Well, yes, I realize both are being sold together. But, I don’t think it is a distinction without a difference in this case? If it were an empty lot with a driveway and utilities, it would still be far from free. In some cases a structure makes a lot less valuable than it otherwise would be, if it is in such bad shape the new owner will need to pay to tear it down. It’s also important for when you want to estimate how much a change to your property will affect its future market value.
I think it’s important for people to know what they are actually paying for when they buy a home, because it is at least two different things at once.
Sometimes people who don’t understand that end up getting into trouble later on, like if they buy a manufactured home and place it on a site they “bought” in a campground or trailer park, and then the park changes hands and suddenly they have to find a new site and pay tens of thousands of dollars to move (and often damage) their home, or else lose it.
Similarly, if I were buying a condo, it would be good for me to know how much of the purchase price is the value of my own unit (what I will personally control) and how much is the value of my ownership share of the community property/building/land. That can affect financial decisions I might be faced with later on.
