Some land near me come up for sale, help me think about it please

[Jambarissa]

10 acres about 20 mins from my house has come up for sale. If this had been a few years back I'd have jumped at it, I had 3 retired and 2 happy hackers back then.

My retired guys all passed in that time and my remaining horses are quite young. I've no real desire to keep them anywhere other than their current livery.

My current livery is great but there is nothing else similar nearby, and as soon as the aging yo is out of the picture the yard is to be sold and presumably will mimic the others and go to small turnout and much higher rents.

So, the land is 10 acres of decent looking grass, bounded by hedges and trees but unfenced. It is on a 30mph main ish road with houses to one side and agricultural land to the other. I don't really know the area but suspect it must have better hacking than where I am now.

I'm considering buying it as insurance for the future. Possibly I could let it as 2 fields for horses in the meantime if I fenced it and added a hardcore driveway/parking. Assume this would cost a fair amount of money but would need to be done anyway.

I guess I'd need to look into whether I'd be allowed to put horses on the land? It's greenbelt and plenty of horses in that area but none in the immediate vicinity. How would I do that?

Really don't know what to do. I have the money, it would be an opportunity to create my ideal yard in the future. But I'm not sure I'd ever actually want to keep my horses alone, I like the security of someone living on site and lots of other people coming and going to spot issues when you're not there.

Any thoughts? I'm bad at making decisions!

 

[ihatework]

If you have the money then I’d do it in a heartbeat - if you have no immediate use for it I probably wouldn’t fence and let - but would take hay off it.

 

[Muddywellies]

I've been in your situation a few times and at the end if the day, walked away. I don't want to be tied to home. Don't want to spend my life in wellies. I did used to have them at home and as nice as it was, it was incredibly hard work, and a real tie. I keep my ear to the ground re land and when a plot comes up I go and look. But always decide to stick with livery. I like the support at a yard, and having my freedom. Also if something needs doing (land management, arena levelling, fence repairs, burst pipe etc etc) then it's not my problem.

 

[SantaVera]

Yes buy it there are lots of possibilities you can look into, renting it out, using it yourself on occasion as a change from the livery which you can keep on btw, using the ground for planting trees and other environmental enhancements, maybe even getting planning permission for building, whatever you do or don't do with it it should prove to be a good investment.

 

[spacefaer]

Land is never going to get cheaper. Even if you did nothing with it, it'll be a good financial investment.

 

[bubsqueaks]

Oh yes for sure Id be seriously considering buying if finances allowed - there's only one way land prices will be going & thats up in my opinion.
We were lucky enough to buy 3 acres next to our house which was classed as agricultural land. If you want to use the fields to ride in, school, jump, then you need to apply for change of use to equestrian which we did through planning when we got out stable planning permission. This shouldnt be a problem when horses are in the locality but our council is funny about putting in hardstanding, driveways, which is also a change of use, its possible but they dont like a lot of hard landscaping in our area.
How exciting.

 

[FestiveG]

As an aside, if you create an area of "hardstanding" with mud control mats, they are movable, so do not require planning permission.

 

[gallopingby]

Land only ever goes up so would be a good investment whatever you decide to do. Could also be a safety net in the future should your livery yard close. I would imagine there will be a fair amount of interest especially if there are already houses on one side. Unpalatable as it is this land may already be in a local plan for redevelopment so worth having a look on the council website.

 

[meleeka]

I’d buy it if you have the money. You are very unlikely to lose financially and very likely to gain and you’d have the added bonus of always having somewhere for your horses if circumstances change.

I only have two acres, but it’s already worth double what I paid and it might well be worth a fortune as building land one day in the not too distant future.

 

[SEL]

Buy it. I got the opportunity out of the blue to acquire 7 acres during lockdown and although it was right at the top end of what I could afford (beg, borrow, not quite steal) I knew it was too good to turn down. Yes its hard work looking after land but definitely worth it. Livery yards around here all going for housing so takes the pressure off, plus it meant I could keep my retirees without the stress of costs going up and up.

I suspect its already worth more. Its a sizeable part of my pension because I know I could rent it out in a heartbeat around here if not sell to a developer.

You can always stay on livery and rent it out while you investigate options. Someone will want hay off it or use it to graze sheep.

 

[leflynn]

Do it, I debated over some land near me but I only have one horse so I'd have to have more, I regret not going for it as not much comes for sale near me and it was only a mile away

Like someone above said land never gets cheaper...

 

[Tarragon]

Buy the land anyway, if you have the money. A good investment! You don't have to keep your ponies there.
With houses already on one side, who knows, you may make a fortune selling it as a housing development plot in 10 years time.

 

[Jambarissa]

Anyone a view on guide price v selling price?

I could manage guide price + 70%

 

[bubsqueaks]

As always it will depend on supply & demand. Ours was guide price + 50%.
Its always a gamble as to how much you really want it & who else really wants it too!!

