The seven checks.
Is the seller actually the owner?Pull the parcel by APN or owner name at the Mohave County Assessor. The owner of record should match the person selling. Free, two minutes, and the single most common deal-killer on cheap parcels.
Are taxes current, and is there a lien?Check the parcel at the Treasurer. Unpaid taxes and tax liens stay with the land, not the seller. Free.
How will you get water?Well, hauled water, or district connection. Check the area's options in the water guide, look up nearby registered wells with ADWR, and call the district if one is claimed. Free to check; the answer sets your real budget.
Is there recorded legal access?Search the Recorder for easements and ask the title company to confirm insurable access. A drivable two-track is not a right of way. Free first pass.
Does zoning allow your plan?Look up the zone on the county GIS viewer, then check what it permits in the zoning guide or with Development Services. RV plans especially. Free.
Is it in a flood zone, and will septic work?Run the address or APN through the county flood map viewer. For septic, slopes, washes, and lot size all matter; a local installer can give a reality check before you commit. Flood lookup is free.
Get a title commitment before you wire anything.The one paid check that is never optional. A title company runs the full chain of title and insures the result, which no self-search replicates. Local options: Pioneer Title Agency, Mohave Escrow & Title.
The one-screen summary.
| Check | Where | Cost | Red flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Assessor parcel search | Free | Seller's name doesn't match the record |
| Taxes & liens | Treasurer | Free | Years of unpaid taxes on a "motivated" sale |
| Water | ADWR, district, haulers | Free to check | "Water available" with nothing in writing |
| Legal access | Recorder + title company | Free first pass | No recorded easement to a maintained road |
| Zoning | County GIS + Development Services | Free | Your plan needs a permit the zone won't give |
| Flood & septic | County flood viewer; local installer | Free lookup | Parcel sits across a wash |
| Title | Title company | Paid, modest | Seller resists escrow or title insurance |
Print this, work it top to bottom, and stop the moment a check fails until you understand why. Fees and processes change; confirm current requirements with each office.
Keep going.
The land buyer's guide
The full context behind every check on this list.
Read the guide →Water: wells, hauled, district
The three ways a parcel gets water, and what each really costs.
Check the water →Zoning, RVs & off-grid
What you can build or park, straight from the county ordinance.
Know the rules →Local pros for the paid checks
Title, inspectors, surveyors, well and septic services in one place.
Open directory →