Indiana Land Evaluation System

This is the operating system behind Buy Indiana Land. It turns a parcel from a vague idea into a scored decision across the variables that usually decide whether land is actually usable, financeable, holdable, and resellable.

Open the scorecard Use the research hub

10core scoring dimensions

3decision buckets: pursue, verify, reject

1shared standard across counties

0dependency on listing hype

AccessLegal access, practical access, frontage, and whether the route still works for the intended use.

LayoutParcel shape, width, setbacks, and whether the tract geometry supports a realistic site plan.

WastewaterSeptic path, reserve area assumptions, and health-department friction for buildable use.

Water riskFloodplain, floodway, drainage, wetlands, and the effect on the actual building envelope.

SoilsGround conditions translated into cost, usability, grading difficulty, and wastewater implications.

UtilitiesElectricity, water, gas, broadband, and whether the parcel is priced as if those are easy when they are not.

Use-case fitWhether the tract matches the real buyer intent instead of the imagined best-case story.

Holding costTaxes, timeline risk, and whether the economics still work if improvement or resale takes longer.

Resale depthHow many future buyers are likely to want the parcel once its constraints are visible.

Execution riskHow many offices, contingencies, and unknowns stand between the buyer and actual use.

Scoring model

Simple enough to use, strict enough to matter

Band	Meaning	Recommended action
8–10	Strong signal. The parcel is surviving first-pass pressure.	Move forward to verification, site-specific calls, and deeper diligence.
5–7	Mixed signal. The tract may work, but one or two issues could flip the entire decision.	Do targeted verification before spending more time or emotion.
0–4	Weak signal. The parcel is being carried by hope, not by fundamentals.	Reject or only proceed if the price already reflects the risk honestly.

What this system prevents

Calling scenic recreational land a homesite because the photos are strong.
Letting acreage hide geometry, wetlands, drainage, or reserve-area problems.
Ignoring the friction cost of counties, utilities, or health-department review.
Buying a tract that only works under a best-case timeline.
Confusing “possible” with “sane to execute.”

How to deploy it across the site

County pages

Every county page should explain which variables deserve the earliest attention in that county.

Tools

Every tool should map to one or more scoring dimensions rather than float as a one-off gimmick.

Parcel intake

Lead capture becomes stronger when inquiries arrive in a structured evaluation format.

Future reports

Premium review, buyer packets, and licensed workflow can all use the same scoring spine later.