Finding land is the hardest part of DIY building — and no one warns you. We got ours through pure luck: a farmer selling acreage off-market, after 3 months in my parents' basement with zero luck elsewhere. My husband saw it once, we made an offer, and 20 acres became ours. Here's our story, plus exactly where to look, what questions to ask before you buy, and why you need to be ready to drop everything and drive the second a lead comes in.

Before starting this process, I honestly never gave much thought to where water comes from. You turn on the faucet and water comes out. That’s about as far as my knowledge went. 😂 Here is all we learned along the way!

What you should know before buying land that might surprise you.