By Evan Zener, Metro Land Pro with RE/MAX Equity Group — Oregon Land Specialist
One of the most valuable steps a landowner can take before going to market is also one of the least known: scheduling an early assistance meeting with the city or county. It’s a low-cost way to uncover potential issues before they become expensive surprises during negotiations or the development process. Many sellers, and even some land agents, don’t know it exists.
Here’s what an early assistance meeting is, what it can reveal, and how to decide whether your property needs one.
What Is an Early Assistance Meeting?
An early assistance meeting is a sit-down with the local planning department to review a property before starting the full land use process. It’s meant for due diligence, a chance to gather as much information as possible without investing in detailed studies or engineered plans. Depending on the area, it might be called an early assistance meeting, a pre-application conference, a pre-filing meeting, or something similar.
Scheduling one usually doesn’t require surveys, engineered plans, or detailed materials. In many cases, you can walk in with nothing more than questions. But the better you understand your property and the land use process going in, the more valuable the meeting becomes.
These meetings often include staff from multiple departments, such as planning, engineering, fire, and public works. During the meeting, staff may flag things like access concerns, zoning limitations, utility issues, environmental overlays, frontage requirements, stormwater concerns, and other potential development hurdles.
Afterward, the city will typically provide written meeting notes summarizing the discussion. Those notes can become a valuable roadmap for both you and potential buyers. An early assistance meeting is not an approval, but it can help identify major issues early in the process. In my experience, these meetings typically cost between $1,000 and $1,500.
Why an Early Assistance Meeting Is Worth It
Spending a thousand dollars or so on an early assistance meeting can very likely save you many times that amount later.
By identifying issues early and having a plan to address them, you reduce the chances of a buyer uncovering surprises later and using them to renegotiate the price or walk away from the deal entirely.
Because multiple departments are involved, you often get a far more thorough review than you would from a single phone call or email. Issues sometimes get flagged here that might otherwise be missed during your own research or a conversation with a single planner.
Saving time is another major benefit. Instead of spending months tied up in a transaction that eventually falls apart, you go in with a clearer understanding of the property’s challenges and how they may be addressed.
It also strengthens your negotiating position. When you already understand the property and the potential hurdles, it becomes harder for buyers to exaggerate risks or make issues seem larger than they really are in order to drive down the price.
Bottom line, it can make your property more attractive to buyers. When buyers see you’ve already invested in upfront due diligence, it signals that the unknowns are more transparent and that you’re taking the process seriously.
Should You Do One?
Not every property needs an early assistance meeting. If the land is straightforward, with clear access, utilities in place, and no major overlays, you might not need one. That’s often the case with lots in established neighborhoods.
But if there’s anything unusual about the property, or you simply want to make sure nothing slips through the cracks before going to market, an early assistance meeting can be extremely valuable.
Need Help?
If you need help going through the process, feel free to reach out. This is something I guide clients through regularly, whether as part of the listing process or on a consulting basis. My goal is to help landowners feel confident going into the market and position their property for the best possible outcome.
Evan Zener — Metro Land Pro with RE/MAX Equity Group
Licensed Real Estate Broker in Oregon
503-208-5298