Sample report

What you get for $99

Below is the summary page from a real screen, with the address and parcel number taken out, and one of the maps we drew for the lot. It's only the first page. The full report runs 6 to 10 pages, with a section for each item, every source we used, more maps, and a site-work cost range.

Page 1 only: the summary

4.6-acre lot in a proposed subdivision

Overall CAUTION

Rural residential zoning, Western Washington. Buyer planning a single-family home.

Plat statusSTOPThe lot exists on a surveyor's drawing but not yet in county records. It becomes a legal lot only when the final short plat records, and the county sent the plat back for corrections.
ZoningCAUTIONOne home is clearly allowed. A detached ADU depends on the lot recording at the minimum size, and the plat shows only 236 sq ft to spare.
Critical areasCAUTIONWetlands were delineated and buffers approved by the county. About a third of the lot is a permanent no-touch area; about 3.1 acres remain usable.
SepticCAUTIONThe soils passed septic review, but the designs have expired. Budget for a new design, likely a pressure-distribution system.
WaterGOPublic water is in the road.
PowerCAUTIONPower reaches the adjacent lot. Moves to GO once the utility or seller confirms service at this lot.
Access and titleCAUTIONLegal access is solid by recorded easement. The developer's loans must release the lot at closing, and the promised HOA isn't on record.
TopographyGONo slope concerns in the likely building area.
Site-work costCAUTIONRoughly $65,500–130,500 of lot work and fees before the house itself.

Bottom line

One of the better-prepared rural lots we see, but not buyable yet in the normal sense. Sign only a contract that closes after the final plat records, and treat the ADU as dependent on the recorded lot area.

Every finding above gets its own section in the full report, with the records behind it and what to do next.

LiDAR map of the sample lot outlined in yellow, with the recorded wetland buffer areas hatched in blue, the old drainfield area, mapped wetlands, drainage paths, and steep slopes marked. — The lot is outlined in yellow. The hatched areas are wetland buffers the county won't let you build in, which leaves about 3.1 usable acres. The orange patches are slopes steeper than 33%. Every report has maps like this one, drawn for that lot.

Download the full sample (PDF)

Every full report includes

1.Parcel. Size, legal description, assessor data, and how the lot was created.
2.Zoning. Zone, minimum lot size, setbacks, allowed uses, and ADU rules.
3.Critical areas. Wetlands, streams, buffers, steep slopes, and flood and landslide hazards, mapped over the lot.
4.Septic. Soil types, any records on file, and how much room is left for a drainfield.
5.Water. Public water, shared well, or a new well, with nearby well logs.
6.Power. Where the nearest service is and what a line extension could involve.
7.Access and title. Legal access, easements, and recorded items worth a closer look.
8.Permit history. Past permits, open cases, and anything the county has flagged.
9.Topography and LiDAR. Slopes, drainage, and the likely building area from LiDAR.
10.Site-work cost range. A low to high range for the driveway, clearing, septic, well, and power.
11.Verdict. Go, caution, or stop for each item and for the lot overall, with what to check next.

A screen is a desk review of public records. It is not a survey, soil test, wetland delineation, title insurance, or legal advice, and it doesn't guarantee a permit. It tells you what to confirm and who to confirm it with.

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