Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa February/March 2019 | Page 34

ACQUIRING
Nine tips for
choosing the best
spots in plot-and-plan
developments 
BY MEGAN WILSON
W
hen it comes to new housing developments, “plot-
and-plan” options are the top choice for many buy-
ers, because they usually offer the freedom to cus-
tomise the finishes of the home, and even the layout to some
degree.
However, once you have identified the area you want to live
in and a development that looks promising, you will need to
decide which plot or stand you would like. And that can be
tricky, says Gerhard Kotzé, MD of the RealNet estate agency
group, because it is very difficult to envisage traffic flows, views,
communal facilities, security provisions and proximity to your
neighbours until the homes in the development are actually
built.
“Price obviously also comes into the picture, with larger
stands and those with views usually costing more. But just
choosing the cheapest stand may not be a good idea because it
could limit the saleability of your home in future.”
Consequently, he says, buyers should apply the following
guidelines to ensure they get the best value for their money:
1. Find out if the site of the development was previously used
for anything else or has geological limitations. If there’s any
chance the ground may have been poisoned or will create
extra-difficult building conditions (like clay or dolomite)
your best bet is actually to seek out another development.
2. Try to establish what other developments, if any, are
planned for the area, and imagine what effect these are
likely to have. If your plot is close to the perimeter of your
complex, for example, a multi-storey parking garage next
door might block a view, cut out the sun for much of the
day, or severely diminish privacy – all factors that would
reduce the enjoyment and value of your home.
3.  Avoid plots on low-lying land which may flood in severe
weather conditions. There are construction techniques
available to minimize the risk of damage in such instances,
but these will undoubtedly add to the cost of building and
mean you get less house for your money.
4.   Avoid plots on very steep slopes. The dream views they
may provide seldom justify the additional excavation,
piling and retention costs involved in building on them.
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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019 SA Real Estate Investor Magazine
Besides, an extensive outlook could quite possibly change
in a few years’ time when homes have been built and
trees have grown on neighbouring properties, and in the
meanwhile you will have much less usable yard space for
children and/or pets.
5. Think twice before you buy a corner plot. If this turns out
to be a busy corner in the completed development, you
will have traffic noise on two sides which can be especially
distressing in developments where there are no boundary
walls. Similarly, try to avoid plots that face or back on to
the main roadway in the development, because there is
likely to be constant noise from other residents coming
and going to the security gate. 
6. Before you sign for a plot, make sure those on either side
and behind are also residential. You don’t want to end
up living next to the complex clubhouse, sports centre,
laundry or tuck shop.
7. If you are choosing a plot with a view, make sure the
development has architectural height restrictions in place
that will prevent that view from being blocked when other
homes are built around yours. This is in fact the reason that
many people will buy into a development rather than buy
a freehold viewsite, where there is much less control over
what sort of home the neighbours might build.
8. Choose a plot where the front of your home will face in
the right direction. In SA if you want the most sun and
warmth, the home should face north, or at least have east
and west aspects that will get the morning and afternoon
sun. But in a really hot climate, you might prefer it to face
south, as long as there is a north-facing roof where you can
site your solar panels and geyser. 
9. And finally, try not to buy a plot with an irregular shape.
These often occur at the end of a cul-de-sac or on roads
that curve around a hill, and they make it more difficult to
site a home correctly and get maximum use of your yard
pace. They are also more likely to contain various water,
electricity and other servitudes.

SOURCE RealNet