Started looking for a BOL

[Brent S]

ive started looking for a wooded BOL, both as a place to go camp and as a possible BOL if ever needed. Anyways, I got an add in the mail for an amazing deal on 5 acres, lakefront with a dock. 20k. Too good to be true. The company is LW Investments. Really slick mailer with great pictures, etc. of course the sale is one day only, first come first serve.... well, I did some lookup on line and the company is nothing more than a timeshare/used car salesman gimmick to upgrade and lock people into contracts. As always, buyer beware. Just thought I’d throw out a warning to anyone getting slick advertising in the mail.

 

[Psalm7]

Im looking at some moutain land thats above the cove (valley) that I live in . Theres a Family breaking up a very large amount and selling it .

 

[Brent S]

Im looking at some moutain land thats above the cove (valley) that I live in . Theres a Family breaking up a very large amount and selling it .

Ideally I would like to find something within 4 hours of Atlanta. Water is a must, and somewhat remote. The last time I found a piece of property matching that I ended up moving here. Honestly, I’m in a pretty good location, but the area has grown more than I like and I would still like an emergency option if things ever look like they are going south fast. It would be nice to have a place to escape to once in a while too.

 

[Doreena]

Ideally I would like to find something within 4 hours of Atlanta. Water is a must, and somewhat remote. The last time I found a piece of property matching that I ended up moving here. Honestly, I’m in a pretty good location, but the area has grown more than I like and I would still like an emergency option if things ever look like they are going south fast. It would be nice to have a place to escape to once in a while too.

Me, too. Looking....


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[TexasFreedom]

What do you do with 5 acres? OK, sure, it's better than 1/4 acre or an apartment. But 5 acres allows for FAR too many homes in an area, and far too many people. With 5 acres, you're still listening to your neighbor's farts. If I were looking now, I wouldn't even consider anywhere with under 100 acre median lot size and at least 50 miles from any major city (200k+ people). Now if you put those 5 acres in the middle of a national park, OK.

 

[brandx]

100 acres is a great number, however the cost is prohibitive for many people. I bought as much as I could afford.

 

[Psalm7]

Many of the early Homesteaders and Frountier Families only had what They could clear . Many had less than 5 acers to grow a years supply of groceries on .

 

[Mountain trapper]

My advice would be to look for an in-holding within a National Forest. I've seen in-holdings range in size from less than 10 acres to many thousands of acres. An in-holding is private land that is completely inside the National Forest. Meaning that you will never have neighbors.
In parts of the country, mainly out west, an in-holding could have originally been patened mining claims.
I bought two in-holdings that were originally patened homestead's, which years ago were combined to make a large ranch.

 

[Brent S]

What do you do with 5 acres? OK, sure, it's better than 1/4 acre or an apartment. But 5 acres allows for FAR too many homes in an area, and far too many people. With 5 acres, you're still listening to your neighbor's farts. If I were looking now, I wouldn't even consider anywhere with under 100 acre median lot size and at least 50 miles from any major city (200k+ people). Now if you put those 5 acres in the middle of a national park, OK.

I’m a big believer in buy what you can afford without a mortgage. 2.5 acres was what I could swing at the time I bought this place. 100acres sounds awesome but isn’t in my checkbook.

 

[TexasFreedom]

We each choose where we live. There are places where land sells for $1million+/acre. It's $10-20k/acre around me. Other really nice places, I've seen land for $500/acre. No, not near big cities, which is all the better IMO. And quality land that will grow crops. It's all built around your individual priorities. What's most important to you?

 

[DrHenley]

We each choose where we live.

In that case I choose a 6000 acre ranch at, oh say 4000 ft elevation with spring fed lakes far away from any big city.

 

[Maverick]

My property is surrounded on 3 sides of USFS land, The property I'm on is 900 acres and the property due east of the forest (1.3 million acres Gifford Pinchot National Forest) is 4200 acres, that's 2058 square miles that locked from development.

