Buying Land And Choosing The Plot

Buying land can be one of the most difficult parts of any self build project.

The is because its the beginning of any project and the first major challenge you will encounter.

This page will aim to make buying land easier for you by providing some ideas on where to look for land, how to evaluate plots and provide some researched information regarding some of legal issues involved.

The building plot is the first asset you will have to purchase when beginning a new self build project. Although it may not seem so there are many plots available, some will appear more difficult to inquire about than others but there are many to choose from.

Plots come in all shapes and sizes and cover a broad range of characteristics and costs. Acquiring your ideal plot requires a lot of motivation drive and courage.

To ensure you see and then make a move on the opportunities it is essential to keep an open mind at all times. To investigate the potential of piece of land a trick is to imagine the house as built. Then understanding some of the legal issue will ensure that you are then realistic as to what you can then do with the plot.

Land will always appear contrary to your expectations as dream plots of land at the right price are very hard to come by. A perfectly decent plot may already have a house built on it which could be knocked down and re-built.

Potential sites can often be hard to distinguish as they are often un-kept and over grown as owners don’t spend time on them as they expect builders to come in and clear the site.

You have to go out of your way to ask about plots in order to get information from the owner and neighbors. It is essential to find out some of the fundamentals by asking;

Does the site have and planning constraints with it? For example is it part of brown or green field land and or does it have SSI’s (Site of Scientific Interest) or preservation orders in place.

Is the site for sale and if so for how much.

Ask about the available service connections in the area including telecommunication and electricity networks.

Find out what the value of the surrounding houses are to get a feel for what you should be offering for the plot.

Carry out research using magazines and online to see what’s available and what your going to be able to afford with the budget you have.

Use local estate agents for finding out information on the area as they can provide high quality land advice. They can also keep you up to date with any new plots and explain the legal issues and costs involved.