Thinking about buying land around Fort Collins but not sure where to start? You are not alone. Land deals here are different from buying a house, and a few early checks can save you time and money. In this guide, you will learn how to confirm access, secure water, understand zoning, plan utilities, and set realistic timelines for Larimer County. Let’s dive in.
Start with jurisdiction
Before you fall in love with a view, confirm where the property sits. It could be inside Fort Collins city limits, in unincorporated Larimer County, or under another local jurisdiction. Each one has different rules, fees, utilities, and timelines.
Check the jurisdiction first because it sets your path for permits, roads, and utilities. City parcels often have clearer utility options. Rural county parcels can be great, but you must verify water, septic, and access early.
Confirm access and easements
You need both legal and physical access. A visible driveway is not enough. Make sure there is recorded access in title, such as a public road, county road easement, or a recorded private road easement.
Ask who maintains the road and how costs are shared. In rural areas, snow removal and grading may fall to owners or a road association. Also check whether a driveway or approach permit is needed and whether road standards require upgrades before you build.
Review all easements that cross the land. Utility and ditch easements can limit where you place your home, well, or septic. A boundary survey paired with a title review helps you confirm access, building envelopes, and any encumbrances.
Make water your top priority
In Colorado, water is a separate property right and the most common deal-breaker. Confirm how you will get a reliable supply: municipal hookup within a service area, a permitted well, or other approved arrangements.
If you are near the city, ask whether municipal water is available, whether annexation is required, and what fees apply. If you are outside service areas, a private well may be possible, but it needs a state well permit. New wells in parts of Colorado can require an augmentation plan, which adds time and costs.
If a well already exists, verify the permit, well log, depth, yield, and water quality. Some rural parcels include ditch shares or irrigation rights. Those can help with irrigation but usually do not cover domestic use without proper treatment and approvals.
Understand zoning and permitting
Zoning controls what you can build and where. It sets uses, setbacks, lot sizes, heights, and accessory structures. Overlays like floodplain, wildfire hazard, steep slopes, and riparian buffers may add rules or review steps.
Confirm whether the lot is a legal lot of record and whether any subdivision rules limit new homes. If you need city utilities, annexation may be required. That process can involve agreements for roads and utility extensions to city standards.
Expect to coordinate building permits, site plan or grading approvals, driveway permits, septic permits if needed, and any floodplain reviews. HOA rules or covenants, if present, can add more steps.
Plan utilities and services
Electric power can be close and still be costly to extend. Call potential providers early for quotes, meter standards, and easement needs. Sewer is often unavailable outside the city, so an onsite wastewater system is common. A site evaluation and perc testing will help size your system and confirm setbacks.
Natural gas may not reach rural areas. Many owners use propane for heating and cooking. Check delivery access and tank siting. For internet, service varies by location. Verify whether fiber, fixed wireless, or cellular is realistic, and plan for equipment if needed.
Insurance and emergency services matter. Fire protection district coverage, response times, floodplain status, and wildfire risk can affect premiums and underwriting. Some areas may require defensible space or mitigation steps.
Build a smart due diligence timeline
You can shape your contract to give yourself time to check the important items. Most buyers near Fort Collins need more time than a typical home purchase.
Pre-offer
- Engage a land specialist or ALC to screen water, access, and zoning.
- Review a preliminary title commitment if available.
- Discuss financing, since raw land loans differ from home mortgages.
Under contract contingencies
- Title review, survey, and access verification.
- Well confirmation, well logs, or well-permitting pathway.
- Septic feasibility and soils/percolation.
- Utility extension quotes for power, water, and sewer.
- Appraisal if financing and any environmental checks where relevant.
Typical timelines
- Title and survey: 30 to 45 days.
- Water review and well permitting research: 30 to 90 days.
- Septic and soils evaluation: 2 to 6 weeks.
- Utility quotes and basic site design: 2 to 8 weeks.
- Pre-application meetings with the county or city: timing varies but helps reduce later surprises.
When to bring in specialists
The right team can prevent mistakes and keep your deal on track. Bring in specialists early when any critical item is uncertain.
- Accredited Land Consultant or experienced land broker: pre-offer screening and contract structure.
- Title company or real estate attorney: review easements, covenants, and mineral reservations.
- Licensed surveyor: boundary and easement mapping aligned with title exceptions.
- Hydrologist, well consultant, or driller: well feasibility and yield expectations.
- Septic designer or environmental health consultant: perc tests and system design.
- Civil engineer or land-use planner: road, drainage, and utility plans, or subdivision work.
- Land-use attorney: complex entitlements, annexation, or water-rights issues.
- Firewise or wildfire-mitigation consultant: foothills or higher-risk zones.
- Geotech or soils engineer: steep terrain or expansive soils.
Common Fort Collins land scenarios
In-city or platted subdivision lots
- Usually the easiest for utilities and permits. Confirm city building codes, impact fees, and any design standards.
Unincorporated parcels with existing well and septic
- Often straightforward if access and title are clean. Verify well adequacy, water quality, and any deed restrictions.
Acreage with no utilities
- Plan for higher upfront costs and longer timelines. Expect work for well permitting or augmentation, power extension, road upgrades, and septic.
Parcels with ditch or irrigation shares
- Helpful for landscaping or agriculture. Do not assume they cover domestic water without proper treatment and approvals.
Financing and risk notes
Land loans work differently than home loans. Many lenders require larger down payments, shorter terms, and higher rates for bare land. Choose a lender familiar with Colorado rural properties.
Watch title exceptions closely. Unrecorded or prescriptive access claims, ditch easements, or conservation restrictions can shape where you build. Insurance availability, wildfire risk, and floodplain status can affect costs and loan conditions.
Your step-by-step checklist
Use this quick list to keep your process organized.
- Confirm jurisdiction: city, county, or another local entity.
- Verify legal access in title and understand road maintenance.
- Secure a viable water source: municipal service, permitted well, or approved plan.
- Evaluate septic: soils, perc tests, and setbacks if outside sewer service.
- Identify utility providers and get extension quotes.
- Review zoning, overlays, and lot-of-record status.
- Check all easements, covenants, and any mineral reservations.
- Confirm fire district coverage, insurance needs, and floodplain status.
- Set a due diligence period that fits the scope of your checks.
Ready to move from interest to action?
Buying land near Fort Collins comes down to doing the right checks in the right order. If you verify access, water, zoning, and utilities early, you will avoid most surprises and set a clear path to building.
If you want a seasoned partner at your side, our ALC-led team can help you evaluate parcels, structure contingencies, and coordinate specialists from first look to closing. Reach out to NorthStar Realty for guidance tailored to your goals and timeline. NorthStar Realty
FAQs
Can I build a house on any rural lot near Fort Collins?
- Not always; you must confirm legal access, an allowable water supply, septic feasibility, and compliance with zoning and development standards before building.
Do wells automatically come with the land purchase?
- Only if a permitted well exists and is recorded; verify the well permit, well log, yield, and water quality to confirm suitability.
How long do permits and approvals usually take?
- In-city projects can take a few months; rural projects with well permits, septic, or road and utility work can take many months to over a year.
When should I hire a land specialist or ALC?
- As early as possible, ideally before making an offer, to screen water, access, zoning, and other constraints typical of Front Range parcels.