 

[Brent S]

Damn, I need to dream bigger....

 

[Maverick]

Damn, I need to dream bigger....

Brent, this isn't all my doing, the land came from my dad and great uncles my dad purchase the portion of his land in 1961 at $47 an acre.

 

[DrPrepper1]

Brent, this isn't all my doing, the land came from my dad and great uncles my dad purchase the portion of his land in 1961 at $47 an acre.

$47 dollars an acre.....wow!
In the 80s, one of my brothers bought 80 acres at $300 an acre. The same land now goes for 10k an acre. I can’t wait until the day I get to buy a small piece of land.... apparently the word is out that God’s not making any more of it.

 

[brandx]

Damn, I need to dream bigger....

Yea, it is a little discouraging to want more and just not be able to get it no matter what. I couldn't make enough money for the rest of my life to buy 100 acres. Oh, how I would dream of it though. So many things I want and could really use, not luxury items but useful things, like a battery operated chain saw, I only have an electric one and am tied to hauling stuff to the garage to cut it. And a bucket for my little tractor, that's 3 thousand at least. So, that will probably never happen. A root cellar, just simple stuff but out of my reach. I'm gonna quit now, I am depressing myself.

 

[Mountain trapper]

It took a lifetime of working, saving and investing to get the property that I have now. Even back in HS instead of playing sports I was working and saving my money. Bought my first house at 19 for $32,000 when I was making $5.36 per hour as a welder. I came up with a 5 year plan to sell and buy a new house for double the price of the last one. Plus I was determined to better my career. I eventually retired early as a VP in an oil company. Over the years in addition to doubling my home values I also bought a couple farms, timber land, apartments and building lots. All were sold at good profits. I also started investing in the stock market at an early age. I took a lot of risks over the years. At one point I had over a million dollars in mortgages and stock calls. If my wife only knew what I was doing..... But it all paid off really well.
My whole point here is to come up with a plan and start early. I agree with others here; buy what you can afford and what will work for you. Example, out where I live it takes about 20 acres of land to feed 1 cow. By contrast I had a place in Indiana that only took 1 acre to feed a cow. A lot also depends on what a person wants the land for. Do you want a place to hide in the woods and play army, or do you want to make a self sufficient homestead where you can be independent and raise most of your own food. I've seen people do very well on just a couple acres of land, and I've seen people fail who had thousands of acres.

 

[Proud Prepper]

My property is surrounded on 3 sides of USFS land, The property I'm on is 900 acres and the property due east of the forest (1.3 million acres Gifford Pinchot National Forest) is 4200 acres, that's 2058 square miles that locked from development.

Thats plenty enough room for me to build a small cabin on, you wouldnt even know Im there. When can I move? Its a shame all that beautiful land is governed by the wrong people.

 

[Mountain trapper]

My property is surrounded on 3 sides of USFS land, The property I'm on is 900 acres and the property due east of the forest (1.3 million acres Gifford Pinchot National Forest) is 4200 acres, that's 2058 square miles that locked from development.

That sounds like a nice little starter property Mav.

 

[Maverick]

That sounds like a nice little starter property Mav.

When my dad got out of the cattle business he sold the 27,000 acres east of the national forest, the 4200 acres is what we retained. They ended open range here and made ranchers responsible. 10,000 head of cattle got to be too much of a headache in these parts when city folks started moving out near the land when it was open range and complained about the cattle.

 

[Coffee]

maybe

Yea, it is a little discouraging to want more and just not be able to get it no matter what. I couldn't make enough money for the rest of my life to buy 100 acres. Oh, how I would dream of it though. So many things I want and could really use, not luxury items but useful things, like a battery operated chain saw, I only have an electric one and am tied to hauling stuff to the garage to cut it. And a bucket for my little tractor, that's 3 thousand at least. So, that will probably never happen. A root cellar, just simple stuff but out of my reach. I'm gonna quit now, I am depressing myself.

