How to check property tax on land before buying in any state
How to check property tax on land before buying: pull the assessor record, the collector bill and the city fees separately. A sale resets the assessment.
September 23, 202612 min read
Insights
Land Investment Insights
Market analysis, investment strategy, and practical guidance on vacant land from the YAI LLC team.
Owner financing
How does owner financing on cheap rural land actually work?
12 articles
Buying land in Arkansas
What do I need to check before buying rural land in Arkansas?
23 articles
Why own land
Is a cheap rural lot worth owning?
5 articles
Closing costs on cheap land: what a buyer actually pays
Closing costs on cheap land are small or zero when you buy direct. Arkansas charges $3.30 per $1,000 transfer tax and $15 to record the first page of a deed.
September 16, 202612 min read
Limited warranty deed vs warranty deed: what a buyer should ask
Limited warranty deed vs warranty deed: a limited warranty deed only covers title problems from the seller's own ownership, not before. What to ask first.
September 11, 20268 min read
How to check for liens on land and back taxes before buying
How to check for liens on land before you pay: the county collector for taxes, the circuit clerk for recorded liens, and the state list for delinquent parcels.
September 9, 202610 min read
Do you need a survey to buy land? What a plat replaces
Do you need a survey to buy land, or is the recorded plat enough? What a survey adds on a platted lot, and why county GIS lines are not boundaries.
September 6, 202610 min read
Mineral rights on rural land: do you own what is below?
Mineral rights on rural land are often severed from the surface long before you buy. How to check the deed chain, what the GLO records show, and when it matters.
September 4, 202610 min read
How to research land before buying: the free tools I use
How to research land before buying, using free public sources: the county assessor, the recorder, FEMA maps and satellite imagery, and what each one cannot answer.
September 2, 202610 min read
How to check for easements on land before you buy it
How to check for easements on land: what an easement is, where it is recorded, and the four documents that tell you who else has a right to use your parcel.
August 30, 202611 min read
What can you do with raw land in Izard County, Arkansas?
What can you do with raw land in Izard County, Arkansas: camping, RV use, clearing, and the recorded rules for each addition that decide what you may build.
August 28, 202610 min read
How to read a plat map: what it shows about your lot
How to read a plat map before you buy rural land: lot, block and addition, setback lines, easements and right of way, and why the street address is not the parcel.
August 26, 202612 min read
Land price per acre in north Arkansas: what is fair?
Land price per acre in north Arkansas is a misleading number on small platted lots. My seven lots in one town range from $6,435 to $9,000 an acre.
August 23, 202613 min read
Is owner financed land a scam? 7 red flags to check
Is owner financed land a scam? No, but the format attracts them. Seven red flags, a free 20 minute check on any seller, and an invitation to run it on us.
August 21, 202614 min read
Cost of owning rural land: the yearly bills nobody quotes
The cost of owning rural land in Horseshoe Bend runs about $124 to $134 a lot per year. The county tax bill was $43.98. A separate city fee adds $80 on top.
August 19, 202611 min read
Cost to put utilities on raw land: well, septic, power
Cost to put utilities on raw land in Arkansas: a well runs $25 to $55 a foot, septic needs a state permit and soil evaluation, power is priced by distance.
August 16, 202612 min read
Living in rural Arkansas: what the Ozarks are really like
Living in rural Arkansas, measured: 26 minutes to a Walmart, 30 to the nearest 24 hour ER, fiber internet, six venomous snakes. Real Izard County numbers.
August 14, 202614 min read
How to check if land is in a flood zone before you buy
How to check if land is in a flood zone using the free FEMA map, what the zone letters mean, and why a clean flood map still does not prove the lot drains.
August 12, 202611 min read
Do you need a realtor to buy land? What the law requires
Do you need a realtor to buy land? Not for a small rural parcel. Here is what Arkansas requires to transfer ownership, and when paying a pro is worth it.
August 9, 202611 min read
Fair owner financing terms: down payment, term, and balloon
Fair owner financing terms on land: how much down payment is normal, what term length costs you, and the one balloon payment test to run before you sign.
August 7, 202613 min read
Buying land sight unseen: is it crazy, and how to do it safely
Buying land sight unseen is normal in the cheap rural market. What to verify before you pay, what no photo will tell you, and how I buy my own lots remotely.
August 5, 202610 min read
How many acres do you need for privacy, a cabin or a camp?
