Aerial view of large church design on land property

Is your church interested in purchasing a piece of land to build on? If so, you may think your first need is to contact a commercial realtor; however, that isn’t necessarily the case. Instead, there are some first steps you can take yourself to understand better exactly what you are looking for and how much you are willing to pay.

What are the first steps?

In order to find the ideal property for your church, there are many factors to consider. Therefore, it is much more complex than simply finding an available property at your price point.

First, ask yourself some foundational questions. The answer to each question will help prompt the next question, eventually giving insight into how large the land needs to be. For example, how many attendees do we anticipate? Building 50% larger than your current seating is a good rule of thumb. How many parking spots will we need to accommodate them? Those questions will help answer the questions; How big does our entire building’s square footage need to be? Finally, what land size do we need to provide space for all these elements?

Find a full-service church architect.

Full-service church architecture meeting table

Even before you’re ready to build, a full-service church architect can help you better clarify your building vision and future ministry goals to gauge the perfect property fit for your church. This includes assessing your current needs, anticipating future needs, understanding your budget, and knowing your desired location.

Their partnership will help you know what kind of property to look for and how to acquire it. In addition, they have valuable knowledge and experience in knowing what to look for and what to be cautious of when making a sound land investment. They can also help you see when the right time is to secure your land purchase.

What features to look for in a new piece of property?

There are key features to look for in prospective land. Because every church’s needs are different, these features may vary. However, we have listed the essential elements to look for when researching a piece of land.

Location

Of course, location is vital, and highway access should be considered based on budget. For example, if you currently hold weekly services, ensure your attendees do not have to travel far to the new location. Or, if this will be the first church location, ensure that the land is located in an area with an adequate development infrastructure.

Accessibility

Finding land that is accessible to your community is crucial. This means ensuring that the land isn’t far from your community and other amenities and has easy road access and sufficient entrances and exits. Building in a congested traffic area should not be a negative as church attendance times are off-peak days and hours. Look for any “obstacles” in the area that would hinder people from quickly finding and accessing your future church.

Size

Make sure that the land size accommodates your future church building as well as any other structures you potentially want to establish or build on-site. You want “breathing room” around your building; however, you may not want a considerable excess of land to continually upkeep and maintain, which would add to recurring costs in the future. Also, be mindful of how much of the land is actually usable. You may find a large piece of land at a reasonable price, but it is crucial to determine how much of that land can be built on.

Price

Generally, you should expect 10-15% of your church project budget to go to land development costs. And remember, price is as important as timing. Purchasing land just to “hold onto” may not be a good idea. What seems like a good deal now may not be a good investment for your future goals. Because plans change — as well as needs and goals — finding land close to when you’re ready to build may save your church a lot of financial and mental burden in the future.

What cautions should you have when purchasing land?

When researching the details of a piece of land, there are elements to look for—and to stay away from. When you partner with a full-service church architect, they will have a thorough understanding of this process and know how to verify the quality and usability of the land. Below is a list for your own reference of factors that should be on your team’s radar.

Extreme Slope

The site may have an extreme slope and must be leveled for construction. This process may come at a high price and take weeks or even months to properly level the site for construction.

Soil Conditions

Sites with soils that contain a high clay content may require specialized building foundations. Sloping sites with rocky conditions can limit the amount of grading before costly excavation methods are needed.

Streams / Waterways

Occasionally a site may have a stream or waterway to be bridged, which can come under the jurisdiction of the US Army Corp of Engineers, likely involving lengthy delays and additional expenses.

Municipal Infrastructure

Some properties come with associated municipal or planned development infrastructure costs. This could include items such as roadway, sewer, or water line extensions, to list a few.

Utilities

Direct access to adequate utilities to serve the site is a significant factor, as utility extensions can come at a very high price. All utilities should be located during the due diligence period before committing to the property purchase.

Fire Sprinkler System

Most church facilities will require a fire sprinkler system with adequate pressure and flow rate. Many rural water systems cannot support this, and the church must provide a fire water supply storage and pumping system on-site.

The most important factor.

You may feel an exciting eagerness to quickly purchase land to build your church on. But remember—timing, price, and land quality are equally important. Make sure that your land fulfills your vision, solves the problems you have, and will continue to serve your church family for many years to come!

Every church’s needs and ministry goals are unique as is every church’s plan of action. Considering these factors will help you determine what solution is best for your church. You will better understand where your property should be located, when you should acquire it, and how much you should invest in it.

Partnering with a full-service architect will help take some of the stress off the process and help you find and purchase land that will be a wise investment and fulfill your future ministry needs!

How to Choose Land for your New Church