Design Process
How to Search for Land? Basic Guide in 3 Steps
Today we bring you a more practical post than usual, a basic guide on how to search for land that we believe will be of great help before you start looking for the location of your new home.
Our List of Requirements
But before we get started with the steps to follow, an important preliminary recommendation is to make a list of your requirements. What do I need to know to search for land?
The list of requirements should include:
How many square meters of land do I need?
Generally, for a single-family home with some garden space, the standard is considered to be 500 m2 of land. This allows us to comfortably build a house of 100 or 150 m2 and have sufficient land for a garage, pool, and outdoor garden.
Be careful with plots of less than 500 m2 because sometimes the municipality only grants building permits from certain minimum land areas, and this often coincides with a minimum of 500 m2 of plot.
If what we want is a larger house or we are interested in having a large garden, then we can look at plots of 1,000–1,500 m2. From 2,000 m2 onwards, they are considered rural estates.
What is my budget?
Secondly, we must set a maximum budget. To do this, it is important to know the total cost of our house + the land.
preliminary considerations before searching for land
That said, before starting the search we will also take into account some additional criteria:
The slope of the land: very steep plots will be more economical but will also be more expensive to build on.
Sun exposure: we will primarily opt for south-facing plots or on south-facing mountain slopes (we will check on Google Maps if necessary). If we are going to build an eco-friendly home, it will be very important to have good sun exposure throughout the day.
How to Search for Land? The 3 Key Steps
Well, once we have our list of requirements clear and the basic search criteria, it is time to get started. To do this, we will follow these 3 steps:
Step Number 1. Online
OK! This was the most obvious step, we know, but what are the key resources? Where do we need to search and how do we filter the relevant information?
It is best to forget about local real estate agency websites and go directly to the main search engines, since what we are looking for when searching online is to contact private sellers directly.
Reference websites such as Fotocasa or Idealista can be useful, and generally the main plots for sale are available on these sites.
Step Number 2. Local Real Estate Agencies
The second step is to get to know the local market from those who know it best, which are the local real estate agencies. If we are clear about the location where we are going to purchase the land, it is time to contact local agencies and explain our requirements.
Generally, local real estate agencies will organize a day of viewings in which the agent will accompany us and explain the prices, characteristics, and regulations of the plots that meet our requirements.
Step Number 3. Direct Contact
Finally, and perhaps the most time-consuming of the strategies, but one that often yields very good results, is fieldwork. If we are searching for land in a specific development or town, it is essential to take the car, bike, or simply walk around the area, ask neighbors about available plots, find out what stories lie behind vacant lots (sometimes there may be complex issues such as foundations of old houses that were never built, underground water runoff, problems with development assessments yet to be completed, etc.).
We can discover many things by walking around and investigating, and without a doubt, building a house for a lifetime is worth the walk around the area, which will also allow us to identify which areas are sunny, which areas are quieter, which are more heavily trafficked, which are better connected, etc.
In any case, whatever your strategy when searching for land, at the studio we always recommend that you seek technical advice before purchasing it. Knowing the building regulations and understanding the condition of the land and its construction possibilities is essential before taking the step of signing a purchase agreement, and in this regard, as architects, we have much to contribute and can help you by contacting the municipality, evaluating the regulations, and visiting the plot with you to assess the possibilities of building an eco-friendly home.
As always, do not hesitate to contact us without any obligation so that we can visit the land with you.
We also remind you that we have a land search advisory service at no cost. We provide search guidelines, help you develop a strategy, and once you find something that interests you, we review it technically and legally and come with you to visit the land to verify that everything is in order.