Author Topic: Land grading and price advice (Read 4461 times)

alang · « **on:** October 26, 2018, 07:09:31 pm »

I know there is a land grading list somewhere but for the life of me i cannot find it. Basically there is some scrub land of about 1.5 acres near my house that the owner cannot build or sell for building on and is just letting regenerate with trees naturally (he has building plots all around it). Roughly in Scotland (Moray), what price would this category of land command per acre?

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landroverroy · « **Reply #1 on:** October 26, 2018, 07:26:28 pm »

Presumably it's scrub land because nothing's been done with it for years? So it could possibly still grow good grass or whatever, if properly cultivated.
Essentially it's worth what it's worth. How often does land come up for sale near your house? Is it a plot that you would particularly like to have to add to your smallholding? If so, then it's worth more to you than just its theoretical value as a piece of "scrub" land.

I recently bought some "scrub" land at auction. It was full of gorse bushes. I paid twice the guide price because I wanted it. It cost a lot more to clear it, seed it and fence it. But it has proved invaluable and well worth the money. So really only you can decide.

alang · « **Reply #2 on:** October 26, 2018, 07:37:24 pm »

I call it scrub land because it's full of rowan and birch trees with heather and grass tufts underneath. Nothing has been done with it for at least 30 years as far as i can gather. Land that comes up for sale around my house is always as housing plots so command a price of £70k and upwards minimum. I know for a fact the developer that owns it cannot build on it and will never be granted permission to build on it.

I suppose as you say, what is it worth to me? I would use it to grow things on and maybe keep a few animals (chickens,ducks and goats probably). Most of the land would be managed/coppice wood and fruit/veg areas.

I only asked as i don't know what the price of agricultural land is around these parts.All i ever see on estate agent sites are whole farms for sale or building plots.

bj_cardiff · « **Reply #3 on:** October 26, 2018, 08:43:27 pm »

Its a tricky one, how long is a piece of string..

I'd say as a (very) basic guide, agricultural land can be between 3-10k an acre. Saying that 1.5 acres can go for a lot more than that. I'd contact the person who owns it and ask if they would consider selling and how much they are looking for? Lots of people will be looking for small acreages for pony paddocks and you'll be competing with them. I would of thought at auction you'd be looking at around 20-30k.

Backinwellies · « **Reply #4 on:** October 27, 2018, 07:06:32 am »

I agree with BJ it will be worth far more than agricultural land per acre. Sadly I suspect 20 to 30K is probably what will be expected.

macgro7 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 27, 2018, 08:50:53 am »

Quote from: Backinwellies on October 27, 2018, 07:06:32 am

I agree with BJ it will be worth far more than agricultural land per acre. Sadly I suspect 20 to 30K is probably what will be expected.

It depends on location! It could be more actually.
We are using land which belongs to housing association next door but borders our property because no one else can use it - only access is through our land. It's maybe a 1/5 of an acre but it would cost you £30k to buy and this is considered cheap in this area - I.e. one mile from the city centre.

alang · « **Reply #6 on:** October 27, 2018, 02:58:23 pm »

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I have been chatting to a neighbour today and she says the land is actually probably classed as woodland because it was originally part of a much larger wood before the present owner bought it as a whole and then placed plots on it. So not sure if that changes the valuation aspect of it. It will certainly change the usage aspect as it's not registered as agricultural.

landroverroy · « **Reply #7 on:** October 28, 2018, 05:04:21 pm »

Basically it doesn't really matter what anyone else values it at. Woodland or farmland is more or less the same in England as either can be changed to the other. The land I bought (previously mentioned) had trees on it but I always saw it as farmland and it now grows excellent grass.
Why not ask the present owner if he would sell it and how much he would want for it? Then at least you would have something to go on and think about.

alang · « **Reply #8 on:** November 05, 2018, 09:05:41 pm »

Thanks for the replies. I've used the google earth area measure thingy to give me a rough estimate of the size of ground (acres and metres square). Works out to be just under 2.2 acres or 8166m square.

Time to give this some thought and start saving those pennies