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stevebrtx

Jul 20, 2011, 8:53 AM

Post #1 of 11 (3930 views)

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Narrow deep lots - why?

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Ok, it's raining and a boring morning, so here's a question I've wondered about, why are typical Mexican lots deep and narrow? Most of the places I've lived NOB were the opposite, wide and more shallow, anyone have a guess or reason why?
http://www.chapalaweather.net

YucaLandia


Jul 20, 2011, 1:55 PM

Post #2 of 11 (3898 views)

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Re: [stevebrtx] Narrow deep lots - why?

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Are alleys part of your city's layout?
Alleys (as in Europe, US, & Canada) give crucial access to the center of city blocks.

Were these long thin lots once part of a larger single lot that has been divided into smaller sections when divided between heirs? When lots are divided between brothers & sisters, no one wants a center of the block property with no access to the street, so once wide lots become smaller with each cycle of inheritance, where each of the subdivided lots becomes more and more narrow to maintain street frontage. A century or so of subdivisions of once wider lots (with no alley system) yields long thin lots.

How long is a typical street block in your area?
If the blocks are long, then the center area of each block is large, and the only way for the property in the center of a large block to have access to the street is to make the lot size relatively deep relative to its street frontage.

just guessing,
steve
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Read-on MacDuff
E-visit at http://yucalandia.com

La Paz

Jul 20, 2011, 4:53 PM

Post #3 of 11 (3874 views)

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Re: [YucaLandia] Narrow deep lots - why?

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Naw Yucalandia, that logic doesn't apply across the board. It might apply in long-established in-town lots where land is at more of a premium, but it doesn't fly here in BCS, where even unimproved lots are sold long & skinny, common dimension here is depth = twice the width. My first two land purchases were waterfront, so I just assumed that cutting the pie into that shape brought greater wealth by selling more waterfront or view property lots. But then I bought some view property on a hill overlooking the bay & discovered I had to buy 1,600 sq meters (or a double lot) to get the 40 meters of width I wanted to build my casa design to maximize the views. {Hmmmm....anyone interested in a nice, clean 20 x 40 meter lot in the hills overlooking the Bay of La Paz, Environmental Impact Study done & elec on the lot? Wonderful neighbor! LOL ;) } Until the locals discovered that us dumb "rich" gringos not only were willing, but expected to pay more for waterfront or view property, to them, land was just land. My point being that there must be some other unknown logic in the typical shape of properties sold in Mexico.

I'm wondering if part of the property tax calculations might be based on total amount of street or road frontage? But then nobody would want a corner lot! Maybe they just kept slicing the lots thinner & thinner to avoid having to get a corner lot! ;)

YucaLandia


Jul 21, 2011, 9:29 PM

Post #4 of 11 (3836 views)

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Re: [La Paz] Narrow deep lots - why?

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Sometimes we hit things when shootin' in the dark, most times not.

Anybody out there with actual knowledge on this vs. the lower tax, no alley, heavily subdivided, big block theory?
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E-visit at http://yucalandia.com

chinagringo


Jul 21, 2011, 10:17 PM

Post #5 of 11 (3831 views)

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Re: [YucaLandia] Narrow deep lots - why?

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Don't intend to be sarcastic but could it be that when one purchases a narrow lot, they are pretty much assured of having common walls to double the thickness and minimize the chances of them falling down?
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM


Bennie García

Jul 22, 2011, 6:11 AM

Post #6 of 11 (3824 views)

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Re: [YucaLandia] Narrow deep lots - why?

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Lot size depends on a bunch of different factors all of which will be found in the state's law covering development. I am sure most people on this board will scoff at the idea but there exist rules and regulations governing the use of all land.

In the State of Jalisco there are somewhere around 20 different zoning classifications for residential construction. These depend for the most part on population density.

The minimum size for building lots is determined according to a formula which takes into account the maximim population density for that zone.

Since land must be set aside for streets, narrow and deep lots allow for less streets between the blocks thus more lots to sell. With 1 hectare of land as an example you will get more lots and less streets if you divide it into 100 x 40 meter blocks with lots measuring 10 wide by 20 deep than you will if you divide it into blocks 100 x 20 meters with lots 20 wide x 10 deep.

Bennie García

Jul 22, 2011, 6:22 AM

Post #7 of 11 (3823 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Narrow deep lots - why?

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In Reply To
Don't intend to be sarcastic but could it be that when one purchases a narrow lot, they are pretty much assured of having common walls to double the thickness and minimize the chances of them falling down?

Since there are typically no setbacks on the sides of a building lot, abutting walls are quite common. They don't depend on the shape of the lot. Plus it is an absurd theory to begin with. With all due respect of course.

chicois8

Jul 22, 2011, 3:21 PM

Post #8 of 11 (3795 views)

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Re: [stevebrtx] Narrow deep lots - why?

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In Reply To
Ok, it's raining and a boring morning, so here's a question I've wondered about, why are typical Mexican lots deep and narrow? Most of the places I've lived NOB were the opposite, wide and more shallow, anyone have a guess or reason why?


My lot in Rincon de Guayabitos, Nayarit( 15 x 30 meters) is almost exactly the same as my lot in San Mateo, California..( 50 x 100 feet)

sparks


Jul 22, 2011, 7:55 PM

Post #9 of 11 (3781 views)

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Re: [chicois8] Narrow deep lots - why?

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Standards in the Melaque/Barra area are 10x20, I had to buy 2 to get 20x20. Have a friend who bought 3 newly subdivided lots that are 7x. 7x25 and 7x35

Starting to sound like Infonavit ... or pesos per meter

Sparks Mexico - Sparks Costalegre

Sculptari

Jul 23, 2011, 12:22 AM

Post #10 of 11 (3763 views)

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Re: [sparks] Narrow deep lots - why?

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Another anomaly though - some land developments are sold through, or joint ventured with, general building contractors, they will not sell two lots because they make their money building the houses, often to a standard design and fixed price.

TxMex

Oct 25, 2011, 7:46 AM

Post #11 of 11 (3396 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Narrow deep lots - why?

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In Reply To
Don't intend to be sarcastic but could it be that when one purchases a narrow lot, they are pretty much assured of having common walls to double the thickness and minimize the chances of them falling down?

I think this is an excellent theory. Especially in some of the poorer colonias.
 
 
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