Buying a plot of land - we tell you how! Part 3

This is the last in the series of articles on buying a plot to build a house. In today's post we deal with the legal issues worth checking before making a purchase. Here are the most important documents you must review.

Information in the land and mortgage register

Before buying a plot to build a house, remember to check the most important entries in the land and mortgage register (księga wieczysta). Nowadays this can easily be done from the comfort of your home over the internet, via the Electronic Land and Mortgage Registers. What should you look for there?

First of all, to obtain the data we are interested in, we need the land and mortgage register number of the land in question. On that basis, let us look up information on the address, area, designation and also data on any buildings. We should also check that everything matches as regards the current owner or owners. In the land and mortgage register we will also find information on existing agreements with people who use the property temporarily, any tenants or leaseholders. It is also worth checking that the plot we have chosen is not encumbered by a mortgage, a loan or a debt. The land and mortgage registers also contain information on an access road easement.

Where else to check the land you are choosing to build a house on?

Other documents worth reviewing before buying the chosen land are the extract and the map extract from the local zoning plan (MPZP). They are available at the architecture department of the city or municipal office. If they are not there, the current owner should let you inspect them.

Let us look in them for information such as the type of plot, the requirements for development and the type of building use. The zoning plan also contains data on any restrictions concerning the construction of the planned building, as well as information on any minimum plot size in the given municipality. An equally important matter is whether the plot is in a protected area where nothing may be built. It is also very important to check whether major changes to the area around the chosen plot are planned in the future. A space that is a quiet, idyllic place today may in a few years find itself next to a motorway or a huge hypermarket, so it is worth keeping this in mind.

When checking the documentation of the chosen plot, it is also good to look at the extract from the land register, which can be found at the surveying department of the city or municipal office or at the district centre for geodetic and cartographic documentation. This document states what type of land we are dealing with.

The immediate surroundings

The last element to take into account when choosing a plot for development is the immediate surroundings. After all, everyone would like to build a house in a picturesque, peaceful place that they will be happy to return to every day.

It should be remembered that what surrounds the chosen plot at a given moment is one thing, but plans for future spatial development are just as important. It is worth looking at these documents before we decide to buy, so that it does not turn out that in a few years a huge factory, a hypermarket or an expressway will spring up next to our house.

It is also good to check access to essential infrastructure such as shops, banks, schools and nurseries, as well as the commute to work. The last element is the matter of the neighbours. It is worth getting to know them and learning a few details about living in this area. This will let you verify whether you and your family will feel comfortable here too.

To sum up, choosing a suitable plot for building a house can be difficult, as it is a tedious and long-term process. It is therefore worth making use of the expert help of a professional estate agent. They will not only find the ideal plot for you but also check all the legal nuances, so that buying the land is completely safe.