Where to buy land?

[george99]

I figured I would post here since a lot of you are well-travelled. I am just about sold on the idea of buying land (as much as i can afford) and an airstream and settling down somewhere sort of remote and green.

I've been thinking a lot recently on where to go. I would like to have a lot of land and the upper northeast seems like very good prices, but winter is not really viable. eventually i will build something to live in, but to get started it looks like it has to be something warmer. I don't like dry so that rules out a lot of desert, even though the West is very beautiful. Cali is beautiful but too rich for my blood.

[DanielB]

I had the same sort of idea. My experience was this...

There are two types of land listings, those listed on MLS and those not listed on MLS.
MLS is a good place to start looking. Realtor.com seems to have all of the MLS listings.

For the ones that are not listed, it is good to find an area that you are interested in and drive around looking for for sale signs.

The most desirable locations are generally the most expensive. Some places are not all that desirable and are still expensive (mountain property).

In the area that I live in, the SE, there are a lot of small towns. Most of these towns were mill towns and/or farm towns. Because of textiles going away the prices are depressed.

Just like anything else, the more of a hurry you are in the less likely that you will find a good deal, unless you are lucky. I made a hobby of looking, for years, at realtor.com and riding around looking. Eventually a piece came up and it was good for me.

[Lumatic]

I live in Torrance County, NM nothing fancy but the price of land is about $1000 an acre.

[Soyboy]

Just remember to check the local zoning laws etc. and make sure you can live in your trailer on the site that you select. Make this a contingency on any contract that you sign and verify it yourself (don't trust the realtor/seller etc.). Good luck on finding your peace of paradise.

[airstream66]

I read a lot of farming magazines and there is usually 'cheap' farms($1000-2500/ac) listed in the back of those. Most of them are located in TN, KY, or MO. I would think the winters wouldn't be too harsh to be able to live in your AS. It does snow there but it usually melts off and warms back up relatively quickly. Most of those farms would be somewhat remote usually with timber, but employment opportunities could be tough to come by. Most of them have old farmhouses that are in rough shape, but most have a well on the property.

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

How about the Great state of Texas. One of the top three retirement states due to no personal income tax. Also a draw for winter (snowbirds) Texans, they love the RGV. Also centrally located for east to west travel.

"Happy Trails"
chiefneon

[Splitrock]

Skip South Dakota. I checked zoning, bought land, saved up money to build a building, went to get the permit and it was denied. The government changed the zoning. They didn't even bother to notify me. Now my property is virtually condemned. I have 5 acres I can't build anything on at all.

I told the bureaucrat that I didn't like the condemnation of my property. He said he didn't care.

[Lothlorian]

I bought land in beautiful Southern Illinois. We pinch ourselves everytime we go there, but Illinois just raised their income tax by 66% (Ouch). I would have said southern Illinois but now I would recommend Kentucky around Land Between the Lakes.

Brian

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by chiefneon

Howdy!

How about the Great state of Texas. One of the top three retirement states due to no personal income tax. Also a draw for winter (snowbirds) Texans, they love the RGV. Also centrally located for east to west travel.

"Happy Trails"
chiefneon

NO, NO, NO, you really don't want to go to Texas....nothing but rednecks down there, and they ALL carry guns...big ones! The land is expensive, the taxes are high, the roads are bad, there's not enough water, and the summers are awful!

[webtrippin]

While not as cheap as some other areas, there are still big, green, not-dry land available in Northern California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Most of these places have mild winters (aka no snow and mostly above freezing) and the scenery is beautiful. While most are not $1000/acre there are some that are available at that price which are usually more remote and larger parcels.

[george99]

i love northern california, oregon and washington.

the problems there are that in the mountain region near say yreka, the temps are about as cold as in the northeast, ny, nh, maine, etc. and i am scared of the bureaucratic machinery in california.

last time i checked land in oregon was very expensive, maybe you can recommend some areas.

washington is the most beautiful but too cold and more expensive than northeast.

it looks like TN/NC/VA is the only other option to northeast for me.

land there is much more expensive than upstate NY, but it is a tradeoff. i was coinsidering two smaller parcels in each place, but that is complicated

[webtrippin]

Originally Posted by george99

last time i checked land in oregon was very expensive, maybe you can recommend some areas.

