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If you’re buying agricultural land, what to check before committing to the purchase is just as important as the price you pay. Land quality, access, water, drainage, boundaries, legal rights, restrictions, environmental matters and any potential alternative use can all affect whether a parcel is suitable for you.
What Should You Check When Buying Agricultural Land?
Before buying agricultural land, check that the land is suitable for your intended use, establish how it is accessed, investigate water and drainage, confirm the boundaries and legal title, identify restrictions and rights affecting the property, and consider any planning or environmental issues.
You should also look beyond the asking price and assess the likely total cost of acquiring and putting the land into the condition you require.
TELL US WHAT LAND YOU’RE LOOKING FOR →1. Check What You Want to Use the Land For
Start by establishing exactly what you want the land to achieve.
Agricultural land can be used for different purposes, including crop production, grazing, livestock, equestrian use and smallholding activities. The characteristics that matter most will depend on your intended use.
Consider Your Requirements
- What will you use the land for?
- How many acres do you need?
- Do you need arable, pasture or grazing land?
- Do you need buildings or storage?
- Do you need water on the land?
- What type of access do you require?
- Do you need fencing already in place?
- What budget do you have available?
- Which locations would you consider?
2. Check the Quality of the Land
The quality of agricultural land can have a significant effect on its usefulness and value.
Depending on your intended use, consider soil type, fertility, drainage, topography and the productivity of the land.
A parcel that looks attractive because of its acreage may not provide the same practical value as a smaller parcel with better agricultural characteristics.
3. Check Access
Access is one of the most important practical matters to investigate.
Consider how you will reach the land and whether the access is suitable for tractors, agricultural machinery, livestock, trailers and other vehicles required for your intended use.
You should also establish the legal basis of the access and whether any rights, restrictions or maintenance responsibilities apply.
4. Check Water Supply
Water can be particularly important for agricultural land used for livestock or other activities where a reliable supply is required.
Establish what water is available, where it comes from and how it reaches the land.
You should also establish whether there are any rights, restrictions, metering arrangements or ongoing costs associated with the supply.
5. Check Drainage
Drainage can affect both the productivity and practical usability of agricultural land.
Poorly drained land may have limitations for cultivation, grazing or access, while existing drainage systems may require maintenance or improvement.
If drainage is important to your intended use, investigate the condition and arrangements before committing to the purchase.
6. Check the Boundaries
Make sure you understand the physical boundaries of the land and how they correspond with the legal title and sale particulars.
Fences, hedges, walls, ditches and other features may not always correspond exactly with the legal boundary.
Your solicitor and other appropriate professionals can help establish the legal position where there is uncertainty.
Don’t Rely Only on What You Can See
A field may appear straightforward when you visit it, but important matters such as rights of way, easements, covenants, access arrangements and other restrictions may only become apparent through legal and professional investigations.
This is why physical inspection and legal due diligence should be treated as separate parts of the buying process.
7. Check the Legal Title
Before buying, your solicitor should investigate the legal title and identify matters affecting the property.
Depending on the land, this may include easements, rights of way, covenants, access rights, tenancy arrangements, restrictions and other legal matters.
Understanding these matters is particularly important if your intended use depends on access or other rights benefiting the land.
8. Check for Rights and Restrictions
Agricultural land can be affected by a range of rights and restrictions.
These may relate to access, drainage, water, neighbouring land, utilities, agricultural use or other matters.
You should understand any restrictions that could affect how you intend to use or manage the land.
9. Check for Environmental Issues
Environmental matters can be important when buying agricultural land.
Depending on the property, buyers may need to consider flooding, watercourses, protected habitats, environmental designations, trees, drainage and other site-specific matters.
These issues may affect how the land can be managed or what activities can take place.
10. Check Flooding and Ground Conditions
Flooding and ground conditions should be considered as part of your assessment of the land.
The risks and implications will depend on the location and intended use. Where there are concerns, appropriate professional investigations may be worthwhile before proceeding.
11. Check Buildings and Other Improvements
If the land includes agricultural buildings, yards, tracks, fencing, gates or other improvements, check their condition and suitability for your intended use.
Existing infrastructure can add practical value, but it can also create maintenance or repair costs.
Make sure you understand exactly what is included in the sale.
