An essentials guide:
what you need to know about
Buying the Land
to launch your dreams
By Michael Antoniak
with illustrations by Lucas Antoniak
Published
by Michael Antoniak at Smashwords
Copyright © 2012 and published through Smashwords
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Discover other titles by M. J. Antoniak at Smashwords.com
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For all who long
for the simple pleasures of country life
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When is a Great Deal a Real Deal?
Questions To Ask A Real Estate Professional
Evaluating Rural Property: Special Considerations
Evaluating A Potential Home Site
Alternate Property Purchase Strategies
Appendices
Learn About and Area and Community
Property Search Sites and Tools
Video and Virtual Home and Property Tours
E: Resources for Foreclosures and Distressed Property
In every age, there are those who want to escape to the simple life they believe awaits them in the country. And, in every decade, there are books written to encourage and assist them live that dream.
This ebook is such a work, for our Internet age.
Just
as ebooks are transforming the world of publishing, the Web’s reach
and easy access has dramatically changed what it means to live in the
country. You can have the best of both worlds: the peaceful beauty of
natural surroundings and a greater sense of control over your life,
with all the amenities of modern life. With the Internet, whatever
you need—products, services or information— is a
lways
just clicks away in your browser window.
That power and reach will help you make the transition from wherever you are now to the country in less time than generations past, and with better odds of success. A variety of websites and web-based tools allow you to explore communities, pre-visit areas and property, and decide what’s within your means and where you want to be. You should always visit an area before relocating there, and when you do you’ll be that informed buyer who knows just what he/she wants
Much about purchasing country property is just common sense: know what you’re buying and accept your responsibility to protect your interests. If a deal seems unbelievable, it likely is. Ally yourself with professionals you trust for expertise in areas where you have none. If you’re not certain an area is right for you, rent before buying. Don’t assume more debt than you can afford.
Most of this book focuses on the many considerations which make for a successful transaction. At the end are several appendices with links to websites to help you explore rural communities, find property, and explore financing options available to you. Read through the book, then use the links to act on what you’ve learned
Whatever your dreams of living in the country, they begin with property. If I’ve done my job, this will help you make that start.
Country life certainly isn’t for everyone, but for the right people,in the right place, it’s the only way to live.
Good Luck!
A few acres to call your own.
It’s an enduring part of the American dream, since the pioneers pushed the frontier all the way to the West coast. Today, a modern take on that rural escape still holds allure. Independent minded, ex-urban and -suburbanites, families just starting out, even retirees eager to stretch their income are all heading to less populated areas for a more rewarding life in a new locale.
In every generation, in every era, there are those who, like my wife and I, long for a simpler life. We left New York City for the Tennessee hills soon after we were married for an adventure which became our lifestyle. We wanted to immerse ourselves in nature’s beauty, to escape city hassles, the freedom that brings more control over our lives, and all those good things described books and articles celebrating the joys of country living.
In more than 30 years here we’ve seen many people chase the same dream. Some found it wasn’t for them; a few, like us, made it their course. I’m writing this for people of any age who think a move to a small town, or your own few acres of independence, may be the key to a more fulfilling life. Land is the foundation of your country dreams, whatever they entail.
If that’s what you want for your future, you’re member of a unique group. The population is actually trending in the other direction, according to the most recent census. More are leaving rural hamlets for the city and suburbs for opportunities and excitement.
For
those eager to buck that trend, the good news is you can still live
your country dreams without many of the sacrifices once accepted as
part of the move. Modern delivery services and technology —especially
the Internet— now bring the world and all its resources to your
door, wherever you call home. With that, come new employment
opportunities through telecommuting, if those options are available
to you. If they aren’t, but you are willing to make do with less,
economically speaking, you will profit from the m
ove.
In fact, there’s many reasons to consider purchasing property. For some, it’s an investment opportunity, to park their money for a while in a tangible resource. Others simply want some space to escape into a private preserve or outdoorsman’s paradise. Then, there are those considering purchasing property as the foundation for a new home today or tomorrow..
