Buying Land in Middle Tennessee: What to Know
and What I Wish I’d Known
By Jason Fraker, Realtor, The Fraker Group | Real Broker
Buying land is different from buying a house in a neighborhood. The questions are different, the inspections are different, and the upkeep is very different. We’re Jason and Allison Fraker, and land is our specialty. More than 60 of our sales have been homes with land or raw land. Allison holds a degree in agriculture from MTSU, and we’ve owned acreage ourselves for more than 20 years. Here’s what we check for our buyers, and a few things I learned the hard way.
What I Check Before You Buy Land
Soil evaluation and septic. If the land doesn’t have public sewer, a home will need a septic system, and in Tennessee a state permit is required before one is built. A state environmental scientist evaluates the site to decide what type of system it can support, and some sites also need a soil map from a licensed soil consultant. People often call this a “perc test.” Knowing what the land can support before you commit is the first step.
Water. Is public water available at the road, or is there a well on the land? If you’ll have gardens or livestock, that matters: a well can cover watering, while public water means a water bill for every gallon the garden and animals use. Tennessee regulates how wells are built but not private well water quality, so the state Department of Health encourages owners to test their wells every year.
Road frontage and access. The land needs legal access to a public road and enough frontage for a driveway. Shared driveways are worth knowing about up front.
Easements and restrictions. Utility easements, rights of way and deed restrictions can limit what you build or keep on the land, like the size of the home or whether animals or manufactured homes are allowed.
City or county, and what’s allowed. Land inside city limits can come with different rules than land in the county, including whether you can keep livestock. Some cities allow a few hens but not a rooster. Checking the zoning and local rules up front tells you what you can keep on the land before you buy.
Flood zone. FEMA’s flood maps show whether part of the land is in a flood zone, which can affect where you can build and what insurance costs.
Survey and boundaries. Knowing where the property lines really are, and whether a new survey is needed, prevents surprises later.
Horse Properties, Lake Homes, Homes with Land and Homesteading Properties
We’ve sold land for horse owners, homes and land on the lake, homesteads, and acreage for buyers who just wanted room, with no livestock at all. Each comes with its own checklist.
Horse property. Fencing and cross fencing, automatic waterers and the barn all affect the value and the upkeep. So does water: a well on the property can water horses without a monthly water bill, while public water means paying for every gallon they drink. Barns range from solid wood or metal buildings to open, carport-style structures, and that difference matters for cost and how long they last. We’ll help you understand what’s already there and what it would cost to add.
Lake land. We grew up in the Tims Ford Lake area and have sold homes and land on the lake. Tims Ford is a TVA lake, and on TVA lakes the land along the water is often owned by TVA, not the homeowner. Not every waterfront lot can have a dock, and a dock that’s already there may not be permitted. TVA dock permits don’t transfer automatically when a home sells, and only docks built as permitted qualify. We’ll check the lot’s dock eligibility and permit history before you buy, so you don’t find out after closing that the dock can’t stay. TVA also has rules about what you can do on its land along the shore, like whether you can cut trees or clear brush for a better view, so we’ll go over those with you too.
Homesteads and land that produces. We’ve sold land to homesteaders, and we garden ourselves, with 16 raised beds, fruit trees, blackberries and blueberries. Part of a property’s value is what’s already growing: pecan trees you can harvest every year, grapevines, berry bushes, fruit trees, and gardens already in place, whether raised beds or in the ground. Water matters here too, since a well can keep the garden and fruit trees watered without a water bill adding up all summer. We’ll help you spot what comes with the land so you know what you’re getting.
Homes with land for space and privacy. Plenty of our buyers simply want space and privacy. It’s still real upkeep, so read my four lessons below.
Greenbelt in Tennessee
Tennessee’s Greenbelt program lets qualifying farm, forest and open space land be taxed on its current use instead of its market value, which can lower property taxes a lot. Agricultural and forest land generally needs at least 15 acres, and open space land needs at least 3 acres. When ownership changes, the new owner has to reapply for the land to stay in Greenbelt.
