Buying Guide - Weekend Plot in the Forest with Old Cabin

Hello everyone,

in our search for a small place to relax for us and our dog, we came across the following weekend house. The property is designated as an outdoor area and there is no building permit. However, the current cabin has a protective status. Currently, there is no water and electricity connection. The property is located in the Pfälzer Wald.

It is a total of 7,550 square meters in size and consists mostly of forest. The cabin has a floor area of 36 m2 and was built around 1956. At that time with a building permit, which however expired in the 1980s.

We would like to renovate the cabin within the scope of possibilities. Our wish would be to be able to stay there for 2-3 nights, to have a place to relax for us and our dog, as well as a starting point for our hikes. We would like to get electricity via solar panels on the roof and possibly use water from a well or the existing springs.

We find the purchase price of €98,000 very high. Forest plots alone would cost us about €30,000 for this size. For the protective status and the cabin as well as the existing stones, I would want to add a maximum of €20,000. What price would you consider reasonable? It seems you are not allowed to completely tear down and rebuild the cabin.

Has anyone of you ever dealt with a comparable property? I would be very happy about your assessment!

The current cabin, however, has grandfathering.

Is there a written confirmation of that?

and was built around 1956. At that time with a building permit, which however expired in the 1980s.

Due to non-use and failure to maintain? Then it is probably to be assumed that it is a demolition object...

We find the purchase price of €98,000 very high. Forest plots alone would cost about €30,000 in that size in our area.

Then buy yourself a piece of forest and camp there. The purchase price is reasonable, as it results from supply and demand. After all, you get the advantage of not having to camp in the forest. THAT costs a lot. Therefore, you cannot compare it with the forest plot alone, because there will never be a cabin allowed to stand there. Therefore, you have to decide for yourself whether the price is reasonable. Digital decision – forest with cabin or not (due to lack of alternatives). Maybe there are even crazies out there who value such an idyll even much more? Therefore, there is no "right" price here, that is always the case with niche objects (whether clocks, cars, or real estate/land).

Is there something like that in writing? Due to non-use and lack of maintenance?

Thank you for the hints! I will ask the agent these questions. I am aware that the price here can fluctuate greatly depending on interest. I just thought that maybe someone in the area has already had experience and can assess how extensive the whole project might be. Or which red flags should be considered here.

which red flags need to be considered here.

Exclusively the usability of the cabin. That is the be-all and end-all and THE price driver for the property.

The cabin is, of course, junk.

You can't change anything there since it is an outdoor area. No pavilion, no carport, no shed. You can, of course, renovate the cabin. However, also here without any changes to the structure, windows, doors, roof, etc. Electricity is no problem; you can install photovoltaic panels on it. Water has to be figured out. Spring, well, or then with a cistern. Wastewater also has to go somewhere. A small biological sewage treatment plant is possible but costs quite a bit. I don't know how it is for you with an outhouse in the forest. It's not everyone's thing, but it would be possible.

Of course, such a small hunter's cabin in the forest is idyllic. Still, you are taking on a lot of work with it. 7500 sqm of forest also means a lot of work.

My grandfather also lived in an artist's studio deep in the Thuringian Forest. Fish farming, hunting, nutria breeding, limited agriculture. It was never easy, and you can't really compare it.

The price, enthusiasts will pay for that, of course. There is nothing for free. In summer, the mosquitoes will bite you apart; in autumn, the deer eat everything away; in winter, the wild boars wallow in front of the house; and in spring you have to mow the grass every week. If you're unlucky, you aren't even allowed to barbecue in summer due to the forest fire risk.

And don't underestimate the hunters. They hear the grass grow.

In addition to the price per m², the timber value of the forest is added. The forest also needs to be managed and quick action taken in case of pest infestation. Since this is not a typical property, the price depends on whether the few enthusiasts of such things have a wide selection. If access is possible even in rain and snow, buyers can be found for it.