Log Cabin or Land Purchase Mailings

[Tiger8693]

I constantly get flyers in the mail for "land liquidation" sales down around lake areas in North Carolina and Georgia, sometimes with Log Cabin build package. Since I am thinking of following the birds South at retirement, just wondered if anyone ever investigated, or even perhaps participated in one of these sales/auctions?

TIA.

 

[MRG]

No big make sure you know what log cabin living means to you. Some of the real log cabins require additional maintenance.

 

[njhowie]

https://www.palmettomillennial.com/...idation-sale-mountain-or-lake-lots-from-9999/

Seems similar to what you're looking at. Sounds like the typical high pressure sales/scam tactics used by many timeshares.

1. Understand that you very likely aren't getting a bargain.
2. Understand that wonderful unsolicited deals don't just show up in the mail. You've been targeted by a company that's purchased your info from a another you already deal with.
3. Google for reviews of the company, the location, include the word "scam" in your search. Find out everything you can. Check the company and complaints at bbb.org.

If you are serious, look up a real estate agent with a known company in the area you're considering relocating to, and have them find properties that might interest you so you have an idea what's available, what the prices are like, and can give you information. Let the agent show you around. If you're still interested, you can always continue searching on your own.

For me, if it's unsolicited and comes in the mail, it goes in the trash.

 

[JoeWras]

We are in NC and get 2 to 3 of these a week. Shredding material.

If we ever decide to get something in the mountains, we'll use local contacts and RE companies, not these land mill firms.

 

[sengsational]

I've been getting these for decades and always just throw them out. Not that I haven't been interested, just agree with njh that it's "being sold" (rather than me going out looking).


My buddy up the street bought a place in the mountains and before I would do anything, I'd arrange to stay at his place and if I liked it, maybe check on one of the lots in his community that someone else bought under the high pressure and now wants to sell.


I grew up on a lake, so have a soft spot for lakefront spots. But our family also had cabins, and if you don't go often, what "a weekend at the cabin" means is maintenance labor, sun up to sun down.

 

[mountainsoft]

I constantly get flyers in the mail for "land liquidation" sales

I have a hard fast rule. NEVER buy anything that is solicited to me. I don't care if it comes by mail, is offered over the phone, or comes in an email. I don't care if it's 100% honest and the best deal of the century, I simply say NO, hang up, throw it in the trash, or delete the email.

Now that's not to say an advertisement won't inspire me to research similar items and buy them on my own, but I NEVER respond to an ad directly. In most cases I can usually find better offers by doing my own research.

 

[FreeBear]

I have a hard fast rule. NEVER buy anything that is solicited to me. I don't care if it comes by mail, is offered over the phone, or comes in an email. I don't care if it's 100% honest and the best deal of the century, I simply say NO, hang up, throw it in the trash, or delete the email.

Now that's not to say an advertisement won't inspire me to research similar items and buy them on my own, but I NEVER respond to an ad directly. In most cases I can usually find better offers by doing my own research.

Wise words. I handle unsolicited phone calls the same way. They go to voice mail. Most don’t even leave a message. I only get a few legit unsolicited calls each year at most.

 

[OldShooter]

I have a hard fast rule. NEVER buy anything that is solicited to me. ...

Pretty much my approach too. If an investment of any sort needs a 4-color brochure and an expensive direct mail campaign it is certain to be a stinky deal.

For land, I would visit the location of interest and talk to the local county assessor, local realtors, etc. to get a feel for the market. In some cases a local builder might have some lots he can offer but in most cases the company you want to do the building is different from the person you will buy the land from. And certainly the building you want is going to be different than what you get in a "Log Cabin build package."

 

[cyber888]

I owned a log cabin for 6 years - the maintenance costs is high. You have to restain the Logs every 2-3 years if you want it too be in tiptop condition, and you cannot escape the carpenter bees boring holes into it. New logs also take years to settle, so you need to re-caulk the logs almost every year until the moisture and flexing of logs settles. I get those flyers too .. seems like very high pressure selling .. where you close on the same day. I would not go for it. If you want to build a log cabin, it is best to interview log cabin builders and see who you are comfortable working with.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I will piggy back on the other responses in that they are rarely a good deal. I would also note that these have traditionally been sent out to folks in the SE...so they seemed to push folks into getting a "getaway" vacation home. The fact that they are now mailing them to folks as far north as DC tells me that they aren't selling nearly as many as they would like. Considering how many folks who *have* relocated to the south in the last 10 years, then I would say they are getting more and more desperate to sell these things.

 

[Tiger8693]

Thanks for the feedback! To the trash they go!

 

[harllee]

Tiger, I live in NC, summer in the mountains and winter in the middle of the state (Chapel Hill). I would suggest you try renting somewhere first before you buy anything. If you have any specific questions about NC, send me a PM. It is a great state. The mountains have wonderful summer weather but are fairly cold in the winter, whereas the middle of the state has mild winters but hot and humid summers so I get the best of both worlds.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

You will probably have to tell each company that currently sends you catalogs to stop (if that's what you want), but since we're on the subject, the Direct Marketing Association's opt out list is a good place to keep that list from expanding. I have some friends who are...overly cautious, shall we say, about giving out their personal information, but it's already out there, and this way the legitimate companies will stop sharing or using your information. And really, what profit could there be in marketing directly to those who care enough to try to opt out? If you wind up added to some scammer's list, it's probably not because you're on the DMA opt-out list, but in spite of that.

And since many of us have to deal with estates, there is also a DMA Deceased Do Not Contact registry that I've found helpful.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

And since many of us have to deal with estates, there is also a DMA Deceased Do Not Contact registry that I've found helpful.

I have done that with my Dad and it's finally starting to slow down. On any given day, the DW and I would get about 3 pieces of mail, but Dad? That man could get 15 or 20 without missing a beat...and all of it was designed to scam the elderly.

 

[JoeWras]

You will probably have to tell each company that currently sends you catalogs to stop (if that's what you want), but since we're on the subject, the Direct Marketing Association's opt out list is a good place to keep that list from expanding. I have some friends who are...overly cautious, shall we say, about giving out their personal information, but it's already out there, and this way the legitimate companies will stop sharing or using your information. And really, what profit could there be in marketing directly to those who care enough to try to opt out? If you wind up added to some scammer's list, it's probably not because you're on the DMA opt-out list, but in spite of that.

The list does work! It isn't perfect, but it works for legit companies.

The junk land mail (and river cruise mail) we get is all in DW's name who didn't get on the list.

Another example: AARP never contacted me because I signed up for the list before they start bombing people. And, no, I'm not sad about that.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I have done that with my Dad and it's finally starting to slow down. On any given day, the DW and I would get about 3 pieces of mail, but Dad? That man could get 15 or 20 without missing a beat...and all of it was designed to scam the elderly.

Yeah, I set up an email account on [OurLastName].com just for my dad, who never used it, so I used it to issue unsubscribe requests. I've also taken to social media to "name and shame" a few of the ones who ignored my repeated requests, and that helped with some of those. (I'm looking at you, DNC, Kiplinger's, and Yad Vashem!)