• What do we mean by ‘land’?

As briefly explained on the ‘sites WANTED’ page, development sites take many forms. We work with a broad range of individuals and organisations, so our needs are diverse. Consequently, we recommend that you contact us to see if we can help you.

 

• Why choose someone like us?

Selling land is not as simple as selling a house on the open market. With so many options and different sale structures, it can be hard to determine which route will result in the best return. For some, speed of sale is of paramount importance; for others, maximum profit is the priority. We work with you to help you determine your goals and aspirations for the sale. We then craft a unique solution, tailored to your circumstances – we’ll explore every angle to work out exactly what’s right for you and what can be done in the current market conditions.

 

• How much will that cost me?

We are a land sourcer, and our role is to find land/plots or premises for developers and investors. Consequently, the developer or investor will pay us a fee if we find a site that meets their requirements. There is no obligation for you to accept their offer; we are just here to facilitate the process.

 

• Will you apply for planning permission?

It depends. Most established developers have their own team of planners. They know exactly what they are looking for and what can be done with a site according to their requirements. We prefer to introduce sites to this type of developer. Additionally, applying for planning is expensive and takes time, and most sellers want a quicker and easier transaction.

However, we might realise that some sites, with potential, will only become attractive if they get planning permission. In that case, we might take the lead and apply for planning.

 

• Can I go for planning permission myself?

One of the major pitfalls we see time and time again is landowners applying for their own planning permissions. This can be an advantage if you get the correct permissions, but most don’t.

To achieve maximum profit, a developer has a set of very stringent guidelines and house types they must adhere to. For example, a site may be best suited to ten semi-detached units but the landowner submits plans for four detached houses. On the other hand, bigger doesn’t mean better, as too many units might result in the planning application being refused. This means the developer will have to resubmit plans for a new scheme. The landowner’s time and money has been wasted on the previous application.

If you want to achieve maximum land value, we would suggest leaving the planning process to the professionals. They submit applications day in, day out; as they have dedicated teams to do so, they are far more likely to get the correct approval.

 

• Would you advertise my site?

Firstly, contrary to many landowners’ beliefs, the worst thing to do when selling land is to send details to every agent, developer and house builder one can think of. This will give a great deal of exposure but, in this game, exposure is not always a positive thing. Developers like, and will pay a premium for, exclusivity. That’s not to say a wide marketing campaign isn’t greatly beneficial under certain circumstances – careful due diligence needs to be undertaken before such a campaign should proceed. For many sites an ‘off market’ sale may be more appropriate.

The first port of call for any curious landowner is to speak to a land and development specialist, who will undertake a site appraisal/valuation and advise the landowner on the best course of action to achieve the maximum sales price.

 

• How long would it take?

It depends. Some sites are attractive without planning permission, or without any refurbishment work on the property. Different organisations or investors are looking for different sites.

On the other hand, for other sites, the only way to make a site attractive or increase its value is to get planning permission, and this process can take months.

 

• Why do you need to go through a lengthy process to tell me how much and what can be done with my site?

Every plot is unique, and selling land can be complex. With so many options and different sale structures – available to the seller AND buyer – it can be hard to determine which route will result in the best return.

As we work for buyers and are only paid on results achieved, our role at Herxide is to correctly assess every possible option. Starting a process twice is expensive for the seller, the buyer and ourselves.

 

• Is going for planning the best route?

Not always. It is true that the value of land can often be greatly increased by obtaining planning permission. However, a piece of land must be attractive for a developer or investor, and established developers like to take the lead in the planning process. Applying for planning needs to be thoroughly studied before starting, as it has a cost (fees) in terms of time and work involved. Indeed, a seller might not get more money by selling a plot with planning less all the cost involved (fees and time) than by selling without planning.

However, if we believe it is worth launching the planning process, we will be able to take the lead and manage the entire process – from initial feasibility studies and development appraisals to pre-application advice, full submission and sale.