ᐅ Floor Area Ratio / Site Coverage Ratio for Plots Without a Zoning Plan: How to Calculate? Any Experiences?

Good evening everyone,

Although I have already gathered some knowledge, I am stuck at a certain point. Therefore, I hope someone here can help me.

For retirement planning, I want to purchase a plot of land and build a multi-family house on it. I intend to rent out these apartments at affordable rents.

Now, the seller has asked me to submit an offer for the land. I would like to make an offer, but I am not sure how to calculate everything.

Information about the land:
- 623m² (6700 sq ft)
- Location: Berlin
- No formal zoning plan (development plan / building permit plan) established
- Land-use plan designates residential area, W2
- Standard land value 800€/m² / W 1.0

Because there is no formal zoning plan, I do not know the parameters for building use (site coverage ratio & floor area ratio). Consequently, I don’t know how I can develop the plot. The land-use plan doesn’t help either because the values for site coverage ratio and floor area ratio vary considerably within this type of area.

Where and how can I obtain this information so I can calculate and make an offer to the seller? There must be a way to know, with some certainty, how I can develop a plot without having to purchase it first and establish a formal zoning plan...

Thank you very much, and I really hope someone can assist me.

Have a nice evening and best regards,

K. Schulz

Building authority. Phone call.

Hausbau671 schrieb:
I intend to rent these apartments at socially acceptable rates afterwards.

Don’t expect anyone to be grateful for that. I hope you’re not investing the majority of your retirement savings into it—you could end up in serious trouble.

Thank you @ Nordlys,

and does the information from the building authority remain the same regardless of which officer I speak to on the phone?
+ What exactly are the experts at the building authority referring to? Is there any kind of map that is not accessible to the public?

Thanks also to @ Alex 85 for the tip.

Best regards,

K. Schulz

If you want a binding decision, a building inquiry helps. The authority is then obliged to follow it later. However, it takes a few days.

I am speculating here based on the description that the neighboring plots are still undeveloped, so an infill development under Section 34 would fail due to the lack of surrounding context. Also, this land is likely in an area where the district has not yet planned or is not actively preparing a zoning plan. For a "project-related zoning plan," your individual plot is too small; such plans are usually made for plots about four times larger.

Hausbau671 schrieb:
I want to buy a plot of land for retirement purposes and build a multi-family house on it. I intend to rent out these units at socially acceptable rates.

Becoming a landlord becomes complex with more than three units and remains uneconomical with fewer than ten units, especially in a major city.

Renting at socially acceptable rates has three main challenges: 1) property taxes, surface water drainage fees – both of which apply even during vacancy – etc. do not decrease accordingly; 2) on the other hand, construction with subsidies is necessary, which is a complex matter in itself; 3) with only low-income tenants, the property tends to deteriorate. Nowadays, social housing companies pay close attention to tenant mix, which requires a large housing stock.

---

https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/