Is the property size correctly stated in the exposé?

Hello,

we have found a house that was built by a developer into a larger plot. Now there are 3 houses on individual plots and an access road to the houses in the former plot. The exposé states "The plot has an area of approx. 511 m²". At the first viewing, it seemed a bit small and cramped to us. After the third viewing, we were given an excerpt from the land register. This shows the parcel with the house as having 455 m². So exactly 56 m² (11%) less. To explain the 511 m², one third of the area of the (newly built) access road was added to the area of the parcel with the house. I consider this very unusual. Are there other examples where this has been done? In a privately developed estate with 20 parties and a private road, I cannot imagine that then 1/20 of the traffic area would be added to each plot. In the case of a municipal road as opposed to a private road, the plots in the estate would be smaller, because here the traffic area certainly cannot be added to the plot area, since it does not belong to the homeowners.

When asked if that was acceptable, the real estate agent said that for communal areas of townhouses, such as garages, a similar procedure is followed. However, no party has a special right of use over the access road.

To explain the 511 m², 1/3 of the area of the (newly built) access road was added to the area of the parcel with the house. I consider this very unusual.

If you also own 1/3 of the road, it is completely fine and usual to proceed this way. If it is a public road and you do not own it, it does not belong to your property either. In the end, however, this does not change anything about the property you use with the house. It is and remains only 455 sqm in size. Of course, one could now look at the price of the property and say that the 56 sqm must be deducted from the advertised price at 250€ (?) per square meter of the standard land value.

To explain the 511 m², 1/3 of the area of the (newly built) access road was added to the area of the parcel with the house. I consider this very unusual.

Not at all.

In a privately developed settlement with 20 parties and a private road, I cannot imagine that 1/20 of the traffic area is then added to each property.

A fully owned plot plus a share in a private road and a ownership unit consisting of special and common use in a condominium owners' association is really comparing apples and oranges.

In a privately developed settlement with 20 units and a private road, I can’t imagine that then 1/20 of the traffic area is added to each property.

I only know it like this (but I don’t know everything), that you own shares of the private road, for example. And yes, with 20 units that is then 1/20 of this parcel. You have the ownership of the property and you have shares in the WEG parcels.
And yes, you always indicate it in approximate values, but these are natural fluctuations of a few centimeters in width or similar, which then make one or two square meters.
So it should be stated in the listing: 455 sqm plus shares blablabla. But blablabla can also be omitted in the exposé, because it leads to confusion.
However, this could probably be an ideal division according to WEG into three objects? Then it may well be that this procedure is used.

Of course, they can list prices as they like and as the market allows.
In the end, you will not be able to lower the price with arguments about the sqm.
Whether one or you withdraw feeling insulted or deceived is best left to your liking: do you want the property because of the number or because you like it? I’m of the opinion that you can’t gauge the perceived size by the sqm. You would probably also find a real 500 sqm a bit small.
For example, we have the largest lot on our street, although we all have 650 sqm. How does that come about? Some have bungalows with a larger footprint, others have all built the double garage to the back. Combined, there remains a small garden. 15 or 21 meters width is already a difference there.

However, if the agent writes about a spacious 511sqm garden, he should improve his text.