Whether you’re eager to head for the hills now, or are nurturing long-term dreams, buying land in the country is a little different than other real estate transactions. Depending on your goals, there’s much more the buyer needs to be aware of and consider in your search for that perfect parcel. This book is written to equip you for that process. The strategies and insight it presents are drawn from our experience and observations of many others who have made this move.
Ultimately, its value depends on how you use it. It’s your money, as the old saying goes; do all you can to make sure it’s wisely invested in the land which best supports your dreams, in the right location, at a fair price. Protect your financial interests and give your country dreams their best start.
When is a Great Deal a Real Deal?
The first thing to strike many newcomers to rural areas is how cheap property is, relatively speaking. For the price of a home and modest lot “back home,” you can own scores if not hundreds of acres, maybe with a house, pond, barn and some outbuildings.
But is that a great deal? That depends on how well you understand the local real estate market, the defining trends there, and how well the property matches your expectations. City or country, things are only worth as much or as little as someone is willing to pay. You want a fair deal, but won’t know what’s fair, what’s overpriced, if the land will prove your asset or liability, without your own due diligence.
Rural
real estate trends generally parallel what’s happening elsewhere,
but with less dramatic shifts. The boom of a few years ago has gone
bust. There’s too many sellers in what should be a buyer’s
market. Foreclosures, short sales and FSBOs (“for s
ale
by owners” who don't want to pay a real estate commission) seem
fixtures in the market, at least for now. Lenders may not be as eager
to approve loans and mortgages as they once were, and they’re
looking for bigger down payments when they do. Cash remains the
ultimate bargaining tool.
In many areas, real estate agents are working through some tough times, struggling to hold on. Some may be a bit over-enthusiastic when a promising prospect comes along. Whether working with a buyer or seller, their cut or commission is based on the selling price. The more you pay, the more they make. Your agent should earn his/her money providing honest answers to probing questions, guiding you to the best match to your well defined needs, then negotiating the best fair price. When dealing direct with an owner, without an agent intermediary, all those responsibilities are yours.
When buying land, the answers you need may not be as obvious or easy to come by. For example, an old deed, may simply estimate acreage with the qualifier “more or less.” On land not yet surveyed l, a corner marker, even boundary lines may not be readily apparent. Or, someone other than the present owner may believe they have guaranteed rights to use the land. Such issues come up with rural property all the time.
In securing answers to these and many other questions you’re likely turn to people and professionals you’d never approach in a city or suburban purchase. Previous owners, even surviving heirs of the family farm sold off years ago, may be most knowledgeable about the fence line or corners. Clerks in the deed office can help secure earlier deeds to resolve questions. The local tax assessor can advise you why the particular piece that interests you seems to be assessed so high or so low.
Then, there are local professionals involved in every property transaction. They expect to know you as a person as part of that professional relationship, and can introduce you to the broader community. Most rural bankers and loan officers are on a first name basis with clients. Attorneys who can help with title search and your closing also live in the community where they work. These people know and have worked with each other for years. An insult or affront to any one of them could alienate all.
You want to be welcomed as a new member of that community, whether or not you plan to socialize locally. They may be strangers to you initially, but never to each other. Keep that in mind and you’ll have a much easier go of it.
County life offers multiple rewards: an easy going lifestyle; the chance to live on your terms; less stress and expenses; and nature’s bounty always just outside your door. It can also entail personal and professional challenges you may not have considered: starting over among strangers; making do with less financially; more work around your property and less leisure time; lack of instant access to some things you may now take for granted.
Aware of these challenges, you can ensure buying land is a smart move for you.
It’s really about priorities: what matters most in your life goals.
People who master the transition to country life tend to be somewhat independent, resourceful, determined and committed. They are are willing to adapt to make dreams of a rural life their new reality.
Those who fail: transplants who expect their new lifestyle and its amenities match whatever they pretend to want to leave behind. They complain about how things are done, the established practices of farmers and livestock owners, are angered when a contractor or repairman doesn’t show up at the scheduled hour or day. They make endless comparisons of “ well, where I come from...” and offend potential allies in the process.
If you’re intent on making this move work, make it a fresh start. Think this through so you can leave all those old pressures and old ways behind. If you really long for a simpler life, keep the focus on the simple things which can shape that world.
