Not all land is created equal when it comes to accessing the land.

It is quite possible to run into what is termed “landlocked” property in the State of Florida. Some licensed people will tell you there is no such thing because Florida does have laws that provide for relief, but that doesn’t mean it won’t come with additional costs.

When it comes to buying landlocked property do not under-estimate the cost of getting full unfettered access to the land. There are many horror stories by seasoned investors that have fought tooth and nail to access property they paid tens, even hundreds, of thousands of dollars for and then had to pay through the ear to get access.

Although there may be legal remedy to gain access, it doesn’t mean it will be easy, simple, or quick. It could take months, if not years, and it may become too costly for the value of the land for it’s end use when it is all said and done.

The first thing a potential buyer should do is get a survey done, and make sure that any ingress/egress is clearly noted. If there are no access easement points, that is a red flag. It doesn’t mean it won’t be worth it, but it could mean that your purchase [rice just increased by additional access cost.

Do yourself a favor and hire an attorney if you don’t know otherwise, and never – never – NEVER – take the word solely of a Seller trying to unload a parcel. You must have third, or even fourth, fifth or sixth party verification. Not even the County Appraisers office may have the actual information you need to verify whether access exists.