Would you buy closer in, or further out?

CJ · #1 01/12/08, 05:29 AM

With the economy like it is, and looking likely to get worse (especially fuel prices) if you were looking for some land to live on, would you look for something closer in to where you work/shop, or further out?

Fae · #2 01/12/08, 05:34 AM

I would look closer in but not so close I couldn't have my garden and chickens. Roy will be retiring in a couple years but I will have to work a few more years. He is 8 years older than me. There is a really small town a few miles from us that I would like to live in and I would not even have to own a car except to go on longer excursions. There are clothing stores(a couple) grocery store, hardware store and a dollar store. I could live happily in a really small town like that as long as I had a really large yard.

BasicLiving · #3 01/12/08, 05:51 AM

It's interesting that I read this today when just yesterday I was thinking about our decision to move out to the "middle of no where". I'm sure others live further from "civilization" than we do, but we moved from living right slap in the middle of town, to a place that is 20 minutes from the nearest small town with stores. It has been a bit of an adjustment - not bad, but an adjustment none-the-less.

If I had it to do all over again though, I'd move right here. Any closer to town means we have to deal with urban sprawl a lot sooner than we will here. And the cost of land is also more expensive the closer to town you get around here.

The privacy and no restrictions on what we can do on our property is worth the inconvenience of being a distance from the closest town. It's a matter of what you want, what's important to you, and your goals. If I had to choose between closer or further, I'd probably pick further. But I like it right here.

Penny

PACrofter · #4 01/12/08, 05:54 AM

That depends on (a) what I plan to do with the land, and (b) what the restrictions are closer in.

If I'm planning to have a market garden or CSA or sell eggs, I'd want to be as close in as possible (and affordable) so that I'm closer to my customers. If gas gets too expensive I don't want people having to add the cost of the fuel to the cost of the food I sell them. Of course, if you just want to get away and not depend on interactions with others then the further out the better - unless there are medical issues you need to deal with or something like that.

The other thing is how restrictive the closer-in location is. If I want to sell eggs but the zoning prohibits raising chickens, I've got a problem.

Personally I guess I'd prefer to be 10 or 15 miles away from a population center in a location that offers some security with wood, water and room to grow my food - and no zoning or other restrictions on what I can do. If I needed to have access to a market, I'd find some place just outside the restrictive area that provides easy access for potential customers.

Danaus29 · #5 01/12/08, 06:00 AM

Farther out. Urban sprawl is knocking on my doorstep and I feel squeezed. I hate going past what used to be farm land and seeing it sprouting new houses, most of which will remain unoccupied for long periods. True, we are 15 minutes from stores where we shop, but we do all our running in a one day trip. And if I need something between shopping trips, ds goes right past 3 major stores on his way to/from work, dh goes past 2.

If I were able to buy something further out it would be something with a lot more land. More room to have gardens, less buying groceries at the store.

MushCreek · #6 01/12/08, 06:01 AM

We had to make this decision when we bought our property in SC. We both need to work near a city, but we wanted affordable acreage with no restrictions- not easy to find! We were able to buy 7 acres of usable land only 15 miles from downtown Greenville. There is shopping within only about 5 miles, and there is no zoning on our land, so we can play at farming while still having a reasonable commute. We are afraid of urban sprawl surrounding us eventually, but that will make our little investment a good one, and we can move farther out if necessary. We are about 10-15 years away from retirement; I don't think it will happen in that time.

Kazahleenah · #7 01/12/08, 06:24 AM

... Far Away!!!

scaryguyoy · #8 01/12/08, 07:36 AM

We just sold our place out in the middle of nowhere,at least we hope, we still have to close.If gas gets to $4.00 a gallon it would seem impossible to afford to do anything.I will be buying closer in .If you don't have a mortgage I can see staying farther out.I think things are changing in our country and I feel a bit unsettled.At our old place it would cost me $25.00 a day at these gas prices to get to work,thats just unacceptable.
Frank

PonderosaQ · #9 01/12/08, 07:39 AM

Definately closer in but not for any of the reasons any of you have mentioned so far. I live quite some distance from my neighbors. I am 25 miles from the closest decent size town so I don't spend much time there. Rural folks tend to have been here all there lives and have family and friends and in place and no time in their lives for new ones, or that has been my experience. Not working or having kids in school after 4 yrs here I know no-one. I love my property but I could sure use some friends.
PQ

Kazahleenah · #10 01/12/08, 07:42 AM

What state you in PQ???

mtman · #11 01/12/08, 07:47 AM

we are far enough away , but thinking about building a road into our woods and building another house in there

Jennifer L. · #12 01/12/08, 08:08 AM

Remember that further out is further from hospitals/doctors and fire departments, as well. However, shopping is not a big concern. You just don't go very often. If I get off the farm once every two weeks I figure I'm doing good. The only time I'm forced is when something breaks down that needs an immediate fix. Also consider buying a piece of property that will be worth developing in 20 years when you are old enough that you can't do so much for yourself anymore.

