It's tough - money but no land!

[Chuckca]

I'm not sure if ths is a good or bad situation to be in or not....we have the $$$$$...but....no land....beleive it  or not we've been looking at land for over four years....searching  for that right parcel of land takes way longer  that we ever thought....with both of us working and trying to do some of the leg work by internet and phone takes lots more time....

The big problem is  that we're in CA...at this point I THINK we want to leave CA and head for more a  peaceful place....

Our basic criteria for land is/was:

1.  Be near a major  military base - near being within 75 miles or so (closer the better)...I'm retired military and we use the medical facilities,  exchange, and commissary.....

2.  As close to CA possible - this would allow for an easy  build and relocation -

3.  2 + AC - Gentle sloping  (would allow for a daylight basemet - to flat - medow setting)

4.  Small town near by (for everyday essentials)

5.  Larger town (15K or so) withi 20 miles - yada tada yada......you get the idea....

6.  Would like to remain on the west coast - this isn't critcal - but is desirable

7.  Price has to be reasonable (practical)

NO's:

CA -  expensive
AZ -  hot
NV -  hot
Sothern OR (CA line to Roseburg) good stuff is taken - what's left is realt pricey (CA pricess)

Haven't  explored northern OR or  Washington yet!

Have a lead on a 2 1/2 Ac in MO....we're woking on this....things are tking shape....

If you know of anything in northern Or or Wa - please let me know -  we'll bird dog you

Dontcha love ramblinglys?

[spinnm]

Chuck,

Since you're in CA could you define "reasonable"?

Since I've recently gone through this...and like you spent multiple years doing it....maybe I can offer some insight.

Think our problem was that we were too flexible.  We went here and there over 4 states.  Once we decided the town, it only took 4 days.    At one time I was tracking weather daily in 12 towns!  No wonder we couldn't make a decision.

Lots of land listings have no signs.  Many are not in MLS or if they are lack info.

Maybe you need to plant a stake in the ground.  You'd like West coast but are exploring MO.
If we'd done what I'm suggesting to you we'd be there already.

BTW, not all of AZ and NV are hot.  Depends upon the altitude.  And, isn't Glenn in northern CA?  Maybe he can help.

[Chuckca]

Glen is about 70 miles from me - we've talked.....

[glenn-k]

Land prices here are a bit relative to where you are coming from.  While they seem high to us here and are going up every day, someone in the Bay area or LA can sell their 900 sf  house for $500,000 to $1,000,000 then come over here and buy something that we feel is high and still have enough to live for years.

David even complains about Californians in Seattle.

Still looking for a place for Chuck

[Amanda_931]

Would Ft Campbell do as your military base?  

USDA zone 6, maybe 7 a couple of counties to the west.  Generally water's available one way or another.  

You might think that Dickson, Robertson, and Cheatham counties are inexpensive.  I didn't.  Didn't even look there.

Houston, Stewart, maybe Henry Humphreys or Hickman in Tennessee.   Bunch more in Kentucky

I went to the United Country real estate site:
http://www.unitedcountry.com/

poked around the pictures on the various offices' web-sites  for a while, sent out a few e-mails to offices that seemed likely, waited to see who replied.  There could easily be better real estate people than those of United Country, but surely the web sites will give you an idea of what is likely to be around.

Moore County North Carolina is one of my favorite places--urbane if not urban, not far from the farther reaches of Ft. Bragg.  Not particularly near Fayetteville, though.  My mother once owned part of a bookstore in Southern Pines back in the mid-fifties.  It's still there.  I think it's USDA zone 8.  Sand and lots of red--some white--clay.

[keyholefarmhouse]

Last time I checked cash was still king.  I've lived and traveled extensivly.  Excluding CA and FL.  WA, OR,  and CO are all great places.  Overall, I like SD and WY.  It's not the West coast, but it's more West than anywhere.  Our four season climate is excellent (banana belt), and property is (for a short while) still affordable.  There is a military base, small towns and larger towns.  It's a best kept secret area that is seeing a lot of migration due to the information age and good transportation.  (Just a plug for the Black Hills)

[jraabe]

The Black Hills are wonderful. We fell in love with the area driving cross county - had a house to go to in Seattle and now are pretty rooted in the NW but always remember that drive.

[DavidLeBlanc]

How's this:

2 major military bases within 150 miles (Ft. Lewis and (some stupid AF base whose name I've forgotten) at least one of which is very unlikely to close any time soon. About 160-170 miles S of Seattle/Tacoma and Puget Sound on Interstate 5 (land is 15-20 miles (estimated) west of I-5)

5 miles to nice small town on Columbia River.

30ish miles to Portland, OR, a wonderful midsized city with the best bookstore in the universe - it covers an entire city block!

4 acres on a gentle S. slope with view of Columbia River. $38,000. From the pic, the land looks to have been clear cut in the not so distant past. Near the top of a ridge, so no one can build above you. Elec. to property edge. Dunno about phone and septic will be required.

*NO state income tax in WA and no sales tax in OR*

(And I can't BELIEVE i'm telling Krawlifornians about this! IF I had the $$, I would likely jump on it myself!)

Also available are 2 lots @ $23,000 and $25,000 with prepaid sewer connection IN the little town mentioned above that are right on the river!

Sob!

[DavidLeBlanc]

I suppose I should have mentioned that I'll forward the MLS info upon request

[Chuckca]

Please do.....

apracticalguy@yahoo.com

Thanks

[DavidLeBlanc]

Sent!

The AFB is McCord AFB.

[PhilSimon]

Chuck,

I know you state you want to leave CA, but there may be some affordable and nice pockets of the state worth checking out.  

A couple examples:

Tehachapi (1 hr east of Bakersfield) - I bought 2.5 acres at 6,000ft, lots of pine and gorgeous oaks, gentle slope so it shouldn't be too difficult to build on, off a dirt road but there's an association that plows in the winter.  $18,000 was what I paid, you could probably get something similar in the $25-30k range now.  The town of tehachapi is 20 minutes away and has all the conveniences you need, and Edwards AFB is 45 minutes down the hill.

Kennedy Meadows -  Also 6000 ft, southern sierra, mostly pinyon/juniper country.  About one hour to town of Ridgecrest and China Lake NWS.  Last listing there was 10 acres for $20k, but most of the 5 acre parcels go for $35-45k these days.  Compared to Tehachapi though, much less on the market.

Hope this helps...

[Chuckca]

Appreciate the heads up....!

Thanks

[DavidLeBlanc]

Chuck;

Wasn't it you that I sent info about land in WA state to? What came of that?

[Jens]

Klamath Falls, OR area still has some pretty good buys, have to pick and choose though for all of your requisites.  Check out Wolf Creek, OR, and Gold Hills, OR on the net.  Clear Lake, CA still pretty good too.

[John Raabe]

I hadn't thought of Wolf Creek OR in twenty years. I used to camp in the park there when I was commuting between Seattle and Fresno in the mid 70's. Nice small mountain town (then, anyway ).

Here's a link to RE listings:
http://tinyurl.com/9ztcx