Your dream home may be in your back yard. Planning policies class garden development as brownfield development and new homes are springing up in larger gardens, especially in suburbia. If you have a large garden and there's an access route, this is the cheapest way of self-building.
Many self-builders have stories of the benefits of a little local networking with estate agents. The agents talk to each other and if they have any likely plots, making yourself known may pay off. Although most will have local builders and developers on their books, you may be lucky if you keep in regular contact. The 4Homes Property Search is a great place to start. www.rightmove.co.uk carries land for sale ads and a list of land and estate agents. Try www.primelocation.com on the web as well as local agents.
The MOD is one of the UK's biggest landowners but property is sold at the current value not a bargain price. Make contact with your local Defence Estates office. Many of the plots go to auction or through the larger web plot finders.
Drive and walk around the area you are interested in. More and more developments are being permitted on plots between existing homes or in larger gardens. Disused industrial units, old garages and other eyesores may be possible change of use plots. Large scale OS maps can also help and Google Earth is a great way of getting the feel for the development possibilities in an area.
It's worth bearing in mind that the maps are more detailed in some areas than others. You can download Google Earth for free and zoom in to see an aerial view of the plot.
Larger developers have landbanks of plots they bring into use as needed. Sometimes they may be prepared to release an awkward plot or part of a larger parcel of land for private sale. Utility companies and councils may also dispose of unwanted land.
Defence Estates Office
www.defence-estates.mod.uk
Plotbrowser
www.plotbrowser.com
Plotfinder
www.plotfinder.net
Plotsearch
www.buildstore.co.uk
Savills
www.savills.co.uk
UK Land Search
www.uklandsearch.com
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