My house wants its fields back

[yamin]

For example, this bit of land we'd like to buy has a regularly used footpath through it, but it's not marked on the map. Would you get away with fencing it off, as long as you left the official footpath that is marked on the map accessible?

You might, although you'd probably get people still tramping over it after years of use - would that matter do you think? (Depending on your use of the field). Of course, there may also be some old law of useage that has gone unchallenged meaning they can claim it as the official path now, or something in that line!

No doubt Lady A is having a little tease, but I'm too fluey to understand.

Me too :?

 

[yamin]

Not fluey, but confused! :roll:

 

[JoceAndChris]

The thing is, if I were to keep livestock, even horses, in it I'd probably need to erect an electric fence all around its perimeter, so people wouldn't be able to go clambering over unless they wanted a sharp shock.

People are accustomed to doing a big complete lap of BC with their dogs. I've only just realised that their walk is not an official footpath at all, though enforcing that could be problematic.

Of course, there may also be some old law of useage that has gone unchallenged meaning they can claim it as the official path now, or something in that line!

Mmm, thanks - I really need to get that clarified.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Joce,

Your local council will have a "Highways Officer" or something similar. S/He will be (in the nicest way) a total nerd whose life revolves around footpaths, bridleways, etc etc.

We have a bridlepath running through our land, and found our local chap very helpful, enthusiastic and courteous.

 

[yamin]

The thing is, if I were to keep livestock, even horses, in it I'd probably need to erect an electric fence all around its perimeter, so people wouldn't be able to go clambering over unless they wanted a sharp shock.

You know your area better, but would that be necessary? Would a post and rails (very expensive of course) or just good hedging all the way round with post and rails in the gap be sufficient? Is your concern that people would frighten/interfere with/let out your horses if you had them? The latter would always be a problem even with leccy fence as you'd need a gate in it. Otherwise, are the dog walkers the type whose dogs would worry horses? Understand completely if they are, but most 'nice' dogs keep a wide berth from horses, even terriers and shouldn't prove a problem. I can competely appreciate the feeling that if its your land you would rather keep people off it, but it may be more trouble than its worth to keep them off after years of useage. :?:

 

[Feltwell]

I like horses a lot, just not to ride!

You write very well considering English isn't your first language.

No doubt Lady A is having a little tease, but I'm too fluey to understand.

Either a straightforward dig at my poor grammar, or the Lady's mind works in a most un-ladylike fashion I'd say.....

Horses are fine and noble creatures. I just find that they object to carrying me around, and if asked to do so they very quickly decide who is in charge - it's not the sack of spuds sat on their back! Which, when you think about it, is quite reasnoble really. If I don't try and sit on their back then we get along just fine.

My daughter, on the other hand, seems to have a natural flair for horseriding - which could be expensive for Dad.....

The field next to my childhood home contained several heavy horses (am I right in saying that "shire horses" is not the correct term?) - Suffolk Punch was the breed if I remember rightly. Beautiful animals, very gentle and very friendly.

Back to the topic - Joce, FW's advice sounds good, your local authority will likely either have a Rights of Way officer or will have someone in Highways who deals with this. Land access law is complicated and has changed a lot recently with the "right to roam" and other legislation.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Rights of Way officer

Of course - that was the proper name! Thanks Feltwell.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Between all of you, I don't think there's much you don't know about. Bronze Age burial rituals, anyone?

Thanks so much for all the help. I'll get in touch with the Rights of Way officer before making an offer. The land agent just said of course we could fence the people out, which is just typical of their glossing-over-the-truth ways really isn't it?

You know your area better, but would that be necessary? Would a post and rails (very expensive of course) or just good hedging all the way round with post and rails in the gap be sufficient? Is your concern that people would frighten/interfere with/let out your horses if you had them? The latter would always be a problem even with leccy fence as you'd need a gate in it. Otherwise, are the dog walkers the type whose dogs would worry horses? Understand completely if they are, but most 'nice' dogs keep a wide berth from horses, even terriers and shouldn't prove a problem. I can competely appreciate the feeling that if its your land you would rather keep people off it, but it may be more trouble than its worth to keep them off after years of useage. :?:

I just don't know the answer to that question, but thanks for helping me think out loud... The field of cows not so far away is protected by electric fencing. There's a graveyard close by, it would be highly embarassing to be forever collecting your goats or cows or shire horse from off the graves, munching the mourners' flowers. Goats, apparently, are really naughty and wide-ranging - I reckon they could make it to Sainsbury's or people's gardens at the bottom of the hill. I'm sure different animals have different requirements - certainly if I were to expand the whole chicken thing an electric fence would be imperative. How the people and dogs behave is variable, most are lovely, but we've had a lot of problems with kids on off-road motorbikes and kids in tents. If a teenager camps on your land, and is trampled by your shire horse, whose fault is it?

