Areas in country for best value acreage

[JWK]

If any reading this read my other recent post on landscaping, you know I've been mostly lurking here for awhile. A year ago and before I used to be on here a lot more often, but things happen...

So I know this is one of those questions that come up frequently, but I've been through all 17 pages and there is nothing in the recent past to answer this. Maybe a couple of years ago some of the places seemed to have been eastern Kentucky and Tennesee. Ozark area has been out of reach for quite a few years now. I live in central New York and aside from the high taxes a lot of property has escalated since 9/11.

So while I know there is no such thing as "cheap" land (at least none that is worth owning for the sake of growing and raising things), I'm wondering where the more affordable areas are. My wife and I are going to be in the position to relocate within 2 - 3 years. We're hoping to get at least a 10 acre parcel somewhere. We might even be able to purchase this coming summer. What areas in the country might be worth looking at and what price range could we expect to pay?

Thanks for any suggestions. Any links to reputable realtors welcome.

[stanb999]

Western NY has the cheapest land in the country IMHO. Really any area west of rt.81 or north of Watertown, but west of the park. You can still buy acreage for less than 1,000 bucks an acre and only have to buy 10. But the taxes will kill ya.

Here is one of the mls search pages.

http://www.odbrmls.com/#FindProperties

[Batt]

Why do you say that Ozark property is out of reach? 4 years ago, I bought 40 acres of lake front for $1600/ acre. Since it was still farmland, my first years taxes were $37. Property near me recently sold for $1800/acre for 60 acres with a real fixer-upper but livable house and barn. That seems pretty fair to me.

[Beeman]

Land around here has gone to 10k per acre up to 10-20 acres.

[Bear]

Besides the Ozarks area, I would also say West Virginia, land is still cheap there. If you're lucky, you might even find a parcel with free gas.

[BTO]

Originally Posted by JWK

If any reading this read my other recent post on landscaping, you know I've been mostly lurking here for awhile. A year ago and before I used to be on here a lot more often, but things happen...

So I know this is one of those questions that come up frequently, but I've been through all 17 pages and there is nothing in the recent past to answer this. Maybe a couple of years ago some of the places seemed to have been eastern Kentucky and Tennesee. Ozark area has been out of reach for quite a few years now. I live in central New York and aside from the high taxes a lot of property has escalated since 9/11.

So while I know there is no such thing as "cheap" land (at least none that is worth owning for the sake of growing and raising things), I'm wondering where the more affordable areas are. My wife and I are going to be in the position to relocate within 2 - 3 years. We're hoping to get at least a 10 acre parcel somewhere. We might even be able to purchase this coming summer. What areas in the country might be worth looking at and what price range could we expect to pay?

Thanks for any suggestions. Any links to reputable realtors welcome.

Here you go:

http://www.mooersrealty.com/

[ET1 SS]

Inlaws bought 105 acres of forest at $350/acre. But that was two years ago. Today I doubt that anyone woudl find fertile forest full of wildlife for under $375/acre.

Now this is in Maine, so we get a bit of snow and have no shortage of water.

[daytrader]

Ozark land out of price? ITS CHEAP! Its hunting ground not farm ground.

What type of land are you looking for? 10 acres tillable or just 10 acres of woods? THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERANCE.

Cheapest land you will find is in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Texas. The land in some of these area may be cheap, BUT once you can have it proof for septic, well drilled and such.

You may be better off in Hobard New York.

When looking to move to a new homestead. PRICE is not the biggest factor. What you want is the driving key.

What do you want? What type of weather? Land requirments and such. They all matter.

In my area We are at this time having some of the most expensive ag land in the country. 1 million a acre for FARM land 5-20 acre plots. Now you move 10 miles off and it drops to 3-9 grand a acre. in 100 acre lots. We have good soil, and 4 seasons. Very low unemployment, huge growth. The only folks with out a job around here do not want to work for less then 15 a hour.

EVEN fast food in this area can not hire folks at 10 bucks a hour and 40 hours a week.

[PonderosaQ]

Yes there is still cheap land in WV but very little work. It's a nice place if you have a source of income eg retirement, work at one etc etc. It's very pretty, fertile, maybe free gas and the weather is reasonable.
PQ

[Terri]

Northern and southern Missouri is well priced because it is farther away from jobs. The West-East corridor is expensive, as it is in an area that is growing rapidly.

Missouri has a 4 season climate and an agricultural base. I THINK the soil in Northern Missouri is richer than the soil in the south because some of the southern area has rocks and thin soil.