Camp: about 0.25 acre. Privacy: 5. Homestead: 10. Then septic, setbacks and minimum lot size decide what you can actually build on it.
August 2, 202610 min read
What credit score do you need to buy land with owner financing?
What credit score do you need to buy land with owner financing? Usually none at all. What a private seller checks instead, and the real terms on my own lots.
July 31, 20269 min read
Is there interest on owner financed land? The real math
Is there interest on owner financed land? Often there is no stated rate, but the term price is higher than the cash price. Here are two real lots and the numbers.
July 29, 202610 min read
Who holds the deed on owner financed land in Arkansas?
Who holds the deed on owner financed land: the seller keeps title until payoff on most deals. Deed vs land contract, what recording means, and real terms.
July 26, 202610 min read
What happens if you miss a payment on owner financed land?
What happens if you miss a payment on owner financed land: grace periods, late fees, default clauses, and how sellers actually handle it. Real numbers inside.
July 24, 202611 min read
Septic system on rural land in Arkansas: what to check
A septic system is required on raw rural land in Arkansas. Learn what a perc test is, what installation costs, and who is responsible before you buy.
July 22, 202613 min read
Minimum build size on rural land in Arkansas explained
Minimum build size on rural land in Arkansas comes from the subdivision Bill of Assurance, not the county. See the real numbers on my Izard County parcels.
July 19, 202612 min read
Buying land in Horseshoe Bend Arkansas: a location guide
Buying land in Horseshoe Bend Arkansas: where the town is, why buyers like the Ozarks, what to check before you pay, and the real numbers on our lots.
July 17, 202610 min read
Water rights on rural land: what you need to know before buying
Water rights control whether you can use a well, stream, or spring on raw land. Learn how to check water rights and why they matter more than most buyers expect.
July 12, 202613 min read
Landlocked land: how to check road access before you buy
Landlocked land has no legal road access, which can make it hard to use or sell. Here is how to check access and easements before you buy rural land.
July 8, 202612 min read
Rural land property taxes in Arkansas: what new owners pay
Rural land property taxes in Arkansas are low. Learn how the 20% assessment works, what a typical Izard County lot costs per year, and when your first bill arrives.
July 5, 202613 min read
How to buy land in Arkansas: a simple step by step guide
How to buy land in Arkansas, step by step: where to look, how owner financing works, what to check before you pay, and a real Izard County example.
July 1, 202611 min read
Off grid living on raw land: a beginner's starting guide
Off grid living on raw land, explained for beginners: how to handle power, water, and septic, what it costs to start, and the county rules to check first.
June 28, 202610 min read
Is cheap rural land a good investment? An honest look
Is cheap rural land a good investment? An honest look at when low-priced land holds or grows value, what it costs to own each year, and when to walk away.
June 24, 202610 min read
How to buy land with little money down (owner financing)
How to buy land with little money down using owner financing: a few hundred dollars to start, no bank, no credit check, plus the trade-offs to know first.
June 21, 202611 min read
Can you put an RV or build on rural land you bought?
Can you put an RV or build on rural land you buy? What you can build, camp, or park, plus the zoning and permit questions to ask your county first.
June 19, 202611 min read
What to check before buying rural land: a checklist
What to check before buying rural land: road access, zoning, utilities, flood zone, taxes, and a clear title. A practical due diligence checklist for beginners.
June 18, 202611 min read
How to buy cheap rural land in Arkansas: a beginner's guide
How to buy cheap rural land, step by step: where to find it, how pricing works, why owner financing is the easy way in, and the beginner mistakes to avoid.
June 17, 202612 min read
How much money to buy rural land in Arkansas: real costs
How much money to buy rural land in 2026: $149 at signing, $105 a month, the one time doc fee, and the real yearly tax bill on a small Izard County, Arkansas lot.
June 17, 202611 min read
Owner financing vs bank loan for land: honest comparison
Owner financing vs a bank loan for land, compared honestly: cost, speed, approval odds, and when each one actually makes sense for a rural lot.
June 15, 202610 min read
Owner financed land for bad credit: who qualifies and how
Owner financed land for bad credit works because the seller skips the credit check. Who qualifies, what a seller checks instead, and the real 2026 numbers.
June 14, 202613 min read
How to buy land with owner financing and no bank approval
Owner financing lets you buy land directly from the seller, no bank approval needed. Learn how it works, what the real numbers look like, and what to watch out for.
June 13, 202613 min read