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Buying a building plot in Nievre (58)


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I would recommend going to the areas you are interested in and looking intensively at plots for sale. If you find one that you really like and the price is right then it's best not to hesitate too long before making an offer - good plots get snapped up really quickly.

You can try the local agents but also look in local papers, talk to the Mairie to see if they know of anyone selling land - most Maires know most of what's going on eveywhere in the commune. Notaires are also a good source of information on what land is available. The internet is always a good source of information for getting an idea of what you can get for your money but in my experience it's rare that plots that you see advertised are still for sale when you come to see them.

When looking at plots, look at the existing houses / buildings around. If they all have a steep roof or slate tiles then the chances are good that you are going to have to have the same - extra cost. If your land is steeply sloping then your construction is going to cost more. People often underestimate the cost of extensive excavation. If there are any listed buildings in eye-shot of your prospective plots then there may well be architectural constraints placed on you when you come to submit a planning application.

If you do come to sign a sales agreement then it is vital that you get a clause included in it for the obtention of a "Certificat d'Urbanisme Operationnel Positif" - this is the document that tells you that you will be able to build a house on the land. It is sometimes called outline planning permission. Full planning permission will be necessary at a later stage once you have a definite idea of the house you want to build. I can't stress how important this certificate is. It means that if it turns out that you can't build on the land you'll be able to get out of the agreement with no penalties.

If at all possible you should get the vendor to arrange for a géometre to mark the land out precisely before sale and supply a drawing of the land. This'll be useful later for planning permission and will help protect you in case of a boundary dispute. Getting a geological survey is a good idea so that you'll know what kind of waste water treatment system you'll need and how deep your foundations will have to be. Again, if at all possible, get the vendor to pay for this.

Finally, I always recommend getting as much land as you can - it's your only guarantee against having someone else build a house close to you.

Hope this helps.

Ben Symons.
http://www.idealfrance.com

 

 

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