Traditionally,
one of the principal challenges most people faced when relocating to
the country was employment. Today’s work options have expanded with
the reach of Internet. Depending on what you do now, location may no
longer matter. The Web has opened up new options in self-employment
and telecommuting which simply were not a
vailable
to previous generations. You may also be able to run an online
business from your home. So, you can work where you live; the rural
lifestyle may be a more viable choice for entrepreneurs than at any
time in the past.
The Internet has also erased the sense of cultural isolation which was once plagued those who traded in city streets for country roads. You’ve now got instant online access to the news of the day and the latest films, the world’s libraries and museums. You can shop the world’s stores, or ebay, and have whatever you want delivered to your door within days.
Given those options, what do you want from this change in lifestyle? Moving to the country doesn’t necessarily mean buying the farm. Many transplants find welcome change in small town life, its familiarities and the genteel pace that goes with it. For others, country living is all about being self-supporting on a few acres with some livestock and small garden. Then there are those in between, who ask nothing more from the change of venue than to be immersed in nature, and its seasonal glories.
What’s right for you? Deciding that, or at least developing some idea of the change you seek, is a necessary step toward finding the right piece of land
For many young couples a move to the country promises an opportunity to build a family in your private world. The move can be challenging, but in meeting those challenges the relationship strengthens as you set your roots. A modest home with a large yard in a subdivision outside town can be an affordable launch to a new life.
Others approach buying a few acres as fulfillment of dreams of living close to the land. They may arrive at this juncture at any point in life, fully confident this is what they want, with the determination to see it through. Or, they may want to experience country life occasionally, in a second home, within a couple of hours from their primary residence.
Some turn to the country for economic reasons. The promise of lower property taxes and a lower cost of living allows them to live within their means, on a limited income or pension. They may be scaling back, after selling the home where they raised their families. That money may buy a new home or land for less money, and cover the costs of a new lifestyle.
Then
there are those for whom country living seems the only plausible way
to live. Rugged individualists, they may be self-sufficient nature
lovers, eager to live with and be at one with their environment.
O
thers
simply want to be left alone. For religious beliefs, personal
politics, they see a rural haven as the place where they can exercise
their freedom to pursue an alternative lifestyle, however they define
it, away from probing authorities and conventional norms.
In our years here, we’ve known people who match every one of these descriptions. We’re there for each other when needed; otherwise we keep to ourselves, go about our business. Every one of us has in some way created a personal utopia. If there is a common trait, all are content marching to their own beat, confident and committed to living life on their terms.
The process begins with a heartfelt evaluation of what matters to you, what you hope to gain from a move to the country. Take the time to flesh out your dream a bit so it will be able to take flight. Then find it a home. Life in the country will challenge in ways you’ve likely not encountered before.
Are you willing and able to adapt to a new environment and persevere long enough to make the transition work for you?
Yes? Then let’s start with a broad look at your choices, in terms of space.
Small
Town: For some, the best choice may be relocating to a small town,
with stores and health care facilities all within walking distance or
a
short drive. But how do you define a small town? A college town of
30,000 may have all the amenities you need in a concentrated area,
but small can get much smaller than that. We get our mail from the
post office in an unincorporated town of 300.
A Home and a Yard...A Big Yard: Even in the many subdivisions which now claim former farmland, you can buy a comfortable home with a large yard, just enough space between you and the neighbors, Everyone has a ride-on lawnmower because they own that much grass. Yards in these developments can range from under an acre to as much as five. Plenty of room, plenty of options.
A Weekend or Summer Getaway: Wherever there’s a lake, river, scenic view or mountains, there’s always been rural development targeting those looking for a second or vacation home. The home or cabin on a decent lot, in the deep woods, near the lake or with an inspiring view, affords an opportunity to live between city and country. A great compromise for those who can afford two homes, and handle the commute.
Your Own Piece of Paradise: When you really want to get close to the land, nothing short of your own acres will do. They still call such places “farms” here, because they were once, but they’re really our own private parks. Smaller farms like ours, 40 acres of hills, give us enough space to roam, but 10 acres will do.