Yeah, totally agree with taking your time. We almost got burned on a property that looked great—open field, nice views—but turns out the soil was mostly clay and drainage would've been a nightmare. Would've cost us thousands extra just to prep the site properly. Sometimes those hidden gems are hidden for a reason, lol... but they're definitely out there if you're patient enough. Glad you avoided that wetlands headache, permits alone can kill a project before it even starts.
"Sometimes those hidden gems are hidden for a reason, lol..."
Fair point, but honestly, clay soil isn't always a dealbreaker. I built on heavy clay a few years back—yeah, drainage was tricky, but with some smart grading and a decent French drain setup, it wasn't nearly as costly as you'd think. Saved a ton upfront on the land price, too. Just saying, sometimes the "problem" lots can actually be worth the extra effort if you're willing to get your hands dirty...
Totally agree on the clay soil thing—when we bought our land, everyone warned us about the rocky terrain being a nightmare. Yeah, digging foundations wasn't exactly fun (my back still remembers those weekends...), but we ended up using some of the stones to build this awesome garden wall. Turned out way better than planned and added some unique charm. Sometimes those tricky lots give you a chance to get creative and really make your home yours.
