How to buy a field?

jennydev

Hi all - I'd really appreciate some advice from farmers/rural land owners.

I'm looking to buy a couple of acres to grow veg and plants in Wicklow - can anyone advise on how to go about this? Daft and auctioneers seem to call these size plots 'sites' and price them accordingly but I've no intention of building a house on it. I've put up small ads in the Wicklow People and the Farmers Journal to no avail.

I don't have any contacts in the Wicklow farming community so I'm at a loss as to what to do next!

Grueller

Buy a bigger field, split it and sell what you don't want. Generally fields of less than 6 acres are rare on the market.

anto77

Link to guide...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JjKJnsMwHk0

jennydev

Thanks anto77. I really don't want to buy his field.

RTE showed 'The Field' on on Christmas day once when I was a little girl - it was so uplifting!

Buying more land is not really an option financially unfortunately- pity as it seems a sensible approach as long as you were guaranteed to re-sell the unwanted land.

Good loser

Ask the local Teagasc office if they could source a plot for your needs.

Muckit

Sourcing a.plot in an allotment would be your best option. As you have found out small parcels of land are priced as sites because of the potential to build on them and bigger pieces will require more financial outlay and the hassle of selling on what you don't need.

So this is the fact of the matter. Auctioneers are out to sell. They will bluff you with price and can let on there are bids in at such a price when there are not. There is nothing to stop you putting a bid on a small piece that suits you at money you are happy paying. Not all small pieces of land are suitable as sites, although auctioneers may suggest they are. Auctioneers may laugh at your 'low' bid and try embarrass you, but legally they are obliged to take your bid and relay it to the seller. You never know, you may get lucky. Best of luck.

Buford T. Justice XIX

jennydev wrote: »

Hi all - I'd really appreciate some advice from farmers/rural land owners.

I'm looking to buy a couple of acres to grow veg and plants in Wicklow - can anyone advise on how to go about this? Daft and auctioneers seem to call these size plots 'sites' and price them accordingly but I've no intention of building a house on it. I've put up small ads in the Wicklow People and the Farmers Journal to no avail.

I don't have any contacts in the Wicklow farming community so I'm at a loss as to what to do next!

Do you need to buy though?

Would renting a small plot for a year or two get you started and work from there be a better option? Though it's no less difficult to find that plot:(

liam7831

If its anything over 1 acre you will have plenty locals for competition so be prepared to pay for it.

jennydev

Thanks for the replies.

I hadn't thought of Teagasc so could give that a try, thanks.

I have spotted a potential 'site' which I may put a very low offer on - no harm. That said, it's not great quality of land, bit boggy in places, so I'm reluctant.

I would be happy to rent but as you mentioned Buford T. Justice V. it's equally hard to source a plot to rent that is bigger than an allotment.

It's a tricky one! I would be happy to pay a fair price so will keep advertising anyway.

Good loser

There should be no problem renting an acre. Less should do you for a start.

Sometimes plots are left for years without building on; someone could rent you one of these maybe.

arctictree

How much are you willing to spend? My advice would be to try and find a few sites that have been on the market for a while and then hit them with low ball bids. You never know peoples circumstances and they might bite.

jennydev

Yes, bidding low on a site seems the best bet. Ideally I would pay 10 - 15k per acre. The quality of land doesn't have to be brilliant as I'm happy to work with what I have since it's such a small scale. Again, thanks for the advice.

liam7831

Lots of sites around wickow of 1-1.5 acres go for 30 to 50k

househero

liam7831 wrote: »

Lots of sites around wickow of 1-1.5 acres go for 30 to 50k

You can find 'bad land' for 10k an acre. But would be useless/expensive to grow on.

I know a lot of small farmers that rent their land.

Disruptions such as the M11 new road might have left some odd acres that are no longer accessible/feasible to farm and would be available for very low rent.

Basically, you have to ask around and be prepared to come up against 'outside mentality'.

Pop in to the pubs near where you are looking for and buy a few drinks for the locals and you will find a plot in around 6 months.

arctictree

There was a roadside acre sold near me last year for about 20K. Lovely scenic location but unsuitable for building (within a planning exclusion zone). Keep an eye on daft or ring a local auctioneer.

Scobiwankenobi

Stick a service request/property up on Irish Farm Services website. Just describe what your looking for and put up your details. They're site is free, nothing to lose...

jennydev

Okay, I'll give the Irish Farm Services site a go - thanks for the tip.

