The Land Group

Buying land feels like a dream until you’re standing on it with the keys in your hand. Then it hits. “Now what?”

Most new landowners go through the same thing. Day one, you’re brimming with ideas. Gardens here. Chickens over there. Maybe a cabin by the woods. Day two, the overwhelm sets in. There’s fencing to mend, water to check, roads to drive, and a hundred projects pulling at your attention.

We’ve walked this path with plenty of folks. Some dove in too fast and spent money fixing the wrong things. Others froze up, not knowing where to start, and lost valuable time. The good news is there’s a calmer, better way forward.

In the first 90 days on new acres, you don’t need to do everything. In fact, you shouldn’t. The smartest landowners focus on the basics, let the land show them its rhythm, and skip the big projects until they understand how the ground really works.

Here’s what we’ve seen make the biggest difference when you first take hold of new land, and what you’re better off saving for later.

The First Walk is the Most Important Step

Before you touch a single fence post or call a contractor, walk the land. Really walk it.

Start at the lane. Go along the ditches. Follow the fence lines. Step into the timber. If there’s a pond or a creek, walk the edges. Take notes. Snap photos.

Land always tells its story. You’ll notice things you wouldn’t see from a truck window. Maybe a fence is sagging behind the barn. Maybe there’s an old trash pile tucked in the woods. Maybe water’s pooling in a spot you didn’t notice before.

This first walk isn’t about fixing, it’s about listening. The ground will show you what’s been cared for and what’s been ignored.

That’s why we always start in the field. Paper maps and plans won’t show you if a culvert’s about to give way or if the soil’s holding water. But your boots will.

So in your first 90 days, make walking the land a habit. Do it after it rains. Do it in the evening when shadows stretch and things look different. The more time you spend out there, the more you’ll understand what the land needs and what it doesn’t.

What to Do in Your First 90 Days

There are a few things you should tackle right away. Not the giant, flashy projects. The practical ones that keep the place safe and usable.

Check Access and Roads

Make sure you can get in and out in all seasons. That lane you drove on in June might look very different in February. If water cuts across it or soft spots rut out, lay some stone, grade it, or fix culverts before they collapse. A working road isn’t just convenient. It’s essential.

Secure Water and Drainage

Look at how water moves across the property. Where does it pool? Where does it flow? Is the pond levee sound? Does the well pump? Small fixes like cleaning out a ditch, unclogging a culvert, or patching a tile can reclaim ground you’d otherwise lose. If you’re running livestock, check troughs, pumps, and waterlines.

Fencing and Boundaries

Even if you don’t plan to run animals, you’ll want to know where your lines are and whether they’re secure. Tighten a stretch of sagging wire. Replace the gate that won’t shut. Walk the boundaries so you understand what’s yours and what isn’t.

Safety and Immediate Repairs

Look for hazards. Old wells, piles of scrap metal, rotting outbuildings, or broken boards full of nails. Clear them or mark them before they hurt someone. Safety is a landowner’s first responsibility.

What to Skip (for Now)

This part’s just as important. There are things new landowners rush into that usually backfire.

Big Building Projects

We’ve seen plenty of folks break ground on barns, sheds, or houses in the first 90 days only to wish later they’d put them somewhere else. Until you’ve lived through a full cycle on the land, you won’t really know where the best spot is. Wait until you understand wind, drainage, sun, and access.

Large-Scale Plantings or Clearcuts

It’s tempting to get seed in the ground or start logging right away. But until you know your soils, your timber mix, and your long-term goals, big moves can do more harm than good. Better to observe, take soil tests, talk with a forester, and then plan.

Splitting or Dividing Land

Dividing parcels too soon can cost you flexibility. Live with the land first. Learn how it flows. Then decide if splitting makes sense for your family or operation.

How to Pace Yourself and Learn the Land’s Rhythm

Land changes with the seasons. What you see in summer isn’t what you’ll see in fall, winter, or spring. Flood-prone fields, wind-whipped corners, shady hollows. They all tell a different story at different times of year.

That’s why the first 90 days aren’t about finishing projects. They’re about learning patterns. Watch where the deer move, where the water settles, how the wind carries. That knowledge will save you money and regret down the line.

Stewardship isn’t a race. It’s steady care over time. Think of the first 90 days as your orientation. You’re learning the land’s language. Once you do, every decision gets easier.

FAQs about What to Do in Your First 90 Days on New Land

1. What should I do first after buying land?
   Start by walking it. More than once, and in different conditions. A sunny afternoon stroll is one thing, but a walk after a rain will show you how water moves. An evening loop will reveal deer trails and shady corners. Take notes, snap photos, flag things that don’t feel right. This is how you begin a relationship with your land. Everything else builds on that foundation. 
2. Do I need to rush improvements in the first 90 days?
   Not at all. That’s one of the biggest myths new landowners carry. The land isn’t a house where you have to fix everything before move-in day. It’s more like a partner, you learn its habits over time. If you start by knocking out every “dream project” in the first season, odds are you’ll regret half of them later. The only things to rush are safety issues and basic usability like fixing a washed-out culvert, tightening a dangerous fence, or clearing debris that could injure someone. Everything else can (and should) wait. 
3. What mistakes do new landowners make most often?
   The list is long, but here’s a few that are often at the top of the mistakes list: 

    – Building too soon without knowing how wind, sun, or water flow affect the site. 

   – Planting large gardens or orchards before testing soil or learning where frost settles. 

   – Cutting timber without a plan, only to watch invasives take over. 

   – Spending too much money up front on improvements that don’t match long-term goals 

   We’ve seen folks pour thousands into the wrong projects simply because they didn’t slow down. It’s not about avoiding mistakes altogether, it’s about avoiding the ones that cost time, money, and energy you can’t get back.

4. How much money should I budget for the first 90 days?
   Think small and practical. A few loads of gravel for the lane. A handful of new fence posts. Maybe some culvert pipe or a water trough repair. You’re not building the farm of your dreams yet, you’re setting the stage for it. A couple thousand dollars can go a long way if it’s spent on the right fixes. Beyond that, save your money until you’ve seen a full year on the land. That way, the big investments match what the land actually needs, not just what you thought on day one. 
5. How does The Land Group help new landowners?
   We start where the land starts: in the field. Our advisors walk it with you, pointing out things you might miss, like erosion cutting into a bank, a stand of timber that needs thinning, or a boundary fence you didn’t realize was off. Then we talk about timing. What to handle now. What to watch for later. And what’s not worth your money at all. You’ll get real advice, shaped by years of experience, so you don’t waste your first season chasing the wrong projects.

What the First 90 Days Really Mean

Owning new acres is exciting. It’s easy to picture barns, gardens, ponds, or food plots right away. But the first season is less about building and more about learning.

In 90 days, you can figure out where water goes when it rains. You’ll know which fence lines need attention. You’ll see which corners flood, where the deer move, how the soil handles. That’s the foundation for every good decision you’ll make later.

Don’t pressure yourself to do everything at once. The land doesn’t need that from you. What it needs is observation, a few steady fixes, and time.

And if you’d like company on that first walk? We’d be glad to join you. Sometimes a second set of eyes catches things you’ll miss. And sometimes it just feels better knowing you’re not figuring it out alone.

We talk about this in more detail in Episode 8 of our Chesapeake Dirt Podcast, breaking down everything first-time land buyers need to know, what to expect, and real-life tips that will make your purchase smooth and stress-free. Give it a listen.