Know what's under the dirt before you buy it.
Affordable nationwide environmental screening for land buyers. Send us a listing and an experienced environmental professional will check for environmental concerns before you sign.
What listings don't tell you
Cheap acreage can hide expensive problems. These are the issues we screen every parcel for.
Old dump sites
Buried debris, drums and fill show up in historical aerials and on the ground as odd mounds or stressed vegetation.
Underground tanks
Former farm fuel tanks or a gas station next door can mean contaminated soil or groundwater.
Wetlands
Federally regulated wetlands can block the house, driveway or pond you were planning.
Flood exposure
Flood zones affect insurance, financing and where you can build at all.
Risky neighbors
Nearby regulated facilities, landfills or spill sites listed in EPA and state databases.
Access & drainage
Historical and recent aerial imagery shows washouts, standing water and access issues that listing photos crop out.
Eyeing a parcel right now?
Send the listing link. Desktop screens are delivered in about 3 business days.
From listing link or address to professionally prepared report
No site visit needed. Everything is done from public records and aerial imagery.
Send the listing
Paste the listing link or the parcel address, and tell us what you plan to do with the land: homestead, RV lot, hunting camp, investment.
We dig into the records
Historical aerial imagery, FEMA flood maps, the National Wetlands Inventory, soil surveys, and EPA and state environmental databases for the parcel and its neighbors.
You get a plain-English report
A short red-flag report that rates what we found and tells you what, if anything, needs a closer look before closing.
Pay a little now, or a lot after closing
Flat prices, no surprises.
Desktop Screen
Any parcel in the U.S.
- Historical aerial imagery review
- FEMA flood zone check
- National Wetlands Inventory check
- EPA & state database search
- Easy to read findings
Red Flag Checklist
Do-it-yourself guide
- What to look for on a site visit
- Free public data sources to check
- Questions to ask the seller
- When to call a professional
Land buyers, sellers, brokers, & lenders
Professionally crafted screening reports that help buyers, sellers, brokers, and lenders move forward with confidence. Ask about volume pricing.
Questions buyers ask
Is this the same as a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment?
No. A Phase I ESA follows the ASTM E1527 standard, is usually required by lenders for commercial property, and typically costs a few thousand dollars. Dirt Check is a faster, cheaper screening for buyers deciding whether a parcel is worth pursuing. If we find a red flag, we'll tell you whether a Phase I or other study makes sense.
How long does it take?
Desktop Screens are usually delivered in about 3 business days, or 1 business day with rush delivery.
Where do you work?
Desktop Screens cover any parcel in the United States.
Can you tell me if I can build a house there?
We flag things that commonly get in the way, such as wetlands, flood zones and drainage problems. Final answers on building come from your county, a surveyor and, for wetlands, a formal delineation.
Request a screening
Tell us about the parcel. We'll confirm the price and timeline before any payment.
Request received 🌱
Thanks! We'll review the parcel and email you to confirm price and timeline.
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