 

[Birker2020]

You need the office copies of the chunk of land for sale so you can see if there are any covenants on there as well as who has any responsibility for boundaries.

In particular you should look to see if there are any rights of way, easements or restrictions.
Its used to be around £8 from the Land Registry.

Land Registry UK - Access Land Registry Title Documents Online

www.landregistryuk.co.uk

Get Property Documents Online - UK Land Register

Get official deeds from HM Land Registry. Documents available: title register, title plan, conveyance deeds, transfer deeds, charge deeds and lease deeds.

uklandregister.co.uk

 

[bubsqueaks]

That should all be in the Sales Details & latterly double checked by your Solicitor - most sellers now put an overage deed on the land for 25 years in case planning permission is gained etc.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

As someone once said to us, they aren't making any more of it. It will only appreciate in value. BIL bought the land I use 25 yrs ago. Not sure what he paid but it is worth several times that now, very good investment.

 

[Parrotperson]

You’d need to get change of use from the council I suspect from (presumably it’s) agricultural to equine use to keep horses on it.

Grazing horses on agricultural land - Reading solicitors, corporate, property and family advice | Field Seymour Parkes

Understanding the difference between agricultural use and equestrian use and how to document a grazing arrangement.

www.fsp-law.com

She nice you’re not just grazing it you see. The minute you start giving hard feed or rugging up you’re in the area of change of use.

 

[millitiger]

If you have the money, land is always always always a good purchase- even if you never intend to put your horses on it.
It will be a solid investment.

 

[HorseMaid]

Buy it, if you can afford it. Even if you use it for making hay etc for a few years until you decide what to do with it. We managed to buy 7.5 acres last year at a very good price with no covenants or overages , we've put mobile stables and a field shelter on and are going to go for proper planning and change of use in a couple of years. It's been hard work setting it all up but the feeling that it's our piece of planet Earth is incredible. I'm hoping it's a sound investment for our future/ pensions etc.

 

[tda]

Is it going for auction or private tender? Prices very much depend on who wants it on the day!

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Buy it…it’s in limited supply

 

[PeterNatt]

I have bought agricultural land and applied for 'Change of Use' to Equestrian. Put in drainage, water supply, sprayed the crops and prepared and cultivated it for grass, hardcoared the gate areas and then fenced it with heavy duty wooden post and rail fencing with Equifencing on it (a tight form of sheep fencing) to stop dogs getting through the fence line or horses kicking through it. Very little maintenance after it apart from the grass and hedgerow. Guide price for grazing land around here is from £12k per acre.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

You can keep sheep on your agricultural land and put horses in with your sheep. 10 acres of horse grazing would definitely benefit from cross grazing with sheep

 

[Ample Prosecco]

As others have said - buy it! There is very little risk as if you decided you no longer had use for it you could easily re-sell. But you may be very, very glad of it if your yard closes.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Why wouldn't you buy it? You don't have to put your horse's on it, if you prefer to leave them in livery

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

10 acres about 20 mins from my house has come up for sale. If this had been a few years back I'd have jumped at it, I had 3 retired and 2 happy hackers back then.

My retired guys all passed in that time and my remaining horses are quite young. I've no real desire to keep them anywhere other than their current livery.

My current livery is great but there is nothing else similar nearby, and as soon as the aging yo is out of the picture the yard is to be sold and presumably will mimic the others and go to small turnout and much higher rents.

So, the land is 10 acres of decent looking grass, bounded by hedges and trees but unfenced. It is on a 30mph main ish road with houses to one side and agricultural land to the other. I don't really know the area but suspect it must have better hacking than where I am now.

I'm considering buying it as insurance for the future. Possibly I could let it as 2 fields for horses in the meantime if I fenced it and added a hardcore driveway/parking. Assume this would cost a fair amount of money but would need to be done anyway.

I guess I'd need to look into whether I'd be allowed to put horses on the land? It's greenbelt and plenty of horses in that area but none in the immediate vicinity. How would I do that?

Really don't know what to do. I have the money, it would be an opportunity to create my ideal yard in the future. But I'm not sure I'd ever actually want to keep my horses alone, I like the security of someone living on site and lots of other people coming and going to spot issues when you're not there.

Any thoughts? I'm bad at making decisions!

Buy it, the council are taking so much land for new build, get a piece of british green pasture, it can only go up in price.

 

[blitznbobs]

Land is a great investment… keep it agricultural if you can (inheritance tax free) most horses in the uk are grazed on agricultural land (and grazing is agricultural use )… if necessary apply for change of use of a small area to ride, feed and stable on, keeping the rest as grazing land. Making hay / haylege is also agricultural. Land is very price resilient and usually (has always) gone up in value in the medium term and we live on a small island… it’s never been a bad investment but changing agricultural land to equestrian is not good from a tax prospective.

 

[tristar]

houses along the boundary or close would put me off if i ever intended to keep horses there

 

[COldNag]

If it's affordable, I would. Even if you decide not to use it right now. It is there if your yard closes, and will be a good investment