Keeping an eye on land

[magicguitarman]

This is doubtless only the first in a long series of questions as I hope to start realising my long held dream of a smallholding. I hope you'll forgive any stupid ones!

I am a long way from being out of debt or even in a position to think about buying and or moving. But I would really like to start watching land prices to be able to learn what sells, where it is, why it's priced the way it is and so on. I have no idea at all where to start.

I want somewhere between 5 and 10 acres, most likely in mid-west Scotland, with woodland, running water, blah blah blah. I really don't have anything more than a dream.

Where do I start? What sites/mags/papers do I check?

Thanks!

[demi]

farmland usually goes for arround £1000 per acrea round here ( mid west scotland, im on the ayrshire/renfrewshire border ) prices will change depending on location/closeness to town ect, woodland, running water, quality of soil ect.

have you tried looking in the scottish farmer magazine?
or possibly s1homes, they'll probably have small holdings.

apart from that i dont know any other specific places.
try doing a search on google.

[battybird]

Did a quick google search...land+ scotland and found lots of sites to sift through. Heres a start http://www.osbornes.co.uk/scotland.htm

Good luck..its fun looking and dreams which cost nothing except time are good for the soul!

[magicguitarman]

Thanks guys, I did do some Google searches but (as one does) I thought there might be something under my nose that I'd forgotten to do!

[lindsay]

I was doing exactly the same thing a couple of years ago, in Lincolnshire. I set up searches on various websites, which would email me if anything new came up. I rang round the estate agents from time to time, and checked the local papers and auction companies all the time. In the end I found a field being advertised in an estate agent's window which had not been advertised in the newspaper, so physically visiting the agent is a good idea. We bought this field in October 2010.

I've since met a couple who bought a field around the same time, about two miles away from my field. Theirs is smaller than mine but better in some respects (their shed is in good repair while I have a huge derelict piggery to deal with!) and their soil is better. That land must have been on the market when I was looking for land, but I never heard about it. Very annoying. I think word of mouth plays a big part in buying land -- you have to have a bit of inside knowledge I think, to get the best deal.

[eco-mick]

I was doing exactly the same thing a couple of years ago, in Lincolnshire. I set up searches on various websites, which would email me if anything new came up. I rang round the estate agents from time to time, and checked the local papers and auction companies all the time. In the end I found a field being advertised in an estate agent's window which had not been advertised in the newspaper, so physically visiting the agent is a good idea. We bought this field in October 2010.

I've since met a couple who bought a field around the same time, about two miles away from my field. Theirs is smaller than mine but better in some respects (their shed is in good repair while I have a huge derelict piggery to deal with!) and their soil is better. That land must have been on the market when I was looking for land, but I never heard about it. Very annoying. I think word of mouth plays a big part in buying land -- you have to have a bit of inside knowledge I think, to get the best deal.

Ah - just the post as I will be looking to move back to Lincoln in the coming months (well to parents before I find my land and get the bus finished)

Can I ask - how many acres did you get and a sort of price in mind did it sell for (if your willing to say_? as when this house I am currently in sells I will have a few ££ as profit so I will be looking soon. Also what agent was this as well (J H Walters?)

Mick

[lindsay]

Hello Mick
The agent was Robert Bell, but I did keep an eye on Pygott and Crone's farming section on their website, and JH Walters too. We got four acres with a huge old piggery building on it, no water or electricity. We paid £30,000 for it. A large part of the area has been used as a dumping ground for old building materials and I have to admit we did not realise the extent of this dumping until recently. In an area which we thought had just been used for grazing we dug a pond and unearthed enough bricks to build a house!! So the whole place has probably been used as a dump in the past, which we did not know and are a bit disappointed to discover. Please keep us posted on your search and let us know what you get in the end.
Lindsay