Buying land in Park City — the 9 things to verify before you close

Park City lots look simple in the listing photos. Behind every one is a stack of disclosures, easements, and physical realities that determine whether your dream home actually fits the parcel — and how much it will cost to put it there. After two decades of custom builds in this market, here is the checklist we walk through with every client before they sign the closing docs on a lot.

1. Water rights and connection

The single most expensive surprise we see on Park City lots is water. Inside the Park City Municipal service area, you are paying a connection fee in the $30K to $60K range depending on the meter size. Outside that boundary — Snyderville Basin, parts of Summit Park, Promontory — you are looking at well drilling, water rights leases, or a private utility tap that can run six figures before the first stake is driven.

• Confirm in writing which water utility serves the parcel
• Get the current connection fee in writing on letterhead
• For well lots, get the well log and a recent recovery test

2. Septic feasibility

If the lot is not on municipal sewer, you need a percolation test before you close, not after. Summit County is strict on septic design in steep terrain, and a failed perc means you are looking at an engineered mound system that can add $40K to $80K to the build.

3. Soils report and slope

The geotech matters more in Park City than almost anywhere we build. Steep lots can be beautiful and they can also require engineered foundations, retaining walls, and import fill that the listing brochure never mentioned. Order a soils report before closing; the seller will rarely have one and the cost of one is trivial compared to the cost of finding out after.

4. View easements and ridgeline restrictions

Many Park City HOAs and the underlying Summit County zoning impose ridgeline silhouette restrictions to preserve mountain views. A two-story design on a ridgeline lot may simply not be permittable. Get the design guidelines in hand and read them before you assume the home you have in mind will fit.

5. HOA review process

The HOA design review committee in most Park City communities is real and slow. Plan for 60 to 120 days from submittal to approval. Some HOAs require a deposit, mandate specific materials, or have an approved-architect list. Get the current guidelines and timeline in writing.

6. Setbacks and building envelope

The "buildable area" is rarely the same as the lot area. Setbacks from property lines, road centerlines, and creeks can shrink a half-acre lot to a 4,000 square foot building envelope. Have a surveyor flag the envelope before closing.

7. Driveway access and snow storage

If the driveway grade exceeds 8%, the county may require heated drive design. If snow storage is not on the plan, your driveway gets narrower every storm. These are easy things to design around if you know about them and expensive things to retrofit if you do not.

8. Utility distance

Power, gas, and fiber distance to the parcel each carry a cost per linear foot for trenching and installation. A lot that is 800 feet off the nearest pole is a different build cost than a lot that is 80 feet off.

• Get the power company's written estimate for service extension
• Confirm gas availability (some upper-elevation lots are propane-only)
• Verify fiber service if working-from-home is a requirement

9. Title exceptions

The title commitment will list everything from access easements to mineral rights to a neighbor's historic right to draw water from your spring. Read every exception with your real estate attorney. The hidden ones are the ones that bite.

The honest summary

A Park City lot is rarely "ready to build." The work of confirming what can actually go on it — and at what cost — is what separates a good acquisition from a six-figure regret. The 9 items above are the ones that, in our experience, cost the most when they are skipped.

If you have a specific lot under consideration and want our team to walk the parcel before you close, the inspection visit is part of our pre-construction services. The contact form is at the top of every page.