Potential problems with purchasing land with junk

This is an eye opening issue.

Hi John,

While I wouldn’t say never.  I would say extreme caution needs to be used, AND the added costs needs to be calculated into the purchase.   I have pulled some 250 55 gallon garbage bags of junk off my property. I had 6 acres.  My neighbor offered to sell me 5 attached acres.   He was the only person who owned land attached to mine.  Yes, there was a junk pile on the property hidden in the woods.  I had an added benefit in that I had free access to a dumpster. Anyway, I now own 11 acres, and I have no regrets.  But my eyes were wide open.

Trash happens, you definitely need to be careful about it, but it doesn’t need to be a deal breaker.  It’s all a calculated decision.

It's a valid concern.

If it's a simple trash pile, maybe. Watch out, though, people often bury this stuff before they sell a property.

If it's been a neighbourhood dump site for years and years, there's a good chance there is old oil, batteries, and even worse stuff. It may be leaching into the groundwater. Depending on local laws, you could be legally and financially responsible for fixing all of that after you become the owner. Got an extra million dollars to throw away? This is the perfect place to lose it all.

Are you willing to spend years dealing with lawyers, consultants, laboratories and multiple layers of government to deal with this? Is that how you want to spend your time?

And that land could well be contaminated with heavy metals and god-knows-what that's worse. Are you going to grow your food in that soil?

Run far, far away.

I have seen some property with junk. Old washing machines, old cars, old rvs or trailer houses, etc.

Be prepared to haul this stuff to the land fill or live with it.

My neighbor jokes that his place looks like Fred Sanford's junk yard ten years ago.

Your decision, haul it away or live with it.  Or look for some other property.