Buying a plot - what to look out for
When you are planning your dream home, you also need to think about a suitable plot of land. Not every house can be built on every plot of land or location. The architectural solution chosen must be in line with the architectural features of the area and the urban planning criteria.
Is the plot you have chosen suitable for your dream home?
Marles experts can also help you choose the right plot. If you wish, we can inspect the land together with your chosen architect, review the planning certificate and advise you on the suitability of a particular plot for the construction of a particular prefabricated house.
Before you buy land, there are several factors that you should pay attention to, which can have a significant impact on the suitability of the land. It is worth checking:
- the buildability of the plot
- the presence of various utility connections
- if the access to the plot is adequate
Having all the facts about the land and the choice of the type of prefabricated house, the decision about the suitability of the plot is easier and the possibility of unforeseen problems is negligible.
Before buying, it is therefore worth checking the planning certificate and the Municipal Spatial Plan (OPN), which have a significant impact on the possibility of building your dream house and obtaining the relevant permits.
Planning certificate
You will find information on the buildability of the land and the various restrictions and possibilities for building on the site in the planning certificate.
Where do I get it? You can obtain the planning certificate by applying to the municipality (department of environment and spatial planning) in which the land is located. Alternatively, the seller of the land may provide it to you for information before you buy.
What does it contain? The planning certificate states whether the plot is buildable and what kind of building can be built on the selected plot and under what conditions. It also lists the various restrictions, protection zones, access conditions, the types of buildings permitted, the maximum allowable building density, the number of storeys, the pitch of the roof, amendments and additions to, or the preparation of new spatial planning acts in the property, etc.
Municipal Spatial Plan (MSP)
The Municipal Spatial Plan is the act which sets out the detailed spatial planning of the municipality and forms the basis for the issuing of preliminary decisions and building permits in accordance with the regulations governing construction. It also lays down the conditions for other spatial developments, except in areas where development is foreseen by the spatial plan.
Land ownership
Information on land ownership is of paramount importance. It is important to check whether the seller of the land is entered in the land register as the owner of the land and whether there may be any encumbrances on the property, such as mortgages, easements and/or pre-emption rights.
We recommend that you check the land register several times, both when drawing up and signing the contract and before payment. When buying land, the seller's signature must be authenticated by a notary public.
Public utility infrastructure of the land
When you buy land, be sure to investigate which connections and lines are available on the land and where you can connect to them.
Public utilities charge
Before a building permit is issued, you as the investor must pay a public utilities charge, which is a contribution towards part of the cost of the construction of the public utilities. The funds collected by the municipality in this way can only be used for the purpose of constructing utilities (water supply, sewerage, electricity, roads, etc.) in accordance with the municipal budget's development programme plan.
The amount of the public utilities charge varies from municipality to municipality. Although the rules on the criteria for the assessment of the public utilities charge specify the criteria for the assessment (in terms of the area of the building plot, the net floor area of the building, the utility equipment of the building plot, the purpose of the building and the improvement of the utility equipment of the building plot), the methods of calculating the public utilities charge vary from municipality to municipality, even though the criteria are precisely defined.
Macro-location and micro-location
When choosing the plot and the location, it is also important to consider the micro- and macro-locations, which describe the elements that can have a significant impact on the quality of your living.
Macro-location includes proximity to schools and preschools, health facilities and other public institutions, the city, shopping centres, workplaces. Micro-location relates to the possibility of situating the building on the plot, how to take advantage of the views, the energy potential of the plot, the solar exposure, etc.