 

[KateMTx]

I would love to have a place like this some day but right now definitely can't afford it. Can't imagine being able to buy more than 100 acres ever. But I will just do the best I can with what I have and keep working to improve a little each day.

 

[Doreena]

I would love to have a place like this some day but right now definitely can't afford it. Can't imagine being able to buy more than 100 acres ever. But I will just do the best I can with what I have and keep working to improve a little each day.

Yeah, I can’t seem to have any luck, either. Would love just to have the land now, start some improvements...but even tho I have found some great candidates, none have worked out.


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[Squirtgunsquirter]

I would be fine with one acre. Just one. And a greenhouse I could park the car and the trailer in, a drive through greenhouse.

Out in a pasture somewhere in the hills...

I'd be set, I'd happily keel over there.

 

[tmttactical]

With me, it is the wife that prevents the move to an isolate spot. I am curious why so much land it needed (100 + acres)? is this much land needed for commercial living / farming -- you need to make a living from the land? I am planning for enough to feed a family of say 10 or 12 but I an looking to do this with much less land. Not criticizing anybody, just curious about the different plans.

 

[OldCoot]

I've got 20 acres and that is often more than I can handle... especially since I have to work for a living. But I find around 20 acres serves most needs for a farmstead, giving you room for orchards, gardens, ponds and pastures for farm animals. Tell you what worked for me. Lots of the big landowners often sell small parcels for spending money. Point being, one can purchase a smaller property but it can seem much larger when surrounded by farmers holding thousands of acres each. In my case I'm not quiet that isolated. I live on a dead end lane around a mile long, in the middle of some very rural land used for crops, hay and cattle. The big farmer sold off around a dozen lots on this lane, with some lots being around 20 acres but some of around two. All the other land on the lane is for cattle grazing. Just perfect for what I was looking for. Plenty of room, very rural but not isolated.

So IMO, if looking for a great place for a BOL, first find the area that meets your needs as far as distance from population centers and work, woods, water, etc. Then scour that area for land listings. You might be surprised what you find. Also, I suggest attending church in that rural area and buying some goods from the local feed store. Once you are not a stranger and make some friends you can state your needs and might be surprised in the help you get. You don't want to be a stranger in your BOL.

 

[tmttactical]

Great advice except for the "Stranger in your BOL". My parcel is 25 acres and it is very isolated, I do like your choice for your plans. Now if you can do what you have planned on 20 acres, then I am still asking why the need for 100 + acres? Still scratching my head.

 

[Squirtgunsquirter]

People here have forgotten me, finally. I used to get asked to leave as soon as I went into places.
Now it's pretty chill. All the neighbors have either forgiven my past bad behavior, or feel like it's not worth bringing up, I guess. I don't know that anyone would want me as a neighbor full time, they know I'm a drifter and probably want to keep it that way.

But for now it's good.

As far as size, my biggest place was 10 acres, and at least 4 of that was woods and waterway, and it was plenty! You can grow more than you can use for a couple people in a one acre garden, if you are doing anything else at all food wise, I used the big garden to feed the pigs.
If it's just me, and hopefully a stout Midwestern gal? An acre sounds about right, I have the experience to make that work.

 

[Maverick]

With me, it is the wife that prevents the move to an isolate spot. I am curious why so much land it needed (100 + acres)? is this much land needed for commercial living / farming -- you need to make a living from the land? I am planning for enough to feed a family of say 10 or 12 but I an looking to do this with much less land. Not criticizing anybody, just curious about the different plans.

For me, originally cattle business, most of the land been sold leaving 5100 acres, the 4200 acres East of me I'm leaving to the grand kids as an investment, the 900 acres are securing our place preventing any outsider from developing up here, this is why we haven't parceled off some of the land.

 

[tmttactical]

I can see an ongoing cattle ranch. Big beasts need lots of room to roam. I am mostly curious why some many just starting out want / need 100 + acres. That seems to me to be a huge cost factor and would require a large investment in equipment. I am just an urban guy trying the figure our rural life and needs.