If you want to purchase property to build a small cottage or cabin on, you need to think carefully about the land that you purchase. Here are a few things you are going to want to take into consideration while searching for the perfect location to build your cottage in the woods.

Driving Distance From Your Primary Home

The first thing you need to take into consideration when looking for a location for a second getaway home is how far you want to drive from your primary residence. You don't want your new property to be so close that you don't feel like you are getting away. A property less than a half-hour from your home may not feel like much of a getaway.

However, you want to make sure that your new property is not so far away that you never use it. Try to think about how long you would want to drive on a Friday night after work to reach your weekend retreat. A good general rule of thumb is to look for a second property that is not more than two hours away from your home. That way, if you get off work at six, you can make it to your retreat by eight.

If your property is too far away, you may find it more difficult to take full advantage of it.

Landscaping Features

You also need to think carefully about what kind of features you find relaxing. If you want your cottage to be located next to a lake, make sure you are ready to pay the premium price for a lakefront property.

If you want to be near water but don't want to pay the premium price for lakefront property, try to find some land that has a creek or a pond nearby.

If water is not your idea of tranquility, look instead for a large wooded lot. Try to go for at least an acre of land –- that way you will not be too close to your neighbors. Work with a company like Premium Mortgage Corp to see what type of land you can afford and where.

Utility Hookups

Next, you need to decide if you want your cottage to be off-the-grid or if you want to be able to hook up to your local utilities. If you think you want to hook up to electric, water or phone services now or in the future, it is crucial that you purchase a piece of property where this option is open to you.

Year Round Access

Finally, you need to think about the level of access you will have to your property through the year. If you live in an area with regular snowfall in the winter, you will want to make sure that you can actually get to your property when it snows. It can be easy to forget about this detail when you are shopping for property in the summer and fall when access is easy. Check with the local government and see if the main roads near your property are serviced and plowed during the winter.

While searching for a property to build your getaway cottage on, make sure you take into consideration how far you want to drive, the visual appeal of the land, as well as what kind of access you will have to city services at your second home.

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