Looking for a section?

Press, 4 February 1987, Page 57

Looking for a section?

Looking for a section? Here are a few points which could save you from disappointment later on. First and foremost work out some firm idea of the class of house you want to build before you decide on the site. • After all, you will be living in a house rather than on a section and that is the goal to keep in mind. When you consider various sections look around and evaluate the districts they are situated in. It is poor economy to save bn the cost of the land and build a fine house out of keeping with its neighbours. Land in a sought-after locality can add to the value of the house but it does not work nearly so well the other way round. It is rare that a home out of keeping with its environment adds value to the land. Being close to amenities adds considerably to the desirability of a site. Find out

what shops, transport, schools and churches are available, and what are firmly planned. When you come to inspect particular sections find the survey pegs and walk over the site. Slopes are not always as gentle as they look. It is a good idea to see the section in the wet since you will then be able to assess drainage advantages or disadvantages. If you happen to be in the middle of a dry spell when you look over it try to imagine what the site will be like after a downpour. Try too to imagine the potential the land offers in three, five or 10 years. Never buy merely from plans submitted.

Check whether there are any easements or other restrictions on your unfettered use of the land. They could affect fencing or rights-of-way, the value of the house you can build, or where exactly it can be sited.

By the REAL ESTATE INSTITUTE

When committing yourself to buy in an area where a number of sites are for sale, ensure that the allotment you sign for is the one you have decided on, not the one next door. Some terms you may meet are: • Freehold section — a section which belongs to the owner outright, subject to any rights entered on the property title in favour of other parties. • Leasehold section — one which remains the property of another, but for which the owner grants occupancy rights in return for. periodic payments. • Right-of-way section — a back section (without a full road frontage) where the access strip from the road is shared with one or more other sections. • Panhandle section — a back section where the access strip serves it alone and is in fact simply part of the site. The strip is the “handle” to the main block, the “pan.”