I don't really know specifically but what I usually do is look at Google maps for cites in terrain areas that interest me then see if there is a Craigslist that is relevant and look there for non mls owner pricing and realtor.com for mls properties. I have seen mls listed stuff just as cheap or cheaper per acre than by owner especially in the 100ac and up sizes.

I usually look at city-data.com also to see what the weather might be like for humidity, rain, days of sun etc.

[amm3824]

Originally Posted by george99

I am just about sold on the idea of buying land (as much as i can afford) and an airstream and settling down somewhere sort of remote and green ... I would like to have a lot of land and the upper northeast seems like very good prices, but winter is not really viable.

I live in southern Maine and dream of owning some land farther north, for weekend stays in the Airstream. Why is winter not viable? I think the hardest part would be the distance from a job, not the winterizing of the Airstream. Maine is beautiful, rugged, and unspoiled as you get farther north. Always thought of it as the last frontier. My opinion, and yes, I'm biased. For now, the Airstream sits in my back yard in southern Maine

[mandolindave]

#1 Pennsylvania has zoning laws that require your trailer to be 50 feet long to live full time in it.

#2 Water well, sceptic, and electric service can add up to $ 40 K

#3 Locals don't want there neighbors to be trailers

#4 Travel trailers aren't really four season domiciles

I would suggest that you buy a small house and park your trailer next to it. Or rent a campsite at a long term campground.

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by amm3824

I live in southern Maine and dream of owning some land farther north, for weekend stays in the Airstream. Why is winter not viable? I think the hardest part would be the distance from a job, not the winterizing of the Airstream.

I have not spent a winter in an Airstream, but have been camping in the low 20s. Airstreams really are not insulated for cold weather. Combined with metal walls they tend to get a lot of condensation when it's cold outside. Also your furnace will be running just about all the time.

[george99]

i wouldn't consider living in PA or Maine full time in an AS.

I think i can get away with it in TN or northern GA unless i am missing something.

Even if i have to rent a place for a month or two that's not too bad.

Meanwhile I'll be working on building some type of permanent cabin.

Not interested in septic as i plan to use a composting toilet. but a well and electric are must have, unless the land is dirt cheap and i can afford wind or solar.

[DanielB]

Living in the south is the way to go. It's God's country.

[Steelegood]

Originally Posted by george99

i wouldn't consider living in PA or Maine full time in an AS.

I think i can get away with it in TN or northern GA unless i am missing something.

Even if i have to rent a place for a month or two that's not too bad.

Meanwhile I'll be working on building some type of permanent cabin.

Not interested in septic as i plan to use a composting toilet. but a well and electric are must have, unless the land is dirt cheap and i can afford wind or solar.

Welcome to the forums george99!

We live in TN, we enjoy it and the seasonal changes, but dislike the humidity in the summer. Lots of great places to travel and camp and it's pretty much centrally located, as far as wanting to travel north or south. We've lived in TX for 'bout 8 yrs. enjoyed that too. I would have no problem moving back to TX......., as long as it's from the middle of the state and eastward. West TX is too dry and sandy. Don't always count on "what's for sale", we bought our current property, and at that time it wasn't even for sale, just looked up the owner and made an offer!

Good luck on your search, Steelegood.

[easyride]

Originally Posted by george99

i wouldn't consider living in PA or Maine full time in an AS.

I think i can get away with it in TN or northern GA unless i am missing something.

Even if i have to rent a place for a month or two that's not too bad.

Meanwhile I'll be working on building some type of permanent cabin.

Not interested in septic as i plan to use a composting toilet. but a well and electric are must have, unless the land is dirt cheap and i can afford wind or solar.

I bought some property in the hills of southern of Ohio a few years ago,before I could even get an address,I had to have health department come out and inspect my septic.That might be another problem you can run into,and I even had a composting out house. Dave

[noreen&sal]

I thought that was why they put wheels on them. Go where its warm. Sal.