FAQs

Common Questions Regarding Selling Your Land for Development Answered

How do I know if my land is suitable for development?

You won’t know unless you ask. Our specialist, in-house land team are experienced at identifying potential new home sites and will be able to assess development potential quickly and efficiently.

We have direct access to live Land Registry data including Title Deeds and OS Maps and are therefore in a position to come back to you in the soonest possible amount of time.

How much is my land/property worth?

First and foremost, we appreciate our offer has to be both, financially attractive and under terms that are comfortable for you.

We cannot assess our offer till we have taken into account all factors. We will endeavour to do this as quickly as possible (weeks, not months).

What about Tax - such as Capital Gains?

At present, in most cases your profit is tax-free for any development involving your main home a.k.a. “Private Principal Dwelling [PPD]”.

However, Capital Gains Tax may apply if you are selling part of a property you don’t live in.

There are also strong rumours that a land tax of up to 40% could be applicable to homeowners selling private land at some point in the near future. Damson Homes would strongly advise anyone thinking of selling land to act quickly to reap the full rewards of a cash windfall.

How much land is required?

This varies greatly depending on the type of New Home development we can build. Once we have assessed the site, we can give you more detail.

Two main points to keep in mind:

  1. A house’s footprint is very deceptive, what seems like a relatively small space of land can provide a healthy-sized family home — so if in doubt ask.
  2. It costs nothing and commits you to nothing to get in touch – this way you know for sure
Do I have to sell my home too?

Many of our Land Development buys do not require the existing property, only a section of surplus garden land. Sometimes the purchase of a property is required to gain road access to the future development — all this information can be discussed with you from the start to enable you to decide whether you wish to proceed or not.

I am not sure if my neighbours will want to be involved

We appreciate that often Land Development needs to be collaborative and many different concerns and points-of-view need to be addressed.

Damson Homes are friendly, understanding, and highly experienced in bringing people together.

After your initial contact, we can contact all other involved parties, to gauge their interest.

In short; this is what we do, and do very well.

Will our discussions remain confidential?

Any discussions we will have will remain between ourselves unless we have your permission otherwise.

Confidentiality is an essential ingredient in creating a land development opportinity package that works for all involved and maintains good relations between all parties.

I am worried you will put pressure on me to sell?

There is no need to worry; all we want to do is provide you with good, honest and open advice. We don’t pressurise, we want you to walk away from our partnership feeling good about your decision and maybe even to recommend us to your friends!

However, if you are still unsure, ask yourself the following questions.

  • Would I consider moving in the next few years?
  • Would gaining a premium on the value of my home enable me to move up the property ladder?
  • Do I use all of my garden all of the time?
  • Is a large garden as important to me now as it was when I first bought my home?’
  • Would a large cash windfall give me freedom?

Whatever you decide, we will respect your wishes at every stage and will not make any decisions without your consent.

What about Tax - such as Capital Gains?

At present, in most cases your profit is tax-free for any development involving your main home a.k.a. “Private Principal Dwelling [PPD]”.

However, Capital Gains Tax may apply if you are selling part of a property you don’t live in.

There are also strong rumours that a land tax of up to 40% could be applicable to homeowners selling private land at some point in the near future. Damson Homes would strongly advise anyone thinking of selling land to act quickly to reap the full rewards of a cash windfall.

Will I de-value my property by selling off my land?

We will work with you to develop a scheme that will sit alongside your property with minimum impact, so it is very unlikely that you will lose value.

Modern lifestyles have created a trend for properties with low maintenance gardens. These days most people lead such busy lives that they have little time to manage a large plot, and it can be a disadvantage for some house hunters.

This is one of the reasons why many newly built homes with smaller gardens sell for such a high premium.

I know other people who have had a bad experience selling their land

As with any profession, there are good and bad consultants out there, and sadly one bad apple could prevent you from making a decision that could change your life for the better.

At Damson Homes we remove the risk, giving you design approval, liaising with you at every stage, and even paying your legal costs.

Should you be unhappy with the process at any time, we will work with you to address your concerns. You really have nothing to lose.

How long does the Option Agreement last for?

It varies from development to development, the more complex, the longer it may take. Some Option Agreements give us six months, some 12 months, some beyond.

In any event, we can give you a good idea during our initial discussions and fix a firm duration with you as part of our formal offer.

Can I choose my own solicitor?

Yes, we have a panel of local, independent solicitors for you to choose from.

They are bound by law to protect your interests and advise you accordingly. Lawyers on our panel will already be familiar with our standard Option Agreement and can, therefore, move at a greater pace.

Can I use my own Solicitor?

Yes, of course, they will have to adhere to complete certain tasks within a set timeframe to qualify for Damson Homes to undertake their set fee.

The details of these can be discussed from the outset, before you make any decision.

Do we all need to use the same solicitor?

We highly recommend keeping everything under the same roof, otherwise, there are almost always delays.

Any discussions you have with your solicitor will still be confidential and kept from ourselves and any other parties you are partnered in selling your land or property with.

How long does planning permission take?

It depends on the Local Authority, around 8-10 weeks is the norm.

What if you need to resubmit plans?

Sometimes, after consultation with the Local Authority, we will withdraw and resubmit plans – this is often better than having to appeal an application that stands a good chance of being rejected.

What if you need to appeal?

In the event our Application is rejected we would reserve the right to lodge an appeal.

Could I apply for Planning Permission myself?

It is highly recommended a professional handles your Planning Permission Application since an innocent mistake (or tasks dealt with in the wrong order) can easily result in a rejected application.

This can also result in obtaining any type of planning permission near impossible in the future.

It is also costly — often thousands of pounds — a majority of homeowner prefer (as do we) to offset this risk to Damson Homes.

What if our neighbours raise objections to the planning application?

All of our schemes aim to complement and enhance a neighbourhood and are individually designed to achieve this.

Part of this process is to attempt to pre-identify any potential objections and deal with these within the initial planning application.

We also regularly meet with those that may be affected by a development to address their concerns directly.

What if you can't obtain planning permission?

In these rare cases, we would not be able to proceed with the purchase of your land or property. Fortunately, with the way we structure our agreements, you would not be out of pocket since we undertake all of your costs.

It is quite possible, that during our consultation with the Local Authority, there may be a better chance of achieving a successful Planning Application with an alternative type of development — if this is the case, we can discuss this with you and see if you would like to proceed with an alternative scheme.

How quickly will I be able to receive an offer for my land?

A formal offer will be made for your land once we have researched the site and established potential for planning permission. This will normally take place within two weeks of our first meeting but can vary from development to development.

When will I receive my cash windfall?

We purchase your land once we have obtained planning permission, and before building commences. No work will start until the transaction is complete and the land is securely fenced off.

See if your property or part of its garden could be part of a New Home Development opportinity

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