotiate.

Before buying rural land, screen soil, septic limits and flood zone online, then walk the parcel checking access, water, drainage and utility distance.

New Mexico is the cheapest state to buy land, at $650 per acre for pasture and $735 for farm real estate in USDA’s 2026 report.

Raw land due diligence means verifying title, access, zoning, utilities, and flood risk before you buy, so you never get stuck with an unbuildable or landlocked parcel.