Why are corner lots popular for land purchases: characteristics and merits

A corner lot is a parcel of land located on a corner parcel bordering two or more intersecting streets.
Corner lots are most often preferred in residential areas because of their openness and airy feel due to the lack of adjoining land.
Incidentally, you may also hear the term "quasi-corner lot," which is similar to the term "corner lot," but the difference between a corner lot and a quasi-corner lot is as follows

●Corner lot: Located at a T-junction or crossroads and bordered by two or more streets
●Quasi-corner lot: L-shaped and bordered by one street

Here we will introduce 4 merits of buying a corner lot to build on.

Merit ① Plenty of sunlight

In Japan, getting a place to live with plenty of sunlight is very desirable and sought after. When you purchase land to build a house, you may be concerned about whether or not it is a sunny location.
In this regard, a corner lot has good sunlight because it is bordered by two or more roads and sunlight comes in from each direction.
In particular, if your living room or garden faces south and faces the corner of the street side, you will be able to spend time in the warm sunlight and enjoy a bright and comfortable living environment.

Merit ② Flexibility in designing your floor plan

Another advantage of a corner lot is that it allows for greater flexibility in determining the floor plan.
For example, when deciding the location of the entrance, a corner lot is bordered by two or more streets, giving you more options as to which direction to place it.
So we can also separate the direction of the entrance from that of the parking lot.
And similarly, for the living room, you have more options for which of the two to choose, and you can decide on a sunnier direction!

Merit ③ More security

When purchasing a home, security is also a concern.
Corner lots are easily visible because they are bordered by two or more roads, and tend to be less prone to break-ins and trespassing.
By being in a highly visible location, passersby and neighbors are more likely to report any unusual activity, allowing you to leave your home with peace of mind.

Merit ④ Higher property value

Corner lots are very popular because of their many advantages as described above, and may sell for a higher price when they are sold.
When purchasing a house, should you ever want to move in the future, you want to choose a property with as high an asset value as possible.
In this regard, a corner lot, which is in high demand, has a high asset value and is an advantage.

The demerits of corner lots

Now that you know the characteristics and advantages of corner lots, you may be wondering about the disadvantages.
The four main demerits are as follows:

Demerit ① Construction costs are expensive.

As mentioned in Merit 3), corner lots are highly visible to the public, making them highly effective for crime prevention, but they also require design to protect privacy.
For example, block walls or fences around the houses can protect privacy, but this will cost more in construction costs.
In the case of a corner lot facing a busy road, some people install a sturdy fence in case of traffic accidents or other contingencies.
Another disadvantage of a corner lot is that because there are two or more sides that abut the road, a longer-than-usual range of fences will have to be built, which increases the cost of the project.

Demerit ② Noise

If the corner lot faces a busy road, some people may find the noise of cars driving by too loud.
Also, by facing two or more roads, it is possible that you may often hear the voices of passersby.
Therefore, it is important to take into account soundproofing measures when building a house.

Demerit ③ May not be able to build a 3 story house

In some municipalities, "road diagonal restrictions" are placed on corner lots, which may prevent three-story buildings from being built.
The "road diagonal restriction" is a restriction on the height of buildings facing the road in order to consider the residential environment from the viewpoint of ventilation and lighting.
It is advisable to check this restriction before purchasing a corner lot, as it may not be possible to build a three-story building on a lot with this restriction.

Demerit ④ Too bright?

While we mentioned the advantage of good sunlight in merit 1), there are some who may feel that the sunlight is too glaring.
For example, a place where sunlight shines in during the day and in the evening has the disadvantage of making the interior temperature higher and hotter in summer.
Therefore, it is necessary to take heat shielding measures, such as arranging windows and eaves, and installing light-shielding curtains.
Of course, the amount of sunlight also depends on the direction of the building.
We will explain the relationship between the corner lot and the direction in the next chapter, so please read on!

Corner lots for land purchase: direction plays an important role

The characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of corner lots were explained in the previous chapter, and of course, the characteristics vary somewhat depending on the direction.
Here we will introduce the relationship between corner lots and directions, as well as the characteristics of each of the four directions.

Corner lots facing Southeast

A corner lot located in the southeast is the most popular direction, as it is always sunny from sunrise to sunset.
Also, since it is difficult for the sun to shine in from the west, there is no need to worry about indoor temperatures rising in the summer.
However, because of its popularity, the price of land tends to be higher than other corner lots.
Southeast corner lots are best for those who value sunlight.

Corner lots facing Southwest

Corner lots located to the southwest are similarly characterized by their sunny aspect.
The difference from a southeast corner lot is that it receives less sunlight in the morning and the evening sun is more dazzling because the sun shines in from the west.
When the west sun shines in, it will feel hot in summer, while in winter, it will feel warmer in the evening.
If you place the living room on the south side, you can create a comfortable space with sunlight during the day.

Corner lots facing Northeast

Located to the northeast, the corner lot does not receive as much sunlight as the southeast and southwest lots.
Nevertheless, sunlight does come in from the east, so you will be able to dry your laundry in the warm sunlight in the morning.
Also, if you are concerned about direct sunlight in the summer, we recommend the northeast corner lot that does not face south.

Corner lots facing Northwest

A corner lot located to the northwest does not get good sunlight during the daytime, but in the evening, it is a corner lot that receives western sunlight.
Therefore, while the greatest merit of a corner lot, "good sunlight," is difficult to obtain, the price of land is lowest among corner lots.
If you purchase a northwest corner lot and want to secure sunlight, it is a good idea to check the surrounding buildings to see if sunlight can come in from a direction that does not face the road.

In conclusion

In this issue, we explained the characteristics of corner lots, their merits and demerits, and the relationship between the direction of the land for those who are considering purchasing land.
Corner lots are very popular due to the advantages of "good sunlight" and "high asset value."
On the other hand, there are also disadvantages such as "high construction cost" and "noise concerns."
Of course, the amount of sunlight varies depending on the direction.
The most popular and sunny lot is the southeast corner.
Please refer to this article and consider a corner lot when purchasing land.