Jennifer

Alice In TX/MO · #13 01/12/08, 08:08 AM

As you age, health care will become an issue. Living hours from a decent hospital or doctor is *not* a good thing.

Beeman · #14 01/12/08, 08:10 AM

All of the common sense and economic reasons would say closer.

Tricky Grama · #15 01/12/08, 08:17 AM

When we move to our land we'll be 8 miles from a town of 10K -Wallyworld/super mkts./hosp. Yet it's pretty far out country. No plans for big highways, etc in the next 50 years.

Patty

JJ Grandits · #16 01/12/08, 08:24 AM

I like were we are situated except maybe on a quieter road. Our road is the main drag into the reservation, and the gas and cigarette crowd keep it pretty busy. We are pretty much located 20 to 25 minutes to anything we could want. I would like to retire much further out. I like the southern tier of New York while my wife likes the east end of lake Ontario/ st. Lawrence area. As long as I have room to move, garden, hunt and fish I'm pretty happy.

retiredbop · #17 01/12/08, 08:35 AM

The short answer,,,farther out.

Cindy and I are looking to buy our land within the next three years. One of our criteria is to have the land within 10 miles of small town like the one Fae described. In fact, there are two beautiful little towns that we are seriously looking into. They each have the basics; a doctor, a dentist, a pharmacy, a grocery, and a bank. One even has a small hospital.

The down side? Cindy has to work for 8 more years and they would both mean a one hour drive for her. Still, being able to hitch the wagon and mosey into town instead of firing up the truck would be very welcome. They are small communities, surrounded by farms, and even some Amish for me to learn from. We certainly wouldn't have to worry about urban sprawl in those locals for quite some time, if ever.

Ken Scharabok · #18 01/12/08, 08:40 AM

Buy as many subdivision suitable areas as possible mid-way between two rapidly growing areas. It then becomes part of your retirement package as you sell it to a developer and relocate elsewhere.

CJ · #19 01/12/08, 09:03 AM

We've found 40 acres just outside of Pottsville (AR), 9.8 miles to the Walmart Super Center in Russellville, basically 8 miles to Russellville (population 25k). 18 miles to Arkansas Nuclear where DH works.

No restrictions. I'm not sure how large Pottsville is, the 2 towns are beginning to grow together.

Pottsville is, IMO, rather ugly (the town) lots and lots of old yucky trailers, but newer, modestly priced subdivisions springing up everywhere as the schools are excellent. The train and I-40 also run through Pottsville (I think around 5 miles from the 40 acres, rough guess).

Russellville is a nice town. The area itself is beautiful, lots of recreational stuff here.

We also found a 60 acre piece north of Hagarville, which is 31 miles to Arkansas Nuclear (an hour drive), 30 minutes to shopping in Clarksville. This one is pretty remote, stunningly gorgeous and I'd kill to have it. Okay a slight exaggeration.

It's surrounded by national forest on 2 sides, and there's only 2 huge farms closeby.

We can pay cash for either piece, but then will have to save up agian to start building, or sell our Missouri acreage to finance a house here.

Neither piece has any pasture on it, we'd have to do some clearing for gardens and orchards.

Our plans? Well build a house (shop first, we can live in the RV while we build) and I do want an orchard and gardens. I'd love to eventually have a market garden, but I'm not willing to give up woods and privacy for pasture land.

The 40 acres is currently land locked, but the easement across the 40 acres (1/4 mile long) in front of it on the road is being negotiated and would have to be in place before we purchased.

My gut says the 40 acres is a better choice economically, but oh that 60 acres would make my soul dance for joy!

donnam · #20 01/12/08, 09:08 AM

We are 10 miles from a tourist town and we have no restrictions. Our DD is buying and building on 5 acres 2 miles from us and there are livestock restrictions from the 1960's on the property. She plans to ignore them until somebody challenges them. I wouldn't want to live any closer than we do. We like being able to do what we want on our own land and we raise most of what we eat. I like the privacy as well.