If land comes out of Greenbelt, rollback taxes can apply. That’s the difference in taxes saved over the past three years for agricultural and forest land, or five years for open space. If you’re buying Greenbelt land, we’ll talk with the county assessor before you divide it or change how it’s used, so you know about any rollback taxes up front.
Splitting Land or Buying With Someone Else
We’ve helped two couples buy a tract of raw land together, divide it and keep it in Greenbelt. Each couple built a home there. Dividing land usually takes a new survey and approval from the county planning office, and the rules depend on the county and the size of the new lots. We’ll check those rules before you buy so the plan works on paper and on the ground.
Buying Land to Build a House
The order matters when you’re building on raw land:
- Make sure the soil can support a septic system, if there’s no sewer.
- Confirm water, power and road access.
- Check restrictions, easements and the flood zone.
- Line up financing. Land and construction loans work differently from a regular mortgage, so it helps to talk with a lender early. If you don’t have one, we’re happy to recommend lenders we’ve worked with.
- Get your building and septic permits.
We’ve helped individuals and builders buy land to build on, and we’ll walk you through each step.
What I Wish I’d Known Before Buying Acreage
I’ve owned land for more than 20 years, and we live on 11 acres in the country. Here are four things nobody told me before we bought.
1. Time. I spend 3 to 4 hours a week just mowing. That doesn’t include weed eating, landscaping, working on equipment, the garden or bush hogging the pasture.
2. Fencing. Fencing is never finished. You fix one section and another needs attention, and clearing fence rows is a winter job of its own. If you have animals, the work doubles.
3. A tractor. When we moved in, I figured we’d mow it ourselves and the horses would keep the pasture down. Wrong thinking. Budget for a tractor so you can bush hog, move dirt with a front-end loader and clear land.
4. The driveway. Our quarter-mile asphalt driveway was beautiful when we moved in, but I didn’t think about what it costs to keep up. We also had to tear out and replace the bridge over our creek, and I hadn’t planned for that.
I’m not sharing this to talk anyone out of buying land. I just want you to come in with your eyes open. The people who struggle with land are usually the ones who didn’t plan for the time and money it takes to keep it looking good.
Watch my video: four things I’ve learned from owning acreage
Homes on Acreage or Raw Land?
A home that already sits on acreage has the well or water, septic, driveway and power in place. Raw land gives you a blank slate, but you’ll build all of that yourself. We help buyers with both.
Buying Land in Middle Tennessee: FAQ
What is a perc test?
It’s the common name for checking whether soil can absorb water well enough for a septic system. In Tennessee, a state environmental scientist evaluates the site and decides what type of septic system it can support.
Do I need a perc test before buying land?
If the land doesn’t have public sewer and you plan to build, you’ll need a septic permit before building. We’ll make sure you know what the land can support before you commit.
What is Greenbelt in Tennessee?
Greenbelt is Tennessee’s program that lets qualifying agricultural, forest and open space land be taxed on its current use instead of its market value, which can lower property taxes. The owner has to apply, and a new owner has to reapply for the land to stay in Greenbelt.
How many acres do you need for Greenbelt in Tennessee?
Generally at least 15 acres for agricultural or forest land, and at least 3 acres for open space land.
What are rollback taxes?
When land comes out of Greenbelt, the owner may owe the taxes saved over the past three years for agricultural or forest land, or five years for open space.
Can you split land and keep it in Greenbelt?
Sometimes. Each new owner has to reapply, and each tract has to qualify on its own. We’ll talk with the county assessor before you divide the land.
Can every lake home have a dock?
No. On TVA lakes like Tims Ford, not every waterfront lot is eligible for a dock, and dock permits don’t transfer automatically when a home sells. We’ll check dock eligibility and permit history before you buy.
What does it take to keep up acreage?
More time and money than most people expect. On our 11 acres, I spend 3 to 4 hours a week just mowing, and fencing, equipment like a tractor, and driveway upkeep all add up.
Sources: TDEC septic system FAQs, Tennessee Comptroller: Greenbelt, Tennessee Department of Health: Safe Water, TVA shoreline construction FAQ, FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
Thinking about buying land? Reach out to Jason and Allison.