Request the identifier for each parcel and building. Walk the boundary and access with the seller, then have the lawyer match what you saw to the documents.
Draw the property before you price it
Ask the seller for the address, the plan and a pin at the gate. At the viewing, label the house, summer kitchen, barn, garage and any second plot on a sketch. Save a photograph of each building and mark the entrance a tradesperson would use. Ask your lawyer and surveyor to reconcile the sketch with the current records.
An old fence and a visible track can help you get your bearings. Check the legal boundary and the right to use the approach separately, especially where access goes over another parcel or a gate appears to serve several homes.
Check the use of every piece of land
A plot beside the house might have a different classification from the yard. Ask about agricultural or forestry land, protected areas, permitted building use and any leases or rights of way. Have your lawyer confirm whether the intended buyer can acquire that parcel and whether your planned use needs a separate approval.
If the plan involves adding a guest building, converting a barn or installing a pool, ask a local professional about the approvals and practical servicing before making the offer. Price drainage, power, water and delivery access as separate items.
Make a house-to-plot checklist
- Ask which buildings are recorded and whether alterations need further checks.
- Locate the mains shutoff, meter and any well or septic system.
- Check whether a delivery vehicle can reach, turn and unload at the entrance.
- List the roof, damp and safety repairs that affect whether you could use the home in its first winter.