Amenities & Land Features For Your Dream Property

Is it time to start thinking about the perfect amenities and land features for your dream property? You’ll enjoy this article!

Amenities are important to consider before you search for your dream property. Along with the location and the type of home, amenities are essential for developing a vivid picture of your dream home. That said, there are many types of amenities out there. So many that it’s easy to overlook some of them. 

You’ve got “essentials” like water, sewer, electricity, and gas. But you’ve also got outdoor, indoor, and energy amenities. And among those, you have a lot of choices. So to help you determine what amenities will be best for you, we’ve gathered the ultimate list! 

Let’s jump right in. 

This is the third post in a series about building your dream home on your dream land. If you haven’t already, check out our blogs on choosing a location for buying land and deciding on a home type. 

Water, Sewer, Electricity, and Gas

When buying a home, people often take for granted the fact that the home already has water, electricity, and sewer. But this is not always the case with raw land. And depending on what exactly you want to do with the land, the lack of these amenities could be a deal breaker. 

That’s why these are often the most important amenities to nail down first. This will help to narrow your criteria for land when it comes time to search, which will make things much easier. 

Water

Some land comes with an available water source already, such as a well or even access to utilities already installed in the area. Most properties that are zoned for single-family homes, modular homes, or tiny homes will allow you to drill a well if there’s no current water supply. 

However, you may not have the budget or the desire to pay someone to drill a well. So it’s important to decide if you want an existing water supply on the property or not. 

If you plan on using the property for camping and hunting at first, the lack of a water supply may not be an issue for you. But if you’re planning on building a home, it’s certainly important.   

Sewer

Sewer and water often go hand-in-hand. This means that if a property has access to water, it usually also has access to a municipal sewer system. However, this is not always the case. 

Of course, if you’re looking to live off-grid, you can always get a property that allows septic tank installation. Most properties that are zoned for building will either allow for utilities or a septic tank. The question then comes down to which one is right for you. 

If you’re looking for land that’s off the beaten track, you’ll probably need to pay to have a septic tank installed. On the other hand, there are plenty of properties available that are near small towns and cities, allowing you access to the municipal sewer system. 

Electricity

Electricity is another essential amenity that bears some consideration. Electricity isn’t available on every piece of land out there, but thanks to advances in technology, that’s less of a problem that it has even been before. 

If you’re so inclined, you could live completely off grid by using solar and/or wind energy on your property. But that may be a little more involved than you’re looking for. And if that’s the case, you’ll want to search only for properties that already have access to electricity. 

Gas

Gas isn’t as essential as the other three amenities above. If you have electricity, you can do without gas in most places. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t ask yourself whether you want natural gas on the property. Luckily, if the property you want doesn’t have natural gas, it likely allows propane tanks. 

The Price of Amenities

Keep in mind as you consider which of these amenities you want that their presence (or lack thereof) typically affects the price of the property. Land that has access to utilities is generally going to be more expensive than land that doesn’t. So, in some cases, the money saved on land without the above amenities can go towards the installation of a well, a septic system, and perhaps even solar panels. 

Outdoor Amenities

Outdoor amenities are anything that you feel will add value to the property. This doesn’t necessarily mean monetary value, although that’s certainly something to consider. 

Instead, think in terms of what kind of value each amenity will provide for you and your family. 

Recreation

There are plenty of outdoor recreational amenities to choose from. Do you want a pool, hot tub, or a sauna? How about a basketball or tennis court? Maybe you just want an area where you can set up the corn hole boards or have an ax throwing competition. If you’re a baseball fan, you may want a batting cage.

Cooking and Relaxing

Many people want to have a fire pit outside. Others want a brick oven or a built-in smoker. A nice patio where people can gather around the fire is always nice. Or maybe, if you’re going to live in a warmer climate, a place to sunbathe is your idea of ultimate relaxation. 

Pets, Plants, and Livestock

Since it’s getting easier and easier to work and live remotely these days, many people want room to plant crops and keep livestock. Maybe you envision a chicken coop with fresh eggs every morning. Or perhaps you’ll be keeping larger livestock, like horses and cows. Some people just want a nice big area for their dogs to run around in. All of these are things to consider!

Landscaping

We’ve all passed by a yard that made us go “Oooh,” and “Ahhh.” From Koi ponds and quaint wooden bridges to sculpted bushes and a pristine lawn, there are plenty of landscaping options to choose from. Think about what your perfect landscaped yard would look like!

Indoor Amenities

Now that we’ve covered outdoor amenities, let’s look at some popular options for inside the home. 

The Basics

In a previous post, we talked about the type of home you’ll want, but you still have to decide on some basic amenities. These include the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, whether you’ll want central heating and air, the number of floors, and how much parking you’ll need. Consider what type of flooring you’ll want in each area of the home. And, keep in mind the need for any extra rooms for a home office, a gym, an art studio, a den, a library, or a man cave. 

Kitchen and Dining Room Amenities

The kitchen is often a community room, as people tend to gather around the food. So you’ll want to determine how much space you want there. And we can’t think about the kitchen without considering what appliances are must-haves, such as a dishwasher, microwave, disposal, and oven. Also, think about countertops, lighting, and whether you want an attached dining room or a separate one. 

Bedroom Amenities

Your primary concern here should be with the master bedroom first. How big will the bedroom be? Do you want the bedroom on the first floor or would you like it on the second floor with a balcony so you can enjoy a magnificent view? Think also about closet space and what else you may want there, such as automatic blinds, skylights, a built-in television, a fireplace, or built-in speakers for listening to music or watching movies. 

Once you know what you want for the master bedroom, you can take some time and think about any other bedrooms you’ll have in the house. 

Bathroom Amenities

Once again, start with the master bathroom. Do you want dual sinks in the bathroom? Vanity mirror? How about a separate shower and bathtub? Heated floors are becoming more and more popular in bathrooms these days. It’s also worth considering what kind of tiles or stonework you want for the floors, walls, and countertops. Think about windows and skylights, too. 

Living Room Amenities

What kind of living room do you want to have? Many people like to have a fireplace in their living room. Others like to turn the room into a home theater complete with surround sound speakers. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a couple of couches, a coffee table, and picture windows to enjoy the view. Think about what you want from your ideal living room and keep it in mind on your home-building journey. 

Energy Amenities

There are many types of energy amenities to consider when thinking about your dream home. Some of the most basic are ceiling fans, shutters, and thermostats. But you can go above and beyond here with solar panels, heat pumps, or even small wind turbines on your property. You can opt for a traditional water heater or a newer tankless version. It all depends on what you want!

Conclusion

Thinking about amenities for your dream home on your dream land helps you nail down the home’s details. You get to determine what’s essential for you instead of trying to find a place that meets your needs. 

Once you have the amenities down, you can move on to the next step in the land-buying and home-building journey, which is searching for properties! Keep an eye out for a new article covering that subject in the next few weeks! .