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I live in the arid west and finally about to move away. I 'knew' about Idaho years ago, unfortunately didn't make the move before prices went 2x, so I really feel priced out unfortunately. I really want to get out of the city and live in a quiet area with some trees, mountains and a decent growing season. Even the ozarks are really nice but I understand are currently massively being built up right now. Mostly I feel hopeless with house prices and wanting to get out of the city with my family. Can anyone offer some insights into these areas or others to consider?
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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I have found 'bargains' on properties wherever I searched HARD.
Of 40+ property acquisitions, only (2) have been acquired via For Sale by realtor.
If you want bargains, you gotta dig, and it is VERY easy to do, but you need to get there before the sharks are circling. If it's listed For Sale... you are WAY too late, and competition is far too great.
We don't know your primary objectives, skills, efforts, or resources, so we can in no way guide you.
Ozark land / home values of course will be MUCH cheaper than PNW, but it comes at a price (Worse weather, fewer venues / options, lower wages and services + living in the Ozarks +/-).
Make a weighted spreadsheet with MUSTS and wants and a factor for scoring each, and let the facts guide your choice.
It would take about an hour to do, and save you thousands of hours and dollars of making and pursuing a wrong decision.
I buy trashed mobile homes on excellent view acreage, then build what I want - and already have Well, Septic, Road, Power, Fences, Buildings, Landscape (saves 2 yrs and $100k). Usually I add a Barndo ($30,000 - $50,000) + RV hookups. Can be finished in a month. I only buy south facing hillsides, no flood danger, on paved road access, < 15 minutes from town and <1 hr to a major airport. I typically get the properties for under $100k, and properties with livable homes for under $130k. I currently own (6) rural 'WTSHF' properties, all purchased for under $50k each. My rural rentals bring in $1500 - $2200 monthly rents. (and I live for free)
Rabbit, what state are you looking at in general? Part of this is you need money to make money, I have a decent wfh job so can go anywhere, but as far as resources, i got about 100k max, so I fully understand dropping your own cash, building up and repeating, but I simply am not at that stage.
Primarily I want to live away from dense population, live in the woods, have easy access to water and be able to grow and have a small homestead. I have a few very young kids so while I am capable of roughing it, its not realistic with a family in tow. I grew up in colorado and its changed for the worse with how many people, but the biggest thing is the climate has gotten so much drier. Ponds I used to swim in as a kid are dry fields now. Plus, they are so crazy about swimming in water out there, I just want some freedom to be able to go into the water, as crazy as that sounds.
The Ozarks and southern Appalachians have gotten too warm and mild with too many bugs and ticks everywhere, better off going to areas of the Midwest as the winters there are not as cold as the past and the soils are far better for growing things, even though the length of the growing season isn't as long.
This isn't directed expressly toward the OP, but having several children and then complaining about there being too many people and wanting to get away from them is eventually going to come to an ugly head. Off topic, I know.
Quote:
Originally Posted by StealthRabbit
but you need to get there before the sharks are circling. If it's listed For Sale... you are WAY too late, and competition is far too great.
I think this is spot on. Properties that get publicly listed are kind of like the difference between retail vs wholesale, when it comes to pricing.
Coincidentally, I had an acquaintance about three years ago who was from the SW Missouri area and wanted to move back, and had spent a good year looking for a semi-rural house anywhere around the Springfield/Branson region. He got word that any properties at certain price points or with certain amenities were being snapped up by real estate agents themselves, to be flipped and resold to a particular market (like the OP wanting a homestead, or any out of state 'refugee'). This was in 2021, right as the post-Covid real estate rush was kicking off.
This isn't directed expressly toward the OP, but having several children and then complaining about there being too many people and wanting to get away from them is eventually going to come to an ugly head. Off topic, I know.
I think this is spot on. Properties that get publicly listed are kind of like the difference between retail vs wholesale, when it comes to pricing.
Coincidentally, I had an acquaintance about three years ago who was from the SW Missouri area and wanted to move back, and had spent a good year looking for a semi-rural house anywhere around the Springfield/Branson region. He got word that any properties at certain price points or with certain amenities were being snapped up by real estate agents themselves, to be flipped and resold to a particular market (like the OP wanting a homestead, or any out of state 'refugee'). This was in 2021, right as the post-Covid real estate rush was kicking off.
That means the local real estate prices there relative to the median household incomes become increasing unaffordable for the locals that live in the area. This is especially true as SW Missouri has some of the absolute lowest wages around for being a more "populated" area (Springfield, Joplin).
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,795 posts, read 58,282,396 times
Reputation: 46294
I too, originated in Colorado, but we were forced out in the 1970s (ranchers, but no AG exemption at the time, in our county (encompassing GROWING Estes Park region).
All of my neighbors got forced out because we were taxed as if we were growing houses instead of horses ! (And other livestock). My grandparents, parents, and self have been displaced from our farms due to taxes. Be prepared. I currently pay $46/ day in taxes, for the same old worn out home that originally cost me under $3/day in property taxes. Thus I own multiple properties in multiple states JUST to cover property taxes. (have been without a paycheck for 19 years). By choice.
My primary domicile is WA, where I have a LOT of water (200+ days / yr of drizzle), and a really, really big river. I swim 72 laps / day (not in the river). Our Colo home was far better equipped with swimming pools (at every HS). In SWWA, there are ZERO pools at HS, and only (2) public pools for 258k people. Hint: no place is perfect. Many places are miserable. (Anywhere east of Missouri river, for me). Maritime provinces excluded.
Fewer people?
ZERO stoplights in my entire (very large) county!! +++
Plenty of bigfoot sightings! (Just saw one (silhouette) today at neighbors pond)
Primarily I want to live away from dense population, live in the woods, have easy access to water and be able to grow and have a small homestead. I have a few very young kids so while I am capable of roughing it, its not realistic with a family in tow.
.
Rural Tennessee, maybe near Harriman /Kingston. Lots of water, relatively inexpensive land, limited taxation. Warm enough to enjoy the water. (PNW is not). Find a trashed mobile home or teardown, then build a barndo, and later a house. Findo a retired willing to sell on contract @5% with low down payment. Rinse and repeat, building and selling every 24 months. For $500k tax free gains.... Who needs a J-O-B.? Good experience for your kids to participate in finances and building. Ours designed and built their own homes during Jr Hi (unschooling). They were valuing companies and trading stocks in their Roths at age 12. Nothing special, but very well prepared for life (skills and finances) when they left for college at age 16. (Their first time as a student in a classroom, they had been tutoring since age 8 in local schools.)
Don't let 'being average' weigh you down. My employer had no need, ranking, or tolerance for 'average'. My parents(?).... I would have been culled as an infant if not a self motivated achiever. They were brutal. Thank goodness for grandparents only 12 hrs away.
Set yourself free. Go do it. (For the sake of your kids, self, community, and future.
Kids can rough it, they're resilient. Neighbors have been off grid and no running water for over 60 years. Their kids are over age 40, and very well adjusted - some are missionaries living in the bush in Africa.
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