Do you know what a vacant lot is? We’ll explain! Also know what to do, who to turn to and more. The vacant land is still part of the daily life of many cities and usually generates several doubts on the part of those looking for an area to build.
With the accelerated growth of cities, the increase in the demand for space has grown staggering, especially for the construction of new real estate developments. Therefore, the incidence of vacant and unused land has become targets of pressure from municipal agencies and also from developers and construction companies.
But, after all, what is vacant land and who should be responsible for maintaining this type of useful space for a city? By the way, if you are thinking of acquiring a new property or land, land financing can be an excellent option.
For now, follow our content and understand the uses of a vacant lot. Check!
What is a vacant land?
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To know what a vacant lot is, just pay attention to how this space is characterized.
As much as the term vacant land has fallen into disuse, these areas are still present in urban centers. Coming across an empty and unused space becomes common in certain places, but appropriating them can lead to fines from the public authorities.
In its literal definition, a vacant lot is nothing more than a useless lot. Although not used, this type of area usually has an owner, that is, it characterizes a private property.
It may also correspond to an area owned by the State and, in this case, for the purpose of community use.
Every land can one day become wasteland if there is no maintenance of the property. Public agencies have closed in on this type of area, since the empty space can generate insecurity for neighbors, in addition to the proliferation of diseases and other consequences.
What to do with an abandoned lot?
As you have already noticed, vacant land can be found both in rural areas and in urban centers, residential neighborhoods or even in commercial regions.
As a rule, it is more common for abandoned land to exist in regions of houses and green land.
If you live close to a space with the characteristics presented above, know that it is possible to report a vacant lot. The recommendation of the municipal bodies is that, if there are risks in the face of precarious conditions, the first contact should be made directly with the owner of the area.
Acquiring abandoned land is not always the best option to make the dream of owning a property come true. Through real estate financing you can open your range of choices and even acquire a ready-made property.
Learn more here on the blog!
How does financing help with real estate renovation?
What problems can a vacant lot bring?
Unfortunately, a vacant lot is synonymous with problems. In addition to the population itself that uses this space to throw garbage, there is also the facilitation of robberies in these places due to the scrub that occurs due to lack of maintenance.
The main problems that can be found in vacant land are:
Hygienic and sanitary problems
There are many problems with abandoned land that end up becoming a garbage dump. Even though it is an abominable practice, it is known that many people still use vacant lots to dispose of garbage, this may happen more frequently in the peripheral areas of cities.
The accumulation of garbage in these places in fact brings many problems, because the garbage must be disposed of in the proper place and certainly empty lots, these are not places.
Appearance of animals harmful to health
With the lack of hygiene and accumulated dirt, it is common for venomous animals, flies and other animals that transmit diseases such as the dengue mosquito to appear.
Because of this, it is essential that owners remain aware of the situation of their land.
Lack of control with the growth of the bush
Another extremely common problem, especially in the summer, where rainfall contributes to growth, is that of tall weeds.
As if that were not enough, the tall bush becomes a source of insect breeders, such as mosquitoes, spiders and other venomous animals that can pose a risk to the health of the population.
The tall bush becomes, in fact, the hiding place and shelter for many species that find there the perfect habitat to reproduce and thus takes the problem to the entire neighborhood.
Misuse and illegal use
It is not uncommon for people to take advantage of a vacant lot for drug consumption, sexual practice and other improper activities.
How to report a vacant land?
As we mentioned earlier, if the owner of the abandoned land ignores the complaints or is not located, the complainant must contact the city hall directly to inform about the situation.
As soon as the complaint is made, the municipal body must call a technician to inspect the land and, if necessary, summon the owner to provide satisfaction. An abandoned land not only harms those in the surroundings, but the entire region. The devaluation of a property close to the area is more certain compared to stretches with greater inspection and care.
Who should take action on an abandoned land?
In cases of open neighborhoods, it is difficult to have a collective organization that is committed to taking care of the abandoned land. In this case, it is up to the owner to take this initiative to do the periodic cleaning.
As we know, many don’t care about this because it’s not bothering them. It is at this point that it is up to the neighbors to demand the necessary measures from the city hall and the city hall may request the cleaning of the land and then include the cost of cleaning in the value of the IPTU.
The only thing that cannot be done is to leave the land dirty, so if there is this problem in the neighborhood where you live or close to your home, charge the city hall because it is able to take action to solve the problem. As soon as you see that you can solve the problems of this abandoned land, contact the owner and see if you can negotiate and acquire the land.
What to do to value your land?
If you already own land, it is essential to ensure the maintenance of the place, so you will avoid future consequences – either with the neighbors or with the responsible agencies. Poor conservation of a land space leads to fines and, if a repeat offender, even a possible legal loss of the property.
There are two factors that are part of the insecurity about a vacant lot: safety and public health. Both are related, since the lack of maintenance of a space of land leads to dirt, which, in turn, generates an accumulation of weeds and contributes to the spread of diseases.
These places can also be used by criminals as escape routes or hiding places, as they are abandoned and unattended. Learn how to value a piece of land and avoid fines:
- keep the land clean;
- reinforce the signage of the place;
- regularize the property;
- Hire an expert to put a proper end to the land.
