Buying a plot of land to invest in must be done rigorously. The nature of the soil, the status of the land, the origin of ownership, the taxes to be paid after acquisition, urban zoning and servicing are all points to be checked and steps to be taken before falling into a bad deal.
Most developers or investors are looking for land for their investment projects (subdivisions, housing estates, industrial units, tourism projects, etc.). In this article, you'll discover the details you need to pay attention to when looking for land.
Don't know the exact size of your plot of land!
For land that is registered or in the process of being registered, you need to pay close attention to the cadastral plan and the certificate of ownership shown to you by the owner. The mention of requisition on the cadastral plan does not mean that the land in question is registered.
Here are the documents you need to request from the land registry:
- Certificate of ownership
- Cadastral map
- Capacity calculation
Boundary marking is always advisable: before you even sign the preliminary sales agreement, it's a good idea to call in a topographical surveyor to show you the exact boundaries of your plot of land as drawn on the plan, and to check its size. This is very important to make sure that no neighbor has encroached on the land you intend to buy, to avoid all kinds of problems later on.
Buying in undivided ownershipis not possible!
Despite the fact that a property in joint ownership has a lower market value than its actual value. Indivision is a major handicap to the operation of any property. Even the subsequent sale or liquidation of the property is fraught with difficulties. For example, if you are interested in a land title, you need to have the transfer from all the owners, so that you can enjoy all your rights, especially that of management. Otherwise, you run the risk of condemning your land, especially in urban areas where you cannot divide it up.
Not knowing the urban planning provisions applied to the land!
It's essential to consult the town planning documents to find out the town planning vocation of the land you intend to buy. With a topographical plan and a request that you can even make on the Internet, you'll obtain the "note de renseignements" (information note), which you'll find in full detail. It determines the conditions of land use and sets out the nature, appearance and dimensions of the buildings that can be erected on it, with varying degrees of constraint.
Plan d'aménagement : How can I find out the zoning for my plot of land in Morocco? "It's Free!"
https://www.hexagon.ma/zonage-mon-terrain-plan-damenagement-maroc/
To find out in which zone your land is officially located, you need to consult the information note. On request, the urban planning agency will provide you with an urban planning information note specifying the use that can be made of a property in application of the urban planning documents in force.
The urban planning information note indicates the following for the property in question:
- The nature of the planning document: zoning plan, development plan or rural community development plan;
- the main provisions of the relevant planning document, in particular the definition of the zone's use, prohibited uses, types of use subject to special conditions, maximum occupancy and use of the land, conditions for the siting of buildings in relation to dividing or adjoining boundaries, the siting of several buildings on the same property, the maximum height of buildings and access conditions for roads and parking lots.
- The period of validity of the planning information memorandum corresponds to the period during which the legal effects deriving from the declaration of public utility under the planning document in force.
Do not include the tax on undeveloped land (TNB)!
T.N.B. is levied on the surface area of undeveloped land. It applies to the undeveloped surface area that exceeds the surface area covered by all buildings by a factor of five.
The tax on undeveloped land is levied for the entire year, taking into account the condition of the land on January 1 of the tax year.
The tax on undeveloped land applies within the limits of the minimum and maximum rates as follows:
Tax on undeveloped urban land is paid spontaneously to the local tax office before March 1st of each year (March1st of each year).
NB: A topographical plan is essential to determine the taxable area, especially if your land is not 100% buildable.
Need a topographical surveyor to support and advise you? Then welcome to HEXAGON GEOSURVEYS for your topographic plans, land delimitation, plot division, house layout or architectural survey.
Would you like an appointment, a quote or advice? Write to us and we'll be happy to advise you: (+212) 6 60 41 02 18 Monday to Friday.
Thank you for all this useful information. Excellent article!
Thank you for your article!