Where is the cheap land?

[Brian Austin]

After five days in the high country of AZ (a nice 85 compared to 110 here in Phoenix), the wife and I are once again talking about getting some acreage somewhere as a vacation destination that will eventually turn into a retirement home.

Here in AZ, however, the "good" areas tend to have their issues: abnormally high costs (Greer, for example, although the fact that 1/2 the valley is for sale may lower costs this fall), community "cliques" (I don't fit in with some religious majorities in northeastern AZ), water, weather (yeah, desert is cheap...but it's hot), etc..

So where is this land for a reasonable price?

1. Acreage: minimum 80, preferably over 100. Nice tract for runway is preferable.
2. Water: must be able to support a well that won't cost $25,000 to drill (yes, there are wells that cost darn near that much here in AZ).
3. Weather: mild. Warm is okay in the summer and light snow is okay in the winter. Freakish negative temps or hellish positive temps are not acceptable. I'd also prefer a dry climate that is mostly sunny (the constant cloud cover of west Michigan depressed the heck out of me, I've come to find out).
4. Community: open minded enough to acceptable new residents without shunning them if they're not following the same religious or political beliefs but conservative enough to not tolerate anyone straying from the community standards they've already set forth.
5. Fishing: preferably somewhere that has some decent fishing...although I've found you can generally find decent fishing just about anywhere if you look hard enough.
6. Loose women who can keep their mouths shut: okay,okay. Just kidding on that last...as far as you know anyway.

To give you an idea of what I see here in AZ, I've seen 10 acres near Show Low, AZ, meeting most of the above, asking $990,000 (with three houses on it, which I don't necessarily want). I've seen 80 acres of open land surrounded by state land with NO right-of-ways for darn near anything for $135K (when asked, the realtor said that it was prime hunting land but not good for anything else). I've seen 40 acres of "ranchette" property (big ranch divided in 40 acre parcels) for $200K (providing road and electricity). The last was somewhat tempting except it was more toward the desert elevations than I'd prefer.

So, what's in your neck of the woods?

 

[Michael]

Brian, Driving up I40 to Flagstaff i see lots of acreage for sale reasonable around the williams area.

 

[Henning]

Look up in northern Florida. There's still acreage available there at <$1200 acre for good land. You can probably get a nice 110 acre hay field for $125k. Weather is mild, there's a major clean aquifer that you can dig a well to with a shovel. You can even make money with high quality hay. Just build a house and mow your runway

 

[Steve]

Undeveloped tracts of land in the size you're interested are getting more scarce as development encroaches on the most desirable locations, but many, if not all, state departments of agriculture publish some form of market bulletin which lists farm land for sale. So you may want to check that information source for possibilities.

If you scroll past the recipes for blueberries you'll see land advertised for sale here in MS:

http://www.mdac.state.ms.us/n_library/pub_form/mkt_bulletin/MMB06-15-06.pdf

If you can find something in the delta you won't need much earthwork to make a suitable runway.

 

[wsuffa]

Hard to find land like that any more. I hear there is some in West Texas.... not a real vacation destination.

Almost 20 years ago I bought 100 acres in the northern corner of Virginia. One of the best investments I could have made. I don't know the current pricing up there, but it is several times or more of what I paid. I've seen a couple of 20-50 acre lots for sale, if interested I can get you contact info for the realtors.

 

[Brian Austin]

Brian, Driving up I40 to Flagstaff i see lots of acreage for sale reasonable around the williams area.

Water is a lot more difficult to come by in that area.

 

[Brian Austin]

"Community" need not be a bigger town. In fact, an hour's drive to town isn't a big deal. So development tracts or potential development tracts aren't a consideration.

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

After five days in the high country of AZ (a nice 85 compared to 110 here in Phoenix), the wife and I are once again talking about getting some acreage somewhere as a vacation destination that will eventually turn into a retirement home.

Here in AZ, however, the "good" areas tend to have their issues: abnormally high costs (Greer, for example, although the fact that 1/2 the valley is for sale may lower costs this fall), community "cliques" (I don't fit in with some religious majorities in northeastern AZ), water, weather (yeah, desert is cheap...but it's hot), etc..

So where is this land for a reasonable price?

