Recreational land???

[Hyper]

We recently sold some very beautiful pristine land because of unforeseen bad issues. We enjoy doing many equine and outdoor activities and like being very close to National Forest. So it hit me that for the money we had in the above mentioned property we could easily buy quite a few different say 1 acre plots of land around the US, close to NF and enjoy these places during the better months of the year. We have long brutal winters that would be nice to escape when/if the wife retires. My thinking is to barely develop the land but pull a Living Quarter horse trailer, large camper or maybe even build a very simple, very small rugged mini house on the lots. I'm talking a month or two at a time. We don't have much need for city amenities. Researching it, 1 acre lots like I would be interested in is dirt cheap.

Anyone doing something similar to this?

 

[brewer12345]

In my neck of the woods the trouble is that you have to have a source of water and somewhere for it to go when you are done using it. Not so easy here.

 

[REWahoo]

Sounds like a lot of work, expense and too many unknowns for my taste. Water, sewer, electrical hookups can be very expensive and difficult to obtain in some places. Why not just spend less money on a nice RV and move it where and when you want? There are a ton of nice RV parks out there.

 

[Hyper]

Might have to install septic and water but that's pretty easy. We have to have a place for the stock but wouldn't take more than an acre of land. They would get plenty of exercise. Seems very cheap compared to the tax, special assessment, tax more just for the heck of it, for the place we just sold.

 

[travelover]

If you own land, but don't occupy it full time, you may well have issues with the locals using and abusing it.

 

[Hyper]

"If you own land, but don't occupy it full time, you may well have issues with the locals using and abusing it."

Number 1 reason why we sold the last place!!! Issue after issue!!! But that land was very, very remote and much larger so the thinking (or not) is that if we downsized into a really small tract of land, possibly completely fencing it, the issues might not happen

 

[REWahoo]

Might have to install septic and water but that's pretty easy.

I suppose if your pockets are deep enough it can be 'pretty easy'. In my neck of the woods it costs upwards of $30K to get water and half that again to install a septic system.

 

[Hyper]

In a lot of the places we've been researching, it looks as though you can do the work yourself which we have several times now so the cost is substantially lower than having someone else do the work. But you are correct it can get expensive. I would stay away from places with crazy building permitting and procedures. We put a well in at the last place that cost us 30k and considerable research from a hydrologist and we brought him in from a very long way away and he was still half what the locals there were charging. We won't do that again. We're just trying to figure out a snowbird type arrangement that would work for us.

 

[CoolChange]

...possibly completely fencing it, the issues might not happen

In my experience, you are only making it more interesting for locals who stumble upon it to explore after cutting the fence wire, knocking holes (only large enough for a person if you are lucking, large enough for an ATV if you have the other kind of luck), etc.

I grew up in this kind of rural area and am not proud of many things I did to amuse myself in my youth; and, my exploits were mild compared to many of my contemporaries.

 

[audreyh1]

We always enjoyed camping in remote state parks. There is a lot of that kind of recreational land available to the public. You may not have it "all to yourself" but many of these places are really large and it's easy to get away from the campground and feel like you do. Personally, I can't imagine owning it myself.

 

[Hyper]

Oddly enough is that the place where we sold is primarily 65+ yr olds and slightly higher end places, so I would never have guessed they would act that way. They would never do anything when I was there but never bothered them to after I was gone. It was coming down to litigation or application of speed knots to their brainless nogins!

 

[travelover]

Oddly enough is that the place where we sold is primarily 65+ yr olds and slightly higher end places, so I would never have guessed they would act that way. They would never do anything when I was there but never bothered them to after I was gone. It was coming down to litigation or application of speed knots to their brainless nogins!

I read a rural forum (tractorbynet) and stories about absentee owner land problems are the norm. Hunters, fishermen (if there is a pond), snowmobilers, 4 wheelers, drug cookers, gun shooters, romantic couples, trash dumpers - the list is endless.

 

[aja8888]

I read a rural forum (tractorbynet) and stories about absentee owner land problems are the norm. Hunters, fishermen (if there is a pond), snowmobilers, 4 wheelers, drug cookers, gun shooters, romantic couples, trash dumpers - the list is endless.

I'm currently in rural Arkansas for a few days. In an area about 30 miles from a good sized city. In the last few days I have seen many plots in rural wooded areas that for all practical purposes have been broken into, trashed, burned to the ground, etc. most of these I am told were "summer homes".

 

[ggbutcher]

You might look into campgrounds/communities that sell lots as trailer spaces, if you're really enamored with a particular location. I know of one where you can build small outbuildings, as long as the primary occupancy is in a RV.

 

[Hyper]

Wow! I wouldn't have thought it was so common. Glad I posted this as I am rethinking smaller lots now. Lots as trailer spaces would work but not for having/using stock.

Maybe a new business venture?? Na, not looking good at all. Thank you for all the replies.

 

[Terryjm51]

I have some land not so remote but thought about putting well and septic to rent out to travel trailer two spots


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[Terryjm51]

Currently it is in hay. I only need about an acre out of 50 to put someone on it.


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[ArkTinkerer]

I'm currently in rural Arkansas for a few days. In an area about 30 miles from a good sized city. In the last few days I have seen many plots in rural wooded areas that for all practical purposes have been broken into, trashed, burned to the ground, etc. most of these I am told were "summer homes".

There are quite a few rural locations in AR that use to have mobile or manufactured homes. I have given some thought to buying a number of these as personal RV lots. Maybe even renting them out as side income. I'm not sure its a good business venture and the taxes on the property would likely be higher than renting individual RV spots as needed. Haven't really had time to fully investigate.

 

[REWahoo]

There are quite a few rural locations in AR that use to have mobile or manufactured homes. I have given some thought to buying a number of these as personal RV lots. Maybe even renting them out as side income.

Like aja8888 I spend some time in rural