Buying land to build a house often starts with finding a plot in a desirable location—with a good view, beautiful greenery, or a sense of privacy—where you can easily imagine living. However, what looks like an ideal plot at first glance may not necessarily be the best choice for future construction.
We spoke about what to consider before purchasing land with Kristijan Markoč, an architect with extensive international experience who currently practices in Switzerland.
Kristijan, how misleading can a first impression of a plot be?
Buying land often begins with a "gut feeling": you find a plot in a desirable location with a great view, lovely greenery, or privacy, and you can easily picture yourself there. If ownership, access, and basic zoning conditions are verified, the decision might seem fairly straightforward.
An architect is often engaged only after the purchase is already finalized, when it is time to design the building. Experience frequently shows that what made us "fall in love" with the plot is not quite as secure or valuable as it initially appeared. What initially looked like a beautiful view might face neighboring building land where a house or building could be constructed one day. The slope of the terrain can significantly impact construction costs, and what you wanted to build might not fit properly on such a plot.
The reverse is also true: a plot that appears unimpressive to an untrained eye at first glance may hold exceptional potential upon detailed analysis. That is precisely why I believe an architect can be a valuable advisor during the initial phase of considering a purchase, not just after the decision has been made.
Isn't the fundamental question simply what is allowed to be built on the land?
A good agent will answer questions about whether the land is zoned for building, what the access is like, what the spatial planning conditions are, and what can generally be built on it. However, there is a difference between what may be built and what should be built.
That is where architectural analysis begins. When evaluating a piece of land, my priority is not just its size and building coefficients, but the plot's relationship to the sun, wind, terrain, view, neighborhood, and surrounding landscape. I attempt to understand how a building could be positioned to maximize the location's best characteristics while mitigating its limitations.
A view is often one of the main reasons someone chooses a specific plot. Can a view you have today look completely different in a few years?
The view is one of the best examples. A plot with an open view may seem like an obvious choice, but it is essential to look at what lies beyond that view.
If neighboring building land is in immediate proximity, a structure might appear one day and partially or fully block it. Furthermore, the fact that agricultural land currently sits in front of the plot does not guarantee that the view will remain unobstructed long-term.
An architect can analyze the broader spatial context and check if there are ongoing initiatives or procedures to amend the spatial plan, as well as how surrounding plots relate to the building zone. If agricultural land borders a building zone, there is a possibility it could become a candidate for re-zoning in the future.
On the other hand, if protected green space, a forest, or another area where construction is long-term restricted sits in front of the plot, that view represents a significantly more secure and valuable asset. Such an assessment cannot guarantee what will happen in the future, but it helps identify potential risks and advantages before purchasing.
For this reason, a seemingly less attractive and more affordable plot can sometimes hold very interesting potential. A thorough architectural analysis can unlock hidden value and prevent you from paying a premium solely for what is already obvious.
Once it is known what can be built on the plot, the next question is where to place the house. Is the best spot always obvious?
The same logic applies to positioning the building itself. The simplest solution is not always the best. Placing the house near the road might seem natural for convenient access, but shifting the building toward one edge of the plot might yield better orientation, more privacy, or a superior garden space.
Terrain slope should not be viewed merely as a limitation either. Adapting the building to the terrain can reduce the need for extensive excavation, better connect indoor and outdoor spaces, or orient different rooms toward different vistas.
A similar principle applies to sun and wind exposure. Room orientation, window placements, and outdoor space design affect natural lighting, ventilation, and overall living quality. Such decisions might not be obvious during an initial walkthrough, but long-term, they significantly impact the project and its execution cost.
Are there land characteristics that seem like drawbacks at first glance but can actually become advantages?
A stream along the edge of a plot, existing trees, a slope, or an irregular shape might initially look like constraints. However, these exact features often become the foundation of a great project.
A stream can dictate the orientation of a living room and terrace. Existing greenery provides privacy and shade, while a slope allows for split-level designs and better integration with the landscape.
In addition to architecture, you also specialize in real estate economics and finance. How important is it to evaluate land from an investment perspective?
How land should be analyzed depends on what you plan to build. For a family home, the project must suit the family's lifestyle, but considering its long-term value is equally important. For an investment, the question of value becomes even more critical.
A spatial plan indicates how much density can be built, but more square meters do not automatically equal higher value. A property's value stems from a combination of characteristics: location, views, orientation, privacy, outdoor space, floor plan quality, access, and more. Some of these cannot be added later, making it vital to recognize them during land selection.
For instance, a quality view, proper orientation, and privacy can be worth more than an extra ten square meters of interior space. Likewise, a plot that enables a nice garden, easy access, or a seamless connection with nature can hold greater value than a larger plot lacking those features.
Therefore, an architect should not look at land solely through the lens of what can be built, but rather: which characteristics of the future property will generate the highest value? This is equally relevant for someone building their own home and an investor planning to sell or rent.
Finally, if you were to summarize what a prospective buyer should do before making a decision, what would you recommend?
Pre-purchase architectural analysis does not mean creating a full design project. The goal is much simpler: to understand the plot well enough to make an informed decision on whether it is worth buying for construction.
You should verify what can be built on the specific site, but also how the building can be positioned, what views it will have, how exposed it will be to neighbors, how it relates to sun and wind, what surrounds the neighboring plots, and whether there is a risk that today's advantage could change tomorrow.
It is equally important to recognize long-term potential that is not visible at first glance. An unattractive plot might have excellent orientation, a protected view, or the potential to create privacy and vistas where none currently exist. Conversely, an expensive, seemingly perfect plot may harbor traits that later restrict project quality and significantly impact its final value.
Ultimately, the most important question is not just what can be built on the land, but how high-quality and valuable a project that plot can enable.
Precisely because of the need to maximize value—achieving the best balance between cost and generated value—engaging an architect before deciding on a land purchase is invaluable. Their role is not just to design the house and amenities after the plot is purchased, but to help understand the land, its potential, and its limits before the investment decision is made.
