Helpful Hints for Selecting Church Property
by David Couchenour
“…And the wise man built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house, yet it did not fall, because it had a foundation on the rock.” Matthew 7:24
Though it is obvious that Jesus was making a spiritual analogy here, a comparison may still be made to the vitally important issue of selecting the right property for a church to build upon. The following guidelines will be helpful as you begin the property selection process.
1. What are our current and future areas of ministry?
Determining these areas would be your first step before beginning to locate property. A Church Growth and Property Committee should be established to list the current ministries and formulate possible future areas of ministry. Some important questions that should be addressed are:
a. Where does the church want to be in 5, 10 or 15 years?
b. How do we get from here to there?
c. What resources will it take for us to accomplish our goals?
d. How many people do we want to reach through the church or outside ministries?
Much prayer and consideration should take place for this process to be a success. After establishing your goals, you will have the basis to begin to determine how much property you will need and an outline for your building program.
2. How do you determine how much property to buy?
As a general “rule of thumb”, one acre would provide adequate space for 100 people. Be sure to take into consideration your future goals when calculating the number of acres you will need. Depending on the population of an area, some churches will grow to their maximum size on 3-4 acres, while others may require up to 30 acres or more.
If outdoor recreation is being considered, additional land will be required. For example, a softball diamond will require 1 acre of land. Also, when considering these activities, level sites are necessary.
When calculating the area of a building only, a good “rule of thumb” to use is 50 sq. ft. per person. Smaller churches could use 40-45 sq. ft. per person if using some of the rooms for dual purposes.
Parking ratios are figured at 1 space for every 3-4 people. You should figure approximately 240 sq. ft. per car.
Since neighborhoods are constantly changing, areas of ministry may arise which were not originally planned for. If possible, purchase additional property over your estimated requirements for flexibility in meeting future community needs. However, if this is not financially feasible, a possible solution would be to obtain an option to purchase adjacent property sometime in the future. Even the smallest church should try to purchase a minimum of 3 acres, if possible, although some inner city churches may find this impossible to do.
Keep in mind that “rules of thumb” are for approximation only. Experienced judgment should be applied to any “rule of thumb”.
3. How do you select the property that will meet your needs?
You may have heard the real estate saying that the three most important considerations in buying property are location, location, and location. It is equally true for the church building. The location of property will determine, to a great extent, the impact a church will have on its community for years to come.
During this step, you will want to carefully consider the demographics of the area in which the church will be planted. Research should be done on such areas as: growth patterns, property values, business and economic stability, existing churches in the area, etc. This information may be obtained from your local Chamber of Commerce, building and zoning departments or on the Internet.
After you have selected potential property locations, check local zoning to determine if a church can be built on the property. If not, find out if re-zoning is a possibility. Make the purchase contingent on getting the property re-zoned, if necessary. Check with the building department for any setbacks and/or easements that may be a part of the land. Also, make sure that it is possible to get a permit to build on the site.
In addition, be sure all utilities are available to the site. The local utility companies should be contacted regarding the accessibility of water, sewer, electric and gas. If the property is outside a municipal area, take into account that not all utilities may be available. For example, if there is not city sewer to the site, a septic system will need to be put in and the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) contacted for the necessary requirements.
Another important consideration is drainage. Check with the Department of Natural Resource to determine if the property lies within a flood plain area. The bottom line is simply to make sure that you can build before you purchase the property.
You should also have soil tests done in the approximate location of the proposed building. These tests will determine if the soil has the proper bearing capacity to support a structure. Sufficient soil bearing should also be a contingency to the purchase agreement.
4. What are some of the costs associated with buying property?
Unforeseen costs associated with purchasing property have, at times, diminished a church’s ability to make the transition from present facilities to future location on schedule and within budget.
In addition to the cost of the land, there are other costs which must be considered. Some of these costs may include an appraisal, soil tests, survey, realtor fees, attorney fees, loan fees, etc.
What we have attempted to do is provide a general outline to illustrate some of the areas involved in a property purchase. The purchase of new property is a complex challenge, and may require the assistance of a professional, unless there is someone within the congregation with the expertise to provide the assistance necessary.