12. Check Planning and Potential Alternative Uses
If you’re interested in using agricultural land for something other than agriculture, investigate the planning position before assuming that the use will be possible.
Agricultural land does not automatically have development potential simply because it is close to a settlement or has road access.
Planning policy, access, services, landscape considerations, environmental constraints and other factors can all affect whether an alternative use could realistically be pursued.
If your decision to buy depends on obtaining planning permission, make sure you understand the risks before committing to the purchase.
13. Check the Price Against Comparable Land
Don’t assess the asking price in isolation.
Compare the property with genuinely similar agricultural land in the same area, taking account of acreage, quality, agricultural use, access, buildings and other characteristics.
Our guides on agricultural land cost per acre, average farmland prices, agricultural land prices by region, pasture land prices and arable land prices provide further information about the factors that can affect agricultural land pricing.
14. Check the Total Cost of Buying
The purchase price is not necessarily the total amount you will spend.
Depending on the property and transaction, you may need to budget for legal costs, searches, surveys, professional advice, financing costs, taxes where applicable and work required after purchase.
Fencing, gates, drainage, access improvements, water infrastructure and building repairs can also add to the cost.
15. Visit the Land Before Buying
A physical inspection can reveal matters that are difficult to understand from photographs, maps or sale particulars alone.
Look at the access, boundaries, terrain, drainage, fencing, water arrangements and surrounding land.
Consider how the land would work in practice for your intended use rather than simply whether it looks attractive.
Buying Agricultural Land: Final Checklist
- Intended use confirmed
- Acreage checked
- Land quality assessed
- Access investigated
- Water supply checked
- Drainage considered
- Boundaries understood
- Legal title investigated
- Rights and restrictions identified
- Environmental matters considered
- Flooding and ground conditions considered
- Buildings and improvements inspected
- Planning position understood
- Comparable prices considered
- Total purchase costs budgeted
- Appropriate professional advice obtained
Should You Get Professional Advice?
For many agricultural land purchases, professional advice can be an important part of the process.
Depending on the property and your intended use, this may include advice from a solicitor, surveyor, planning consultant, agricultural adviser or other specialist.
The professionals you need will depend on the circumstances of the purchase, so consider the issues that could affect the particular property rather than assuming every purchase requires exactly the same checks.
Looking for Agricultural Land to Buy?
If you already know the location, acreage, type of land and budget you’re looking for, you can tell Your Landstore what you need rather than relying entirely on repeatedly checking listings.
We can consider your requirements when new land comes to market and, where there’s a suitable match, you can receive an email alert from the day the land is listed.
Tell Us What Agricultural Land You’re Looking For
Tell us where you want to buy, how much land you’re looking for and the requirements that matter to you.
Registration is free and takes about 2 minutes. Where there’s a suitable match, you can receive an email alert from the day the land is listed.
TELL US WHAT LAND YOU’RE LOOKING FOR →Frequently Asked Questions
What should I check when buying agricultural land?
Check the land’s suitability for your intended use, quality, access, water, drainage, boundaries, legal title, rights, restrictions, environmental matters, planning position and total purchase costs.
Should I get a survey when buying agricultural land?
The appropriate surveys depend on the property and your intended use. Where there are concerns about ground conditions, drainage, boundaries, buildings or other matters, appropriate professional investigation may be worthwhile.
What legal checks are needed when buying agricultural land?
Your solicitor should investigate the legal title and relevant matters such as rights of way, easements, covenants, access arrangements and restrictions affecting the property.
Do I need to check planning permission when buying agricultural land?
If your intended use goes beyond the existing lawful use of the land, you should understand the relevant planning position before buying. Agricultural land does not automatically have permission for development or other alternative uses.
How do I know if agricultural land is good value?
Compare it with genuinely similar land in the same area and consider the quality, access, acreage, water, drainage, improvements, restrictions and intended use rather than looking only at the price per acre.
Where can I find agricultural land for sale?
Agricultural land can be found through specialist land agents, property portals, auctions, private sales and as part of farms and rural properties. You can also register your requirements with Your Landstore so they can be considered when suitable land is listed.
Looking for Agricultural Land?
Tell us what type of agricultural land you’re looking for, where you want to buy and the requirements that matter to you. Registration is free and takes about 2 minutes.
TELL US WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR →
