The Famous 50 x 100 plot; What it is and Maybe Not!

If you have bought a plot of land you have probably stumbled onto this phrase: 50 x 100!
If you haven’t, do not worry; you will soon hear it when you start the search for land.
But what exactly does this mean in real estate?
Well for the start the full title is a 50 x 100 foot plot.
So, if you guessed that it is the linear dimensions of the plot, you guessed right.
Land is measured in many ways; AREA, LENGTH as well as PERIMETER.
50 feet stands for width while the 100 feet stands for length.
Don’t be tempted to leave, yet. The story doesn’t end there.
You might ask, do all 50 x 100’s have to be 50 feet width and 100 feet length?
This is where it gets very interesting.
The short answer is no.
When surveyors get instructions to subdivide land, their basic instinct is to get the smallest functional land size; which is a 50 x 100 (approximately 11.5 decimals). In Kampala (KCCA), the smallest acceptable land size is 15 decimals (We will address this in another piece).
This 50 x 100 is basically about an eighth of an acre. Meaning from one acre, one can get about 8 plots if the plot is fairly rectangular or seven if access roads are required.
It is the most popular plot size because of the usually low price compared to other plot sizes.
So, to answer our query, a 50 x 100 need not necessarily be 50 feet width and 100 feet length.
This is simply a connotation for a land area covering approximately 11.5 decimals or 5000 square feet.
See the attached image - both are "50 x 100 feet".

The next time you go out to look for land and your eyes tell you none of the sides seems to make 100 feet, don’t be quick to run away. Simply check on the title to see if the land size is 11.5 decimals or its equivalent in acres or hectares.

In case of any real estate queries, don’t hesitate to contact us:
Joshua@kayungirizi.com | Tel: +256782 66 32 18 | +256701341144 | Website: www.kayungirizi.com |Location: Kisakye Shopping Mall, Plot 1900, Old Kiira Road, Ntinda. 3rd Floor, Room 27