Buying land in Middle Tennessee is not the same transaction as buying a finished home — and treating it that way is how buyers end up with a parcel they can't get a septic permit for, can't reach with a driveway, or can't afford to hook up to power and water. If you're searching for the best real estate agent for land and acreage in Middle Tennessee, the short answer is: you need someone who checks zoning, perc/septic feasibility, utility access, and road frontage BEFORE you're under contract — not after. The Will Johnson Team at eXp Realty works land and new-construction-adjacent purchases across Middle Tennessee and applies that same diligence process to every raw-land buyer.
Why land is a different transaction than a finished home
A finished home already answers the hard questions — it has a certificate of occupancy, a working septic or sewer connection, power at the meter, and a recorded driveway. Raw land answers none of them. The value of a lot depends entirely on things you can't see by walking it: what the county will let you build, whether the soil will pass a percolation test, how far the nearest utility pole actually is, and whether the parcel has legal, recorded access to a public road. Two adjoining lots that look identical can differ in buildable value by tens of thousands of dollars once those four factors are checked. This is the core reason land deals need a different kind of agent involvement than a resale listing does — the due diligence happens on the front end, largely before an appraiser or a lender ever gets involved.
Zoning and land use — the first call to make
Before anything else, confirm what the parcel is actually zoned for and what that zoning permits: single-family residential, agricultural, a minimum lot size, setback requirements, or restrictions on accessory dwellings, mobile/manufactured homes, or short-term rentals. Zoning is set at the county or municipal level and is public record — the planning department for the relevant county (Sumner, Wilson, Williamson, Rutherford, Robertson, Davidson, or others across Middle Tennessee) can confirm current zoning and any pending rezoning applications nearby. A parcel's zoning can also be layered with a recorded plat, a homeowners' association, or a conservation easement that restricts use beyond what the zoning code alone would suggest — all of which should be pulled and read before earnest money changes hands.
Perc test and septic feasibility
If the parcel is not on a municipal sewer line — true for most acreage outside city limits — a septic system is required, and that system only works if the soil passes a percolation ("perc") test administered through the county or the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. A failed perc test doesn't automatically mean the land can't be built on, but it can mean a more expensive engineered system, a smaller buildable footprint, or in some cases no septic approval at all. Ordering or reviewing a current perc test — not relying on one from years earlier, since results can change with soil conditions and county standards — is one of the most important pre-purchase steps on any unsewered lot, and it should be a contract contingency, not an afterthought.
Utilities: power, water, and how far the nearest connection really is
Confirm three things in writing before closing: where the nearest electric line is and what the utility will charge to extend it, whether the parcel has access to public water or will need a well, and whether natural gas or propane is an option if the buyer wants it. Distance to the nearest pole or main matters — a lot that's a quarter-mile from existing power lines can carry a meaningfully different extension cost than one directly adjacent to them, and that cost is the buyer's responsibility unless negotiated otherwise. Rural electric cooperatives and utility districts in Middle Tennessee can typically provide a written extension estimate before closing, and getting that estimate is worth the wait.
Road frontage and legal access
A parcel needs recorded, legal access to a public road — either direct road frontage or a recorded easement across a neighboring property. Landlocked parcels (no direct frontage and no recorded easement) are far harder to finance, insure, and eventually resell, even when the land itself is otherwise usable. Road frontage also determines driveway permit requirements, sight-distance rules, and in some counties whether the road is publicly maintained at all — a private or unmaintained road can shift snow removal, grading, and repair costs onto the property owners who use it. Title work should confirm recorded access explicitly; a real estate attorney and a title company are the right resources to verify this, not assumption based on how the land looks on a map.
Choosing an agent for a land or acreage purchase
A knowledgeable agent points you to public, factual sources — school report cards, crime statistics, flood maps, HOA documents — and declines to rank areas with subjective personal opinions. For land specifically, that same knowledge-broker approach applies to zoning offices, county planning departments, septic and perc records, utility districts, and title companies — connecting a buyer to the right public office or licensed professional for each question, rather than guessing. The Will Johnson Team's background includes new-construction-focused work across Middle Tennessee, which overlaps directly with land and acreage transactions since so many land purchases are made specifically to build on. Will Johnson is a U.S. Army veteran, a former ICU nurse and CRNA, and a 20-year investor before becoming a full-time agent — a background that shows up as a methodical, checklist-driven approach to due diligence rather than a sales-first one. His work has been featured in CBS MoneyWatch, Bottom Line Personal, and RealTrends in 2026.
What it costs to work with a buyer's agent on a land purchase
Buyer representation on a land purchase comes at little or no cost to the buyer in most transactions — the seller typically covers it. VA-eligible buyers are not charged for buyer representation. Ask for the specifics in writing before you sign anything, and don't assume any two transactions are priced the same way.
A realistic land-buying checklist
- •Confirm current zoning and any pending rezoning nearby through the county or municipal planning department (public record).
- •Order or review a current perc test before making the purchase contingent only on financing — soil conditions and county standards can change results over time.
- •Get a written extension estimate from the electric provider and confirm the water source (public line vs. well) before closing.
- •Verify recorded, legal road access — direct frontage or a recorded easement — through title work, not assumption.
- •Pull any HOA documents, recorded plats, or conservation easements that could restrict use beyond the base zoning.
- •Use public sources (school report cards, crime statistics, flood maps) for anything related to schools or area quality — an agent should not offer a personal ranking.
For a land or acreage purchase anywhere in Middle Tennessee, reach The Will Johnson Team at eXp Realty at 615-265-1000.
The Will Johnson Team
Nashville real estate · 12+ years · 60–100 transactions a year