Many people new to buying land may have an idea of what they want, but they do not know where to begin. Land for sale is rarely advertised on the high street and often exchanges hands between farmers, developers and existing land owners. Land Auctions provide an alternative route to buying land for sale in UK.

Some land agents hold regular land auctions and a lot of people in the business of flipping land will use this method of sale. They do this because buying land at auction can mean getting plots at a reduced rate. A piece of land up for auction is no doubt a piece of land that the previous owner wants to get rid of at any price and there are more than enough people out there willing to buy it.

There are several reasons why people buy land - including land investment, building land for sale, property development or for a self build home. Some people also look at investing through land auction because it is considered that the residential property market is overheated and because of the government's housing proposals to "concrete over" the greenbelt. A growing number see land auctions as an alternative way to invest in property - something that is certainly safer in the medium to long-term than plunging one's finances into shares or the volatility of the property market.

Exactly how much a plot of land will cost when buying land at auction depends on several factors, including its location, size, proximity to transport links and whether it benefits from any type of planning permission. Land sold with planning permission is always more expensive than that without.

If you are planning to buy property at auction or are looking into buying land at auction, firstly ensure that you have gathered enough information about it and any other land that is available nearby. This will help you to decide the price for which you want to bid and the return which you'll be able to get when you sell it. Remember that land auctions are a good way to find suitable plots but transactions are conducted on a 'sold as seen' basis and therefore require a quick sale, leaving little time for this important research.

A proper survey of the land carried out by a qualified land surveyor is essential and will highlight all boundaries, services, overhead power lines, public or other rights of ways, flood risk etc. Land surveyors also perform a vital function in carrying out feasibility studies, or environmental impact assessments on potential sites to assess whether plans are workable. When choosing a surveyor, look for those who are fully qualified and who are ideally members of The Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Buying land at auction with professional help can be a godsend, and it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg either.

Moreover, always bear in mind the purpose for which you are buying land at auction - whether you want to sell it later, or use it for securing future by building a house, etc. Collect information on the areas around it, because if in the short term or long term there were to be development in that area, the price of the land will shoot up.

You can read more about buying land at auction and the type of land that is sold under the hammer HERE