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Old 06-27-2013, 01:07 AM   #1
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How best to find a bit of land to purchase where we can live in our Airstream

Not sure this is the correct forum for this, but seems closest of the options.
We are thinking of ways to buy a bit of land somewhere in Texas (we have relatives in Spring, Lake Whitney and Fort Worth), where we can put our Airstream when we're not on the road with it. I understand that in order to do this, we may need to buy a place with a small fixer-upper home on it, in order for the trailer to also be welcome. Ideally, we'll find a place with water, power and sewage already provided for. We'd likely then add a big roof to cover the Airstream, and a pad and patio underneath it. The existing house might be replaced with whatever is allowable: storage shed or barn, tiny house, whatever - we're not really interested in fixing up a fixer-upper, just don't want to pay much for a house we wouldn't use except to house guests.

So the question is, how do we look for such places?
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Old 06-27-2013, 02:34 AM   #2
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Might check out craigslist under 'parking and storage' in the Ft.Worth area!
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Old 06-27-2013, 03:25 AM   #3
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We're thinking similar thoughts, but we're also worried about vandalism, even in a rural location. We have friends with weekend properties who suffered break-ins and theft.

For now, we're keeping our AS in a locked and monitored storage facility when we're not using it.
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Old 06-27-2013, 05:13 AM   #4
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So the question is, how do we look for such places?
Contact a real estate agent in the area, and have them do the looking for you. Then you only have to go and look when they find a prospective place for you to check out.

All you'd have to do is give them your criteria, in as much detail as possible. They should be familiar with zoning requirements.

They will naturally try to hook you up first with people who are already listing their properties with that agent, but that's not necessarily a bad thing; it means that the agent's commission would be paid by the seller, not you.
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Old 06-27-2013, 05:14 AM   #5
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Craigslist is good, especially now since they have a map view. The first place that I look is Realtor.com. It has decent search and sort functions. If you are curious about an area you can't beat driving around there. Some people just stick signs up by the road when they want to sell. Also you can talk to locals which could be helpful.

As for "cabin security", the rule that I follow is.. don't leave anything that you would not want to be stolen. The second thing that I do is.. don't lock it up. That is just an invitation for someone to break in. Third, post no trespassing signs and maybe a line or two of barbed wire. That won't stop them, but it will slow them down.
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Old 06-27-2013, 05:41 AM   #6
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I purchased an undeveloped lot through a tax sale. The previous owner ( I believed he passed) didn't pay the property taxes and the county put the lot on a county auction. The county that the property was in waited 7 years before putting the parcel on the auction block.
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Old 06-27-2013, 06:08 AM   #7
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We had the same idea, but wanted waterfront, only could find lots on inland lakes, or to many restrictions. Cheap lots had no appeal and the nice ones had to many restrictions. I am not a inland lake kind of guy anyway. Security was a big issue also, seems trailers are more of a target for break ins, easier to determine if the are unoccupied and very easy to break in.
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Old 06-27-2013, 06:39 AM   #8
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try these online real estate sites

trulia.com

zillow.com

or google search century 21

You can set parameters for a property search....#bedrooms, location, price range, # acres, etc
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Old 06-27-2013, 06:51 AM   #9
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I would also consider looking for a long term rental spot. I am not familiar with Texas, but I have friends that have a couple of RV spaces they will rent out, one of them the guy has been on it for over 4 years. He works heavy construction and came during a plant shut down. Liked the area so he left his big fiver here and uses a smaller TT when he has to travel.

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Old 06-27-2013, 09:24 AM   #10
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If a Veteran you can check into the Veteran Land Board. http://www.glo.texas.gov/
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Old 06-27-2013, 09:59 AM   #11
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Quite close to Lake Whitney is Hillsboro, TX. In Hillsboro there's NTAC, the North Texas Airstream Community. You could buy a lot, a "villa" or a conventional home with a tall garage. It's gated, well-populated and would probably cost less than anything short of an undeveloped acre or two in the boonies. Another plus is that the association manages the grounds, I think. You have to be a WBCCI member, and there's a minimum residency age of 45.
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Old 06-27-2013, 10:09 AM   #12
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I did exactly what you want to do 7 years ago and still live on the property, 4 acres, that I bought then. I have since built a metal building that has a finished living room and kitchen. The metal building also houses my 31' Airstream Classic. Since I live in Texas, here are a few things that I hope will help you:

1. Property close to major metropolitan areas in Texas is too expensive, (for my budget). You will need to get at least 60 to 100 miles away from major cities to find affordable property with out restrictions. Rural property goes for $3-$4 in East Texas. (East Texas is consider any thing east of a line from Dallas to Houston.)

