Buying land off a neighbour

dfarry

Hi all

A few months ago we moved into a new home and are very happy... although the number of jobs to be done are stacking up...

Our garden boundaries are a very odd shape, basically some of the land was sold off and carved up ten years or so ago so that some new build homes could be built. Directly behind us is a home with a wide garden but then a longer part measuring about 45-55 square metres I reckon. Within this part is a large maple tree I believe which has a tree presevation order on it. Our neighbours don't seem to use this area of their garden, it's basically just mud and mulch but it could be landscaped. If this part was to be within our own land then it would square off our garden nicely and open it whereas at the moment it is quite narrow.

I don't really know these neighbours although the people next to them have said they rarely use the garden. So I guess there would be no harm in asking if they would consider selling this land. But for what price???.... how do you price land... to me it's perhaps worth a couple of thousand pounds but to them it might be worth much more.

Also interms of the legal aspects and land registry changes would there be much to do? I'd be grateful for some advice please.

Here is a picture showing the land in question (my home is at the top).

pimento

My mum and dad sold the bottom of their garden to the bloke at the other end. The neighbour first got my parents' agreement in principle, then a valuation was done. They then negotiated a price.

Because the neighbour had access to the land from the road, it was classed as building land which is MUCH more expensive than an enclosed part of a garden would be. In our part of the country (Essex) building land was worth £1m an acre. :O (This was in 2007)

I'm not sure what gardens are worth in comparison though.

JQ.

It would be relatively simple to do, however, it is all irrelevant if they're not interested. Judging by the size of the houses I suspect a couple of £000 is not going to get them very excited.

I'd just pop round and ask them if it's something they'd consider - if it's yes, then start running some numbers. If it was me I'd want a minimum of £10k plus all my costs covered. However, land might be more valuable where you are so it could be more. Nothing scientific to my calculations, just gut feel.

Get the land valued by a Chartered Surveyor if you want an accurate appraisal. You'll need to know how much value it adds to your house, how much the value of your neighbours house drops and generally what land values are in your area.

Pee

If it's not worth £11k (basically £10k plus costs) to you, then I wouldn't bother approaching them.

Note they would need their mortgage companies consent if they have one, which may increase costs.

ukmike

I wouldn't like that other HUGE tree right next to my house like your neighbours have.

dfarry

Thanks for the feedback...

No the land is definitely not worth 10K to me, it's nice to have but not 10K nice

I don't understand why the boundaries were set this way but I think the tree in the middle of the strip of land may have something to do with it. End of last autumn all the leaves fell off it and I don't think our neighbours really bothered doing anything with it, It's just a dark, mulchy corridor of land in their garden, where as for us it could be the corner of a patio area for example... We rarely see these neighbours but might make the extra effort to get some dialog going and then suggest the idea.

Yes the lime tree is huge... we had a tree surgeon around and he said it didn't pose any problem to use but again it is not something I would want in my garden like they have it.

PasturesNew

pimento wrote: »

In our part of the country (Essex) building land was worth £1m an acre. :O (This was in 2007)

That's cheap! Try 3x that price in 2004: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/propertyadvice/propertymarket/3335076/Surfing-along-on-the-crest-of-a-wave.html
£3million per acre.

Jonbvn

dfarry wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback...

No the land is definitely not worth 10K to me, it's nice to have but not 10K nice

Given your position on this, I doubt your neighbours will be interested, since there is too little in it for them to make it worth the hassle.

dfarry

I wouldn't see it as a hassle for them but generally most people think that by selling land there's going to be alot of cash in it for them.

pimento

PasturesNew wrote: »

That's cheap! Try 3x that price in 2004: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/propertyadvice/propertymarket/3335076/Surfing-along-on-the-crest-of-a-wave.html
£3million per acre.

:eek:

Mum and dad only had 1/10 of an acre to sell, but it still worth their while.

Squish_21

Its worth exploring the possibility of them selling and if positive the cost of buying this land. Otherwise you'll always wonder.