I don't mind 'bad land' as I'm not looking to grow vegetables on a large scale. I would probably slowly build up raised beds for the veg. I'm more interested in horticulture and would enjoy the challenge of working with the what land I have.

jennydev

Thanks again for the replies to my post. I'm still hunting for an affordable bit of land. So if anyone knows anyone willing to sell a bit of 'bad land' (hilly, shrubby, not useful to farmers etc) in North Wicklow let me know!

bradygaz

jennydev wrote: »

Thanks again for the replies to my post. I'm still hunting for an affordable bit of land. So if anyone knows anyone willing to sell a bit of 'bad land' (hilly, shrubby, not useful to farmers etc) in North Wicklow let me know!

Hi Jenny,

I struck gold on here August 12 months ago… I had left a message on the “smallholders” forum on here months before looking for a small area to rent and a person with 7 acres of disused “jungle” got in touch… just outside Delgany in North Wicklow… only 10 mins form the M50 interchange… I am living in Greystones so was perfect… I have taken 3 ½ acres on a 3 year lease and have done a deal on rental price as I am clearing up the jungle as I go and turning it in to polytunnels (frames were on site alredy but disused for a decade) / veg gardens / free range pigs area etc…

Unfort I have no guarantee on long term rental but it is a risk have to take.. all the capital costs I can bring with me such as electric fences, tools etc if I do have to move in the years ahead… it’s a risk worth taking as the enjoyment you get from clearing and building your own area is worth it even if you have to give it up at some stage in the future to move on again… I believe in living for the here and now.

I can ask my landowner if he knows anyone who might have similar land to rent if you want…

A friend of mine was lucky enough to buy a 1 acre jungle in kilcoole where he now has a fab smallholding … no idea how much he paid for it … am sure was 20k+

There is a @smallholdersireland twitter account with 2000 followers so worth asking them to do a shout out for what your seeking… never know who is following there is also a Greystones / Enniskerry buy and sell group on Facebook… drop a note on there every few weeks perhaps… There is a Country Living ag store in Ashford… they might let you put up a notice… there is also a horsey feed store in kilpedder… would suggest calling in there… woman there would know all her local landowners…she is lovely and very friendly…

Drop me a PM and can send you exact details or chat more… welcome to call out and visit my “slightly less than jungle” at some stage… most produce finished but still some salad in the polytunnel which the kids can pick and bring home.

Can see about getting you in touch with my friend in Kilcoole and see how he found and went about getting a low price for his smallholding maybe.

Grueller

bradygaz wrote: »

Hi Jenny,

I struck gold on here August 12 months ago… I had left a message on the “smallholders” forum on here months before looking for a small area to rent and a person with 7 acres of disused “jungle” got in touch… just outside Delgany in North Wicklow… only 10 mins form the M50 interchange… I am living in Greystones so was perfect… I have taken 3 ½ acres on a 3 year lease and have done a deal on rental price as I am clearing up the jungle as I go and turning it in to polytunnels (frames were on site alredy but disused for a decade) / veg gardens / free range pigs area etc…

Unfort I have no guarantee on long term rental but it is a risk have to take.. all the capital costs I can bring with me such as electric fences, tools etc if I do have to move in the years ahead… it’s a risk worth taking as the enjoyment you get from clearing and building your own area is worth it even if you have to give it up at some stage in the future to move on again… I believe in living for the here and now.

I can ask my landowner if he knows anyone who might have similar land to rent if you want…

A friend of mine was lucky enough to buy a 1 acre jungle in kilcoole where he now has a fab smallholding … no idea how much he paid for it … am sure was 20k+

There is a @smallholdersireland twitter account with 2000 followers so worth asking them to do a shout out for what your seeking… never know who is following there is also a Greystones / Enniskerry buy and sell group on Facebook… drop a note on there every few weeks perhaps… There is a Country Living ag store in Ashford… they might let you put up a notice… there is also a horsey feed store in kilpedder… would suggest calling in there… woman there would know all her local landowners…she is lovely and very friendly…

Drop me a PM and can send you exact details or chat more… welcome to call out and visit my “slightly less than jungle” at some stage… most produce finished but still some salad in the polytunnel which the kids can pick and bring home.

Can see about getting you in touch with my friend in Kilcoole and see how he found and went about getting a low price for his smallholding maybe.

I have no skin in this game but what a helpful, welcoming and insightful post.

Musketeer4

liam7831 wrote: »

If its anything over 1 acre you will have plenty locals for competition so be prepared to pay for it.

But what local would insult them by bidding for their field?

jennydev

Thank you bradygaz, that information is extremely useful and it is heartening to hear that it is possible!

I'll PM you and will check out the 'smallholding' forum now.