It is extremely important to discover whether there are easements on undeveloped land you are thinking about buying. An easement is the legal right to use another person's land for a specific, acknowledged purpose. Easements can significantly affect your development and use of the property.

A typical easement might permit the use of a dirt fire road that cuts through both the neighbor's property and your land. The road provides access to both properties, and your neighbor has to drive through yours to get to his. The house you build has to be situated ten to fifteen feet away from this access road. If the road cuts through the middle of the lot, you might have difficulty finding room for the house you want to build.

Consult with your real estate agent, an attorney or a title researcher for accurate information about the easements. When making an offer on undeveloped land with an easement issue, be sure to include a contingency that you must approve of any existing easements, or the offer is null and void.