Right of way, not right of refusal.
I sent that correction one minute after asking about a wooded parcel near Woodstock. I was looking at the land as a possible vacation-home project and had gone straight into diligence mode.
First I wanted the official documents. Did the seller have the deed, easement, and map? Was there a well, septic system, or any other structure? What access rights came with the property? If the documents were not available, I could request them from the local assessor and wait for the mail.
The records arrived, and I kept digging.
I checked flood maps and liens. I looked through the ownership history and noticed that the parcel had changed hands for lower amounts. That made me wonder whether the land could actually be used as intended, whether taxes were outstanding, or whether there was another problem hiding in the paperwork.
The main physical question was access through the property. There might be a route using switchbacks or stairs, but I needed to see the ground before any of that was real.
I was not working with a broker yet. If everything checked out, I wanted to walk the parcel and decide whether an offer made sense. I was away on business that weekend, so the visit would have to wait until the next week.
This was a different kind of real-estate idea from renting out my furnished Portland loft. That place already had walls, utilities, furniture, and a front door. The Woodstock idea began with a map and the question of whether I could even get into the middle of the land.
The paperwork looked encouraging so far. I was excited to walk it. Nothing had been bought, and the first correction was already in the email thread.