2. There are 2 Airstream "harbors" in Texas that can fill your needs also. One is south of Ft Worth in Hillsboro Texas, and one is in the mille of nowhere in East Texas and is is called "Airstream Harbor". It is about 2 hours north east of Houston on Sam Rayborn reservoir. I would have used eith of these if I had known about them prior to buying my 4 acres. The only draw back here, in my opinion, is that you will be in a "community" of other Airstream entusiast rather than a secluded spot "all to your self".

3. To find the property you are looking for, check with realators in the area you want to be. Also read the classified ads in local newspapers. I did all this but actually found my property by driving the county roads and found it with a "For Sale By Owner" sign on it. If you see a piece of property you like, but it does not appear to be for sale, stop at the neareast home and ask about it. You can also go to the county tax office, describe the location of the property and they can tell you who owns it.

4. As for the security issue, I did not have to deal with that because I moved on the property as soon as I bought it. Like in a previous post, don't leave valuable un-attended when not there.

Hope these thoughts help.
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Old 06-27-2013, 10:10 AM   #13
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I meant 3-4 thousand and acre in my previous post. Sorry.
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Old 06-27-2013, 10:12 AM   #14
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I too would recommend NTAC, if you meet the age requirements. At age 55 I was "the boy on the corner" there for a couple of winters.
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Old 08-02-2013, 08:58 AM   #15
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Pick the county where you'd like to buy.
Go to the county office and purchase their section map. It shows roads, waterways, and an overlay grid of all the sections and quarter sections, and may also show within a section "box" the name of the landowner.

Next, look on the map for quarters or sections where a river, lake or road "cuts off" a small part of that quarter. It's likely that the farmer can't be bothered to cross the river or road, or go around the lake, to work that small plot of land.

With your section map and a regular road map in hand, drive out and check out these potential parcels. If you see one you like, approach the farmer named in that part of the grid or, if there is no name, go to the nearest/likeliest farmhouse. Chances are the owner will be surprised that anyone would want that "worthless" (to him) piece of land, and you'll be able to pick it up relatively cheaply. Plus no realtor's fee because you found the land yourself.

I used this method and found 4 1/2 acres nestled in a pretty valley, with the Blindman River running along two sides of the property. Selling price was $1000 per acre, but this was some time ago. Keep in mind I live up in Alberta - buying land may be different in Texas or the US.

Also, before you buy check out the land use reg's for that particular county.

Good hunting!

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Old 08-02-2013, 09:38 AM   #16
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Pick the county where you'd like to buy.
Go to the county office and purchase their section map. It shows roads, waterways, and an overlay grid of all the sections and quarter sections, and may also show within a section "box" the name of the landowner.
Rural real estate folks call that a "Plat Map." A lot of plat maps are available on the Internet for download— depending on how computer-savy the local government is— but not usually for free download.
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Old 08-02-2013, 10:30 AM   #17
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Interesting idea. In California (for example) everything is zoned for particular use. In much of the rural land, a zone for farming or agriculture or grazing might have restrictions on parcel size like "40 acres minimum." People with large parcels would have to sub-divide it to break off a piece for you. I have no idea how possible this might be, but it would be a bit involved for sure.

Nice to hear that there are places where such a simple idea works!
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Old 08-02-2013, 07:42 PM   #18
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If a portion of a quarter section / section is cut off from the main parcel by a road, river, etc. it's considered not profitably or practically productive, and can be sold "as is". Usually there is no problem getting such a parcel re-zoned to something such as 'rural residential'. At least that's how I did it here in Canada.

Basically I was looking for a piece of land that was not for sale, and was thus able to get it for less money.

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Old 08-03-2013, 04:44 PM   #19
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James Rudd nailed the answer on this one!
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Old 08-03-2013, 05:39 PM   #20
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This is my plan, too. I'm in northern New Mexico working on a ranch with my Airstream, dogs, horses, etc. One day, I will buy a piece of fenced property with a little house on it and live in my Airstream. It's a good plan.
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