Purchasing Land to Subdivide? Check These Five Things First
Are you looking to purchase land with the intention of subdividing? Heading into a land development project is exciting, but it can also be derailed by unexpected obstacles. If this is your first purchase for subdivision, here are five things to look into before you invest in a piece of land.
Zoning
What you are allowed to build on your land depends on what zone it falls in. Based on your zoning, there may be rules around what you can build and restrictions on your home’s design, size and height. Wellington will have different rules to Levin, the Kapiti Coast will differ from Horowhenua, so check carefully what zone you are in.
Covenants
Your land may come with covenants attached, which are legal obligations to either do, or not do, certain things on your land. Covenants can put restrictions in place which dramatically affect your plans. They can limit the floor area, construction materials, use of property and even restrict the type or number of pets in your property. A LINZ report will reveal if there are any covenants for the piece of land you are interested in.
Land features
The particulars of your land will determine its development potential. Make sure to assess your land’s:
• Size – is it big enough to satisfy your subdivision goals?
• Shape – an impressively large section in an unusual shape can still limit your development dreams.
• Orientation – poor orientation can lead to houses with inadequate sunlight.
• Slope – building on a steep slope requires earthworks which is costly and difficult.
• Flooding – land that floods is certainly not ideal for development.
Vehicle access and services
You should check if your land is, or will be, accessible to the roads. If there’s no driveway currently, you’ll need to build one, so find out what this will entail. Similarly, houses need access to water, stormwater, plumbing and electricity. If these services are not already set up, how difficult and expensive will enabling access be?
Title records
Last but not least is doing your due diligence when it comes to checking the title. This is a legal document that shows who owns the site, its official size, and any restrictions to the land regarding covenants, consents and easements. It’s not unheard of for subdivided sections to be sold without a land title, but this can cause serious delays to your land development plans.
Get expert help assessing your land
Purchasing land for development is a big decision. If you want professional help making sure your plans will be feasible, speak to the team at Tararua Land Surveyors. We can help assess your potential land in Wellington, Porirua, Levin and the Kapiti Coast so you can make an informed decision.