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Between all of you, I don't think there's much you don't know about. Bronze Age burial rituals, anyone?

They vary according to location, but it was a period during which individual burial became more widespread (the usual Neolithic practice being communal burial, often of bones following excarnation). Cremation was also common, but some were buried with favoured drinking vessels:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/7300232.stm

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Quite right Gareth.

Whereas in the Neolithic a large chambered cairn or long barrow was used to house the dead, the Early Bronze Age saw people buried in individual barrows (also commonly known and marked on modern British Ordnance Survey maps as tumuli), or sometimes in cists covered with cairns.

Fascinating period in our history.

Penners will be along shortly with a joke too....

 

[JoceAndChris]

:lol:

Lovely, clever boys. Three gold stars each, and teacher's promise to turn a blind eye to smoking in the loo. I should have guessed any information of that kind would be immediately supplied.

And such a nice story Gareth - if I should slip away, please let it be known I'd like to be buried in the local graveyard with a FULL bottle of cherry brandy in my coffin.

 

[LadyArowana]

Either a straightforward dig at my poor grammar, or the Lady's mind works in a most un-ladylike fashion I'd say.....

Not making comments about your grammar, but when I read what you wrote about horses it made me think of certain places where horses are considered a suitable menu item and I was teasing you about that, as I knew that wasn't what you meant at all!

 

[Feltwell]

Aha - yes, a strange thing the French appetite, what with horses, snails etc. Why they don't stick to meals made of more normal and appetising ingredients such as tripe or black pudding, heaven only knows...... :wink:

 

[JoceAndChris]

Well, if anyone has any questions about buying land, just ask me, OK. I'm an expert. :wink:

Curious how in the early part of this thread when there was a lot of nay-saying about increasing your land as a commercial venture the phrase " marriage value" was never uttered. In the last couple of weeks I've heard little else. One extra acre to your house, the marriage value to your property is 40 or 50 k. A great dollop of agricultural land sees the price coming down to more farming-land type levels - 3/4 k per/a. The land sellers know that, unfortunately.

We are making a sensible-ish offer of 35k for 6 acres (his initial asking price is 60 for that, but that was before he knew there's no water), so wish us luck!

We're having to pay a large fee for a professional valuation by our mortgage company on BC + land in order for them to lend us even more money. I am so so glad I haven't turned it into a complete building site. I hope they'll value it high, despite the hole in the house- any suggestions for how to cover it up? :lol:

 

[Pford75]

Joce

In my experience, mortgage valuers are not likely to spend ages agonising over the value of your house. They will typically look at 2 things:

1. What you purchased the house for
2. Comparables

In the current climate (where many valuers are IMO deliberately undervaluing properties), it is important to be prepared and do some work in advance of the valuation. I would suggest you do the following:

1. Prepare a list of the 'improvements' you have made since purchase, together with the cost (emphasising what has been spent over and above purchase price)

2. Have a look yourself online for some comparables (with and without the extra land).

When we remortgaged recently, the initial valuation was ridiculously low...we challenged with some evidence (as per above) and the valuer increased his valuation by £400k!! Just shows you that there is no incentive for them to value high and lots to value low.

 

[JoceAndChris]

OMG!! Thanks very much for that helpful post Pford, will do as you suggest.

Improvements- hmm- is decorating an improvement? Clearing wilderness and creating chook paddock? Opening up of view by removing 10 trees? Filling potholes in track? Fencing? All of these things are hugely laborious but rather intangible.

 

[Moo]

But they all affect a house's value, surely.

 

[JoceAndChris]

I really hope so! As I said before, I thought we got the house a bit cheaper because it was all a bit wildernessy and forlorn. (It still is in the main)

Decorating's a funny one though. The number of places we looked round and the agent would proudly fling open a door and announce "New Bathroom", and I'd think that needs to go! I suppose people are different and some don't want major refurb projects.

 

[Flyfisher]

Improvements can be very subjective but I'd include all those items on Joce's list. Anyway, the worst that can happen is that the mortgage company will disregard them. I can't imagine any of them being regarded negatively.

Also, when valuing for a new mortgage, a lot will depend on the percentage you're going for. We remortgaged a previous house but were only asking for about 30%. I don't think the valuation survey took more than 5 minutes and I got the feeling they just wanted to check the house physically existed. He just poked his head into each room and that was it. I don't even recall him looking in the attic. I'm sure it would have been far more thorough if we had been asking for 90%.

Basically, they just want to assure themselves they can easily recover their loan if you default.

How exciting though!

 

[JoceAndChris]

Thanks that's useful! (except you have slightly blown my mind by making me work out a percentage before morning coffee.)

Perhaps, then, if they are so half-heartedly interested I should stop worrying about the fact I haven't sorted the summer annuals before they come.

The exciting prospect of cucumber sandwiches on the terrace with a view of one's own deer renders me incapable of any serious work just at present.