Assessing Building Land for Sale
Once building land for sale has been located, you will need ensure it is suitable for your self build home. There are four basic areas to consider: Ground conditions, Planning permission, Utilities and services, Legal considerations.
When viewing building land for sale it is essential to go with an open mind - it may be hard to visualise your dream home on a staked out plot of land that may have become overgrown.
Ground conditions
The ground conditions are important as this will form the foundations of your self build home. It may be necessary to employ a specialist to ensure the plot is not affected by flooding, agricultural pollution or industrial pollution. Building land for sale that has been infilled may be contaminated and should be tested.
Building land for sale may have been built upon previously. While brownfield sites can be excellent building land, careful assessment is needed to ensure that the cost implications of building on it can be included in your budget.
The incline of the building land for sale should also be noted as this may require more extensive foundation work to be factored into your budget.
Building plots for sale should be at least 1/10th acre in size. This should give room for an average sized house with room around the property. Planning authorities may also require off-street parking and room to turn your vehicle to prevent reversing into a main road.
Ensure the dimensions of the building land for sale are as stated, and you are happy with the shape and boundaries. It is also a good time to come off-site and view the surrounding areas, this will give you a feel for the size and cost of housing along with the type of neighbourhood it is. Be sure to pay attention to the local amenities available.
Planning Permission
If you are considering building land for sale with outline planning permission, the land may cost up to 500% more than land without. While the process of obtaining planning permission is time consuming you will be rewarded for your efforts.
Land for sale close to existing development that may obtain planning permission in the next 5 - 10 years costs £15,000- £20,000, compared to similar plots with planning permission costing £100,000. Buying building land for sale without planning permission will result in an initial saving and increased profit once planning permission has been granted.
More on planning permission...
Utilities and services
The utilities and services go hand in hand with proximity to existing housing. Not only may planning permission be more likely if the land for sale is next to an existing building, but costs of connection to water and electricity supplies will be cheaper too.
Shops, schools and public transport are a large benefit. While at first they are easily overlooked, during resale time they become key facots of a successful sale.
Legal considerations
When buying building land for sale for sale ask your solicitor to look into planning permission, boundaries, access and title issues that you will come across.