1. Acreage: minimum 80, preferably over 100. Nice tract for runway is preferable.
2. Water: must be able to support a well that won't cost $25,000 to drill (yes, there are wells that cost darn near that much here in AZ).
3. Weather: mild. Warm is okay in the summer and light snow is okay in the winter. Freakish negative temps or hellish positive temps are not acceptable. I'd also prefer a dry climate that is mostly sunny (the constant cloud cover of west Michigan depressed the heck out of me, I've come to find out).
4. Community: open minded enough to acceptable new residents without shunning them if they're not following the same religious or political beliefs but conservative enough to not tolerate anyone straying from the community standards they've already set forth.
5. Fishing: preferably somewhere that has some decent fishing...although I've found you can generally find decent fishing just about anywhere if you look hard enough.
6. Loose women who can keep their mouths shut: okay,okay. Just kidding on that last...as far as you know anyway.

To give you an idea of what I see here in AZ, I've seen 10 acres near Show Low, AZ, meeting most of the above, asking $990,000 (with three houses on it, which I don't necessarily want). I've seen 80 acres of open land surrounded by state land with NO right-of-ways for darn near anything for $135K (when asked, the realtor said that it was prime hunting land but not good for anything else). I've seen 40 acres of "ranchette" property (big ranch divided in 40 acre parcels) for $200K (providing road and electricity). The last was somewhat tempting except it was more toward the desert elevations than I'd prefer.

So, what's in your neck of the woods?

You might want to checkout central Washington with its many cheap, small towns except for where MSFT is soon putting in their backup company mainframe nucleus (Quincy WA) where you could work too.

 

[Greebo]

You might also want to check out West Virginia. It's within reasonable flying distance of most of the eastern coast, and there is excellent fishing. The acerage you are interested in can be gotten quite reasonably in more remote areas, and it sounds like remote or remotish is something you might want.

 

[Brian Austin]

You might also want to check out West Virginia. It's within reasonable flying distance of most of the eastern coast, and there is excellent fishing. The acerage you are interested in can be gotten quite reasonably in more remote areas, and it sounds like remote or remotish is something you might want.

Humidity = blah. I've come to love the arid regions of the West.

You're right about the fishing, though. I do miss the opportunity to fish without a two hour drive to get there.

 

[Lawreston]

Bill: I'm fascinated by "years ago" land stories. Here in Brunswick, Maine was the now-deceased Emile "Pinky" Bouchard. Pinky ran his antiques shop on one of the side streets. One of those still has the first dollar he ever made types. Many years after his death the local scholarship funds are still being doled out large funds from his estate. But the real killer was one which eluded him.

At one time -- early 1960s -- he had the opportunity to buy a piece of property on Singer Island, Florida -- $25,000. When I queried the local dentist who related the story, I was told, "No, Pinky didn't do it because he didn't have the funds back then." Some lady bought the property, held it for 20 years or so until she died --- and whose last W & T provided for perpetual care for her beloved animals. The property went on the market.
And sold for $6,000,000.00. Shortly after Dr. Abelon told me the story I stayed New Year's weekend at a small motel across the street from the property on which stands a major hotel with sweeping beach front.

HR

 

[Tom-D]

Brian, go to
http://sea.themlsonline.com/search.php?county=snohomish

That's John L scott reality home page, enter the washington county as "snohomish" and the town as "darington" click the lots and acrage block. and hit search at the bottom of the page.

there are several nice 20-80 ac parcels for sale under $400. this is foot hills to the north Cascade range, and pretty remote, but power and water are at the property.

Fishing is great both salt water and fresh.

Elk, deer black bear, and couger, are native to the area.

 

[BudRiggs]

Brian, please check your private messages for a land possibility.

Thanks,
Bud Riggs

 

[wsuffa]

You might also want to check out West Virginia. It's within reasonable flying distance of most of the eastern coast, and there is excellent fishing. The acerage you are interested in can be gotten quite reasonably in more remote areas, and it sounds like remote or remotish is something you might want.

Yes, but even the WV land in the panhandle is getting pricy. My back property line is the WV/VA state line (you've seen it from the air......), even the stuff on the WV side is more expensive than what I paid. Go far enough into WV and you can still get cheap land, but it's much harder to get to.

 

[wsuffa]

Bill: I'm fascinated by "years ago" land stories. Here in Brunswick, Maine was the now-deceased Emile "Pinky" Bouchard. Pinky ran his antiques shop on one of the side streets. One of those still has the first dollar he ever made types. Many years after his death the local scholarship funds are still being doled out large funds from his estate. But the real killer was one which eluded him.

