252 Plots to Buy in Vienna

Buying your own plot of land in the city of Vienna is a big step for many people to realize the dream of their own house. But the real estate market in Vienna is fiercely competitive: the supply of building plots is limited and purchase prices are correspondingly high.

• Price differences: Plot prices in Vienna start in outer districts at around 600–800 €/m², while in exclusive villa locations more than 3,000 €/m² can be paid. The plot size, location and zoning determine the final price to a large extent.
• Limited supply: Open spaces are rare in inner-city districts, while new building areas are still being created in outer districts such as Donaustadt or Liesing. Quiet green locations like Hietzing near the Lainzer Tiergarten are particularly sought after.
• Building regulations: Building class and type of construction in the development plan determine how high and dense construction is allowed. For example, in building class I usually only one house up to approx. 7.5 m in height is possible, while higher classes allow more storeys.
• Facilities & infrastructure: Utility connections (electricity, water, sewer, internet) as well as good transport links increase value. Those who buy a plot in a good location with local supply and public transport connections benefit in the long term.
• Special opportunities: Corner plots or larger parcels often offer more design options and are particularly sought after by developers. Such rare offers regularly fetch top prices in Vienna.

Vienna has recorded a high demand for real estate for years, which also shapes the market for plots. Vacant building sites are particularly scarce in central locations. Many inner-city districts are already densely built up, so new plots mainly emerge in the outer districts.

In districts such as Donaustadt or Floridsdorf, former industrial and green spaces are being rezoned to create new building land. New development areas such as the Seestadt Aspern in Donaustadt, for example, show that the city is continuing to grow and new settlement projects are being developed.

Location is the decisive factor for the plot price. In a simple residential location on the city outskirts the price per square meter can still be comparatively low, while a multiple is paid in noble villa areas. In general, plot prices in Vienna have risen sharply in recent years.

Recently this trend has somewhat flattened – in some districts prices are stagnating or have only risen slightly. Overall, however, only a few areas are still available and good locations still achieve top prices.

When buying a plot you should pay close attention to the facilities and possible uses. This initially includes the infrastructure: Is the plot already fully serviced, i.e. are connections for electricity, water, sewer and telephone/internet available?

An unserviced building plot incurs additional costs to have these supply lines installed. Equally relevant is the transport connection – good access to public transport (e.g. proximity to bus, train or subway) as well as a developed road up to the plot increase the value and make daily life easier.

The structural conditions also play a major role. In Vienna's development plan the building class and type of construction are specified for each plot. The building class defines the maximum permitted building height. Building class I, for example, generally means that buildings may only be constructed up to approx. 7.5 m in height (about two storeys).

In higher building classes, correspondingly more can be built (building class II, III etc. allow additional storeys). The type of construction specifies whether building must be in an open or closed form – open construction requires freestanding buildings with a distance to the neighbouring plot, while closed construction allows buildings to be built directly on the boundary.

These regulations influence how much living or usable space can be realized on the plot. In many cases the development plan also specifies a maximum buildable area or a floor area ratio, which limits the possible usable floor area.

Depending on the intended use, the features of the future building differ. A single-family house will typically have a garden as an open space, possibly with a terrace for private recreation.

For larger residential projects on a plot – for example a multi-family house – balconies for individual apartments are often planned and an underground car park is usually included.

If commercial spaces are to be created on the plot, such as an office building, additional requirements (such as customer parking or delivery access) may need to be taken into account.

The availability and type of plots vary greatly depending on the district and location within Vienna. In the outer districts – for example in the aforementioned Donaustadt (22nd district) or in Liesing (23rd district) – there are comparatively many building plots.

Here you will often find parcels for single-family houses in newly developed residential areas. These locations on the city outskirts usually offer a quieter environment and more green space, which is attractive for families. The price per square meter is also lower in outer districts than in central districts.

In some peripheral locations, especially near large green areas such as the Vienna Woods or the Lainzer Tiergarten, there are particularly sought-after villa locations. One example is the district of Hietzing (13th district), where plots are located near the Lainzer Tiergarten. This environment is characterised by peace and lots of nature – a true quiet green setting.

Such plots are often large, exclusive and expensive, as representative villas or single-family houses on generous plot sizes are usually found here. Those who wish to live there enjoy a quiet life in the countryside but must expect very high purchase prices.

In established residential districts such as Döbling or Währing there are only occasional vacant building plots. If a larger inner-city plot does go on sale (for example because an old property is demolished), it is often a rare opportunity.

Such an opportunity can be, for example, a corner plot in a good urban location on which a new residential building may be constructed. However, the purchase prices for such offers are typically very high and they often attract developers planning a multi-unit residential building.

Speaking of developers: Larger plots in Vienna are often offered as a project. That means a developer offers a plot already with a concrete building concept or even a building permit for a property.