Parcel Research with County GIS\n\nLearn to pull parcel data — owner, acreage, zoning, assessed value — from county assessor and GIS systems (e.g. ArcGIS REST endpoints). We walk through a real lookup in Shelby and Jefferson County, Alabama.

Welcome

Hello, and welcome. This is Super Structures General Contractors — a national general contractor headquartered in Powhatan, Virginia — here to help you and your clients build something that lasts. We're glad you're with us, and we look forward to connecting with you.

Let's dig into Parcel Research with County GIS. Here's the part that actually matters on the job: Pull the parcel facts (owner, zoning, acreage) from county GIS before you ever make an offer. Master this and you become the person others come to with the hard questions.

Going Deeper (Intermediate)

Before spending real money, research the parcel: APN, ownership, size/shape, zoning, current use, utilities, legal access, flood zone, topography, and any liens/easements. Sources: the county assessor/GIS, recorder, and planning department.

Advanced / Pro-Level

Build a data room and hunt for deal-killers early:

• Assessor (APN, owner, assessed value), GIS layers (zoning, FEMA flood, soils, easements), a title preliminary report, and aerials/topo (USGS/LiDAR).
• Red flags that end deals: floodplain, blocking easements, landlocked/no legal access, steep slopes, wetlands.
• Consider parcel assembly (combining lots) to reach a viable size. The research decides whether the deal is worth pursuing before you spend on DD and entitlement.

Practice Challenge

Your research shows a parcel has no frontage on any public road and is surrounded by other owners. Why is this a potential deal-killer? (Answer: it's landlocked — no legal access — without an access easement or frontage you can't legally reach or develop it; access (and the cost/feasibility of obtaining it) must be solved before the parcel has any development value.)

In Practice

A developer makes an offer, then discovers from the county GIS that half the parcel is wetlands — info they could have pulled for free first. Research the parcel before you offer.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Making an offer before researching the parcel
• Not checking zoning, acreage, and assessor data
• Skipping free public GIS records

Takeaway: Pull the parcel facts (owner, zoning, acreage) from county GIS before you ever make an offer.