For your shopping pleasure check out www.unitedcountry.com and remember that the realtors do not advertize any problems that the property has. Buying land without looking at it first is a REAL gamble! If they say that there is a pond then there *IS* a pond, but it MIGHT be stinking and muddy and intermittant. Or it can be a most excellent pond: you have to look at it to know!

[ET1 SS]

Originally Posted by daytrader

... Cheapest land you will find is in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Texas. The land in some of these area may be cheap, BUT once you can have it proof for septic, well drilled and such. ...

If you must pump water 2,000 feet to get a drink, you will always have to face that obstacle.

[TxGypsy]

I still don't understand why more folks don't do rainwater harvesting If you are set up properly....for far less than the cost of a well....you will have plenty of good soft water. Water that will never be inaccessible. If the power goes off....WW3 starts or some other disaster, all of your water is easy to get to. Not so if you have a well. You control the quality of your water too. Don't know why everyone isn't doing it.

[ET1 SS]

Originally Posted by TxGypsy

I still don't understand why more folks don't do rainwater harvesting If you are set up properly....for far less than the cost of a well....you will have plenty of good soft water. Water that will never be inaccessible. If the power goes off....WW3 starts or some other disaster, all of your water is easy to get to. Not so if you have a well. You control the quality of your water too. Don't know why everyone isn't doing it.

I have visited places where that was done a great deal. Aruba, St. Thomas [arid places with little or no fresh water, though lots of rain fall] And it does make sense in that type of desert environment.

Also in many areas of the middle east, the idea of underground cisterns, that rainwater can flow into and be held there; is fairly common.

It is just that many other areas have plentiful springs, rivers and artesians; so the need to move out to the desert is lessened.

Here we have a river, and a beaver stream. Across the road at my SIL's land she has two artesian ponds that the beaver like, the run-off flows under the road and crosses my land, down into my creek.

Flowing water makes for the possibility of hydro-electric production.

[brreitsma]

Many parts of Texas, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona as well as Nevada and some parts of Wyoming you can find land as low as the $200 $500 an acre range.

[ET1 SS]

Originally Posted by brreitsma

Many parts of Texas, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona as well as Nevada and some parts of Wyoming you can find land as low as the $200 $500 an acre range.

Yes just like here in Maine.

[highlandview]

Originally Posted by PonderosaQ

Yes there is still cheap land in WV but very little work. It's a nice place if you have a source of income eg retirement, work at one etc etc. It's very pretty, fertile, maybe free gas and the weather is reasonable.
PQ

What counties in WV still have sensibly priced land? We've been looking for 3 years and live in North Central WV. In our particular county, the price of land is outrageous. An example of one listing on the MLS - 49 acres for $700,000 and that is typical.

[Debbie at Bount]

I spend a lot of time in the Ozark areas near Branson and Eureka Spring playng and; Someday I may sell my ranch and buy less land in that area BUT...I know that Eastern Oklahoma is cheaper than the Arkansaw side. I live on the Oklahoma side.

[DalRaidan]

I have lived and built a camp in northern Maine and I have also lived in the desert. Both are suitable and no easier than one another. Almost everyone in the desert has access to water even for planting and growing.

The desert has no blackflies and the weather is nicer for longer. There is no LURK!!!!! in the desert and very little if any building or zoning ordinances.

Maine was beautiful but there were major drawbacks. Beaver flooding your whole land is not uncommon. While we were building in Maine we were visited by the ranger,sheriffs deputies, town managers and child services, all to make sure there was nothing STRANGE going on. They are in your business.

In Texas they know how to leave you alone.

Missouri, eastern Oklahoma and Maine for Green. Texas, Nevada, southern Colorado for dry.

Jason

[HaysFarm]

I wouldn't look in florida. Right now around us ( north florida) 1 ac inproved is going for 30,000 to 40,000 and up if it's on the water
We have been looking in south missouri, and WV found some very nice places that price we can do. But work is another area and it all depends on what you do or know how to do.

[ET1 SS]

Originally Posted by DalRaidan

... Maine was beautiful but there were major drawbacks. Beaver flooding your whole land is not uncommon. While we were building in Maine we were visited by the ranger,sheriffs deputies, town managers and child services, all to make sure there was nothing STRANGE going on. They are in your business....

We do have beaver, we also have locals who trap, they are always looking for folks who are willing to give trappers permission to trap on their land.

A ranger has come by here, he notified me that my goats were out of the road. He helped me herd them and was very friendly.

I did call the sheriff deputies once, someone had parked a van alongside the road on my land. The deputy said that it had been abandoned, he got it removed.

We do not have a town manager, so we have not seen any town manager. Only big towns have all those city employees, and higher taxes to maintain all those employees and programs.

We have not seen child services either.