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Build a home on a lot

Application

Are you interested in building a home on a vacant lot? The Land Bank has opportunities available for new construction throughout Lucas County.

New Housing, New Opportunities

Because many older and obsolete buildings have been demolished over the last generation, Toledo and Lucas County have many vacant lots available for new home building. New housing of all kinds can meet the needs of this century by creating healthy, accessible, and adaptable environments for our households.

The Land Bank is ready to work with you to build a home on available vacant lots.

Our Five Step Process

Building a new home can be complex and expensive, but our process is as straightforward as possible.

Step One—Choose an available lot. Thousands of vacant lots are owned by the public and available, although not all of them are suitable for housing. You can explore vacant lot opportunities through this mapping tool or by visiting the link at the bottom of this page.

Carefully consider your choices because the lot you choose must make sense for your home-building plans. Please note that the Land Bank will only work with you on one home-building project at a time unless you have already successfully completed a project with us.

Step Two—Complete our application. We have created a build lot application that will help us learn more about you and your home-building plans. The application will get the project rolling. If we are marketing a vacant lot for sale for home-building, you will also start the process with us through this application.

Step Three—Purchase an option on the lot. If your application meets our requirements and you are ready to move forward on your homebuilding project, the Land Bank will offer you an option agreement. The purchase option agreement will provide you with site control as you begin to complete other necessary closing conditions, including zoning approval, building permits, community engagement, and financing. The term of the option agreement is 90 days, with the provision to extend the option for an additional 120 days when reasonable. The purchase option comes with a non-refundable $500 fee, which will be credited toward the purchase price at closing.

You will meet with the Land Bank team face-to-face to sign the option agreement and learn more about our expectations. During this option period, the Land Bank will work with you to help you meet the conditions and be ready for home construction.

Step Four—Purchase the lot and begin construction. When you have met the conditions of our purchase option agreement, we will provide you with a purchase agreement and schedule a closing for the lot. We will sell the lot for its fair market value, including the credit for your option fee. At closing, you will also make a legal promise to build the home by a designated date, secured through a mortgage on the lot.

Step Five—Certificate of Occupancy. After closing, you will own the lot and can begin your home construction project. When you have completed the project successfully, you will receive a Certificate of Occupancy from the local building jurisdiction. With that certificate in hand, the Land Bank will release our mortgage security, and you will own the property free and clear. What a proud moment!

Hopefully, this short overview is helpful to you as you consider this home-building project. We're excited that you are considering creating these opportunities for our community. If you have any questions about this process, please Contact Us and we'll be happy to help!

Explore available land

Vacant lots map

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find a list of available vacant lots?

This map we've created identifies vacant lots owned by the Land Bank or the City of Toledo and others that have been abandoned. Some vacant lots are being actively marketed by the Land Bank for new construction and those will be listed with brokers and showcased on our Properties page.

What if I find a lot that is not owned by the Land Bank or the City of Toledo?

To bring an abandoned vacant lot to the Land Bank's attention, please fill out a Property Request. We'll review the property and make a decision about whether we are going to try and become the owner.

How is the Land Bank involved during construction?

The Land Bank will not be directly involved with your construction project, but we're always available to help answer questions. To make sure you complete the project as promised, we keep a legal interest in the property until you obtain a Certificate of Occupancy for the new home. This interest is called a New Construction Note and Mortgage and is a security against the land while construction work is ongoing. Once you provide the Land Bank with your Certificate of Occupancy, our interest is satisfied and forever released from the title.

How long do I have to build the home?

Most projects for new construction through the Land Bank have a six-month period to complete the work. We understand that surprises can come up when you are building a new home. As long as you are making reasonable progress, we will be willing to extend the deadline. Our neighborhoods are better off with a finished project, so only in rare circumstances will extensions continue past one year.

When can I move in or sell the new house?

Before your new home can be occupied, you will need to receive a Certificate of Occupancy from the local government where the vacant lot is located. You will need to provide the Land Bank with a copy of the Certificate of Occupancy before you can move into or sell the home.
© 2025 Lucas County Land Reutilization Corp.