At one time -- early 1960s -- he had the opportunity to buy a piece of property on Singer Island, Florida -- $25,000. When I queried the local dentist who related the story, I was told, "No, Pinky didn't do it because he didn't have the funds back then." Some lady bought the property, held it for 20 years or so until she died --- and whose last W & T provided for perpetual care for her beloved animals. The property went on the market.
And sold for $6,000,000.00. Shortly after Dr. Abelon told me the story I stayed New Year's weekend at a small motel across the street from the property on which stands a major hotel with sweeping beach front.

HR

Great story, HR. I know a few others like that, especially along the Outer Banks.

I nearly bought land 25 years ago in Upstate NY (Adirondacs), when I was living north of NYC. Wish I had..... so I took stepped up when the deal in Virginia came along. I bought before the private road/trail was put in.

 

[Anthony]

Brian. I've got some land for you. Its even attached to a little bridge in a place called Brooklyn.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

You might want to checkout central Washington with its many cheap, small towns except for where MSFT is soon putting in their backup company mainframe nucleus (Quincy WA) where you could work too.

Just on my way back from another trip to WA. LOVE it out here in the PNW. Brian, find yourself something in the eastern half of WA or OR. Personally I'd go within a reasonable driving distance to Spokane. Don't know much about the costs, but I think most of your requirements would be met.

 

[SkyHog]

Check out New Mexico, Brian. If you stay away from Albuquerque, this state is really neat. Most water tables aren't too deep down, and there is a lot of land available in the middle of nowhere, but within an hours drive to a city of some sort. We rarely get rain, and the ground is flat enough in most places to put a runway in if needed.

There's my advice.

 

[Brian Austin]

Check out New Mexico, Brian...

New Mexico actually is a consideration right now. It's close enough to drive to (the western half anyway) in an evening and very similar to AZ in a lot of ways.

We returned from Prescott's Fourth of July celebration yesterday and scouted some land there (about 1.5 hours north of Phoenix at 5,000MSL). Nice area but CA buyers have driven the prices for crap land through the roof. A one acre parcel in the poorer districts is over $50K. Sheesh. Nothing over 2.5 acres for under $100K. This is just dirt and scrub brush with a gravel road serving it. No water, no electricity, no nothing.

The 324 acres north of Laramie, WY, for $250K was looking good but the wife already nixed it due to weather. I thought the stocked trout pond (looked fairly big) would outweigh it but she didn't seem to get that equation.

 

[Everskyward]

The 324 acres north of Laramie, WY, for $250K was looking good but the wife already nixed it due to weather.

Yeah, if freakish negative temperatures are not your bag then Wyoming is not for you. How about Nevada?

 

[Tom-D]

Brian would consider some thing like this?

E-Bay search number 140003695855 or 130003349806

 

[Brian Austin]

Brian would consider some thing like this?

E-Bay search number 140003695855 or 130003349806

Gold claims aren't ownership. The government still owns the land and I can't build on it. Interesting idea, though, and beautiful country.

 

[Tom-D]

Gold claims aren't ownership. The government still owns the land and I can't build on it. Interesting idea, though, and beautiful country.

You can build on it, that's an improvement..got to do improvements every year.

 

[Brian Austin]

You can build on it, that's an improvement..got to do improvements every year.

But it's not MINE. Ownership is key here. If the BLM withdraws the claim privilege (and it's worked so they can but historically haven't), it's gone. I'm not dumping over $100K into a house and shop to see it go back to the government at some bureaucrat's whim.

 

[Tom-D]

But it's not MINE. Ownership is key here. If the BLM withdraws the claim privilege (and it's worked so they can but historically haven't), it's gone. I'm not dumping over $100K into a house and shop to see it go back to the government at some bureaucrat's whim.

I understand the ownership issue, but didn't know they could boot you off.

 

[Brian Austin]

I understand the ownership issue, but didn't know they could boot you off.

The only thing you really have with that situation is a mining rights. It's not "owned" by you and you cannot enforce trespassing laws, hunting, fishing or any other limitations. Hikers can literally walk right through your yard and there is nothing you can do about it. It's public land.

 

[Tom-D]

The only thing you really have with that situation is a mining rights. It's not "owned" by you and you cannot enforce trespassing laws, hunting, fishing or any other limitations. Hikers can literally walk right through your yard and there is nothing you can do about it. It's public land.

""Hikers can literally walk right through your yard and there is nothing you can do about it.""

Being that remote, that might be a good thing.