Before You Buy: Check for Future Development Near Your Dream Home

You’ve found it — the perfect home with peaceful views of open fields, tall evergreens a privacy or maybe a quiet pasture behind the fence. But before you make that offer, it’s worth asking one crucial question: Will that view and privacy along with your peace and quiet still be there in five years?

In many parts of Snohomish and Skagit Counties, there’s still quite a bit of undeveloped or semi-rural land near residential neighborhoods. And while that open space may look permanent, zoning changes, subdivision plans, or new infrastructure projects could transform it into something entirely different — from a small housing development to a commercial site or new road.

Let’s explore how you can investigate potential development risks before you buy.

1. Start With the County or City Planning Department

Every property sits within a specific zoning area, and those zoning classifications determine what can be built nearby.

Visit or call the planning department for the city or county where the home is located (for example, Snohomish County Planning & Development Services or Skagit County Planning Department).

Ask about:

• Current zoning for the property you're interested in and adjacent and nearby parcels

• Comprehensive plan maps, which outline long-term development goals

• Pending permits or subdivision applications nearby

• Transportation or utility projects in the works

  
  

Most of this information is public and often available online through GIS (Geographic Information Systems) maps, but it can require time and interpretation, so often it's easier to call the county and/or city planning department for assistance.

2. Check for Plat or Subdivision Activity For Future Development

If that “open field” behind the house is privately owned, you can search parcel records through the county assessor’s website.

• Snohomish County parcel search and view map: https://snohomishcountywa.gov/5414/Interactive-Map-SCOPI
  

• Skagit County parcel search and view map: https://www.skagitcounty.net/search/property/
  

• Once you find the parcel, check for any:
  

  • Recent ownership changes (a sale to a developer or LLC is a red flag)
    

  • Recorded plats or short plats
    

  • Permit filings or environmental impact studies (even early-stage filings can signal that future development is being explored)

3. Review Comprehensive Plan Maps

Cities and counties regularly update long-term land-use maps — often called Comprehensive Plans. These documents look 10–20 years ahead and can show whether surrounding land is earmarked for:

• Future residential expansion
  

• Commercial or industrial zones
  

• Protected green space or urban growth boundaries

  
  

A home that backs up to “R-5” (rural 5-acre minimum) may stay fairly quiet. But if nearby land is tagged “LDMR” (low-density multi-residential), expect possible changes down the road.

And such changes may not directly affect you / your dream home, but even a nearby change to LDMR and development can still increase highway traffic, generate more noise (during construction and after), and potentially directly affect your home or neighborhood if an access point to the new LDMR neighborhood runs near your home.

How to Review Comprehensive Plan Maps:

Visit your city or county’s planning department website to find its Comprehensive Plan or “Future Land Use” map.

Though it may require some time and digging, such plans and interactive maps can show how land is currently zoned and what’s planned for future development.

Here are a few links to Comprehensive Plans and Maps:

• Snohomish County Comprehensive Plan and Maps

  
  

• Skagit County Comprehensive Plan and Maps

  
  

• King County Comprehensive Plan and Maps

You can also contact the county’s planning office — or a knowledgeable local Realtor — to help interpret what plans and maps mean for your potential new neighborhood.

4. Watch for Infrastructure Clues

Sometimes, the hints are right in front of you:

• Newly widened roads or fresh utility stubs at the end of a cul-de-sac
  

• "Pending Land Use" Signs or the like

• Survey stakes or soil testing rigs

• Real estate signs advertising “Land for Development”

  
  

These often indicate development is in the works, on the radar, or at least being evaluated.

5. Talk to Neighbors (They Often Know More Than Anyone)

Longtime residents of the neighborhood and community are often the best source of information. You can also search social media for discussions on local development using platforms such as Facebook, Nextdoor, or Reddit.

Start asking questions....

• Any development projects in the works?
  

• Which developers have been active in the area?

• Any past proposals or community meetings?

• How local traffic or schools have changed over time?

A friendly chat could save you from a surprise construction zone in your future backyard.

6. Use a Local Real Estate Expert

A good local agent — especially one familiar with land use and planning in Snohomish and Skagit Counties — can help you research beyond the listing sheet. They can interpret zoning maps, spot red flags, and even contact planning officials on your behalf.

Bottom Line

Buying a home near open land can be a dream — as long as you know what might come next.

Doing your homework before you buy helps protect your investment, preserve your peace and quiet, and avoid unpleasant surprises.

As always, than you for taking the time to read this article. If you have any questions or would like help, please reach out.

Cheers!

-Joe

You can listen to the podcast for this article below. Please note that the podcast is AI generated from this blog article.