Are you thinking about owning your own recreational property but don't know how to go about the whole process?

I have prepared a short guide to help you implement your plan. Check out the link and find out what steps separate you from your own recreational property

Do you dream of a morning coffee in the sunshine, do you want to run in the forest, where you don't have to drive through the entire city but just walk 300 meters? Do you want to immerse yourself in peace and quiet in a small, charming house somewhere on the edge of "nowhere".

This dream can come true!

I'll show you 7 steps to get to where we started, a delicious coffee on the terrace of your dream recreational property.

1. Set your budget

Buying real estate always starts with the same thing. Figuring out what you can afford. As with any major purchase, you need to set a budget so you know what you can look for. There’s nothing more frustrating than finding the perfect property only to realize it’s out of your budget. So before you start looking, make sure you know what you can and can’t afford. You start with buying land. You need to be familiar with terms like recreational land, building land, and agricultural land. Check the zoning, utility availability, and road access. Be prepared for the following categories of expenses:

• Ground –

Finding the right land can take time, photos in online ads do not always reflect reality and those who post ads tend not to reveal the whole truth. Therefore, it is worth asking for the plot number and checking the basic data on Geoportal before you even go sightseeing

- area, planning conditions, distance to utilities;

- Ask for complete information from the Owner to avoid being exposed to

a multi-kilometer trip that will end in disappointment. It is assumed that the cost of a plot is about 40% of the project value, but we do not live in an ideal world. Land in resorts, in the mountains, Masuria or by the sea can cost up to several hundred zlotys per square meter. And due to the pandemic, there is a significant increase in interest in land outside the city.

• Construction costs -

when you buy a plot of land, you assume that you want something to be built on it. Finding the right house design for the plot is worth consulting with an architect. Designs purchased in libraries on the Internet are not always applicable to our area. Maybe cutting down trees is necessary? You should also read the restrictions resulting from the local plan (e.g. BRDA houses may not be built in Mazovia because their roof angle is too high). Before you spend several thousand zlotys on a design - you should consult the possibilities of locating the selected property in your area.

We can calculate construction costs using indicators, but unfortunately, in the case of such small properties as summer houses (I assume that the house will not exceed 35 square meters), indicators are rarely used. Why? Because building a year-round house involves, on the one hand, the costs of materials, but on the other, the costs of transport and contractors. Construction companies do not care whether they transport materials for a 35 square meter house or a 100 square meter house, because you still pay for transport and the employees' salaries, regardless of their amount of work. What counts is the time they devote to you. It is therefore worth finding local contractors. Depending on the standard, construction costs range between PLN 1,800 and PLN 4,200 per month, and we are talking about developer's condition. The next item on our list is the provision of media, land development, and fencing. You may need to clear the land and then build the actual house. These are additional costs that are worth considering when deciding on a budget for your land.

- Holding costs - this category includes costs that are ongoing, such as land tax and interest on any loan. Many people do not factor these into their initial budget, but these are costs that can affect your future and it is best to plan for them before you buy land.

By taking all of these factors into account, you will be better able to set a budget that is reasonable for you and your family. It is important to know and understand all of the costs associated with purchasing land before you get too far into the process.

2. Decide which features are most important to you

Next, in the process of finding the perfect plot of land for your new home, you will want to decide what features of the property are important to you. Remember, whichever plot of land you choose, the plot of land you buy is where you will build your home. With that in mind, think about what you are looking for?

• Privacy -

Do you want your land to be full of large trees that offer a bit of privacy from the rest of the world? Or would you give up some of that privacy for a more open environment?

• Topography -

the purchased plot must have a place for your house. This means that the area cannot be very heavily wooded. You must maintain appropriate distances from neighbors and the road. Another thing: you should also decide whether you prefer to commute from the city within an hour, only on weekends, or do you have time for a longer trip to get to the mountains or the seaside?

• Area -

what exactly do you want to see when you leave your home? If a view like a panorama is important to you, make sure you look for properties that are a little higher than others. If you want to see mountains from your home, choose a spot that is not blocked by another house, large trees or, worse yet, a highway. Be picky. Give yourself a chance to find a place that you feel good about. The fact is, this land will be your second home for many years. You have to be happy with what you see.

• Area -

Finally, it’s important to consider how much land you really want. Your budget will affect how much acreage you can afford, but there are plenty of large plots that would fit a modest budget. Just be realistic about how much land you really want. Having a large plot of land can be fun, but if you get too much, you may struggle to maintain it later. A summerhouse takes up relatively little space on your plot, and everything else requires your attention later: fertilizing, mowing the lawn, pruning trees. If you have high expectations for how your land will look, you may feel overwhelmed at some point by the amount of time and money it takes to maintain your land.

It is therefore worth going out of town and measuring the area we imagine we need. I came up with this exercise during conversations with my Clients during Individual Consultations. Clients often do not realize how much area an area of ​​3,000 square meters actually takes up. They call with the information that "Your plots (1,000 square meters) are too small for us". But after checking what they imagine their potential area is, it turns out that 1,000 square meters will be enough for them, especially since every area requires careful care. It is not worth insisting on our imagination, but measuring our strength against intentions and possibilities, and it turns out that thanks to this, we also have a specific budget in our pocket.

3. Online preparation

If you have no previous experience in land purchase transactions, it is worth talking to a specialist: a good Real Estate Agent, even a friendly architect, will help you check the property data, will find out what they are dealing with in terms of planning. Not every plot that we like can be used to build our dream house. It is worth familiarizing yourself with the Geoportal, whose layers allow you to check a lot of useful information.

Another issue is access to utilities: is there one, and how far away? It may happen that our beautiful plot in the forest will not have access to electricity. Of course, the solution to such a situation is photovoltaic panels, but it is not always worth installing a module on such a small roof as a recreational house.

Google Maps can also be helpful: not all places are indexed in the maps, but where possible, it is worth taking a look at our chosen area to know at this stage what to expect when we get there. You need to have some time, but good preparation always pays off.

4. Identify your ideal property

Once you have found a few options and a good Realtor/Architect can help you vet each one, it’s time for the best part: choosing your property! You’ve done the hard work of setting a budget and narrowing down your options, so now take the time to choose your dream place for your second home.

5. Preparation of documents

Now that you have made your decision, it is time to move on to the documentation. If you have a good Real Estate Agent, they should help you check all the formalities. Sometimes it is worth seeking the opinion of a lawyer. At this stage, a good local Notary can also be useful, who will advise and check the documentation before signing the final agreement.

6. Purchase

At this point, it's time to go to the landowner or whoever represents them and start negotiating the terms of the transaction. Hand over a copy of the contract and talk about your financial capabilities. Once you've agreed on the price and the content of the contract, it's time to close the deal!

7. construction

Finally...you can start making your dream come true. After signing the purchase agreement, start working. Report the construction to the office. You can start implementing the project after a month from the notification. If, at the same time as buying the land, you were looking for a team of contractors, your dream of having a house with a terrace can come true within a few months (depending on the possibility of ordering building materials). Find a local construction company, check the opinions about it on the Internet, go to the current construction site and then sign the Investment Agreement. You are already well on your way to your new home!

If you do not have time to deal with all this and you want someone to professionally manage your investment project, you can outsource all of the above-mentioned work to us as part of Individual Consultations.

You can also take advantage of our ready offer of recreational houses, organized in the space managed by us. We offer thoughtful offers for couples - Project in Bojany , or for families with children in Letnisko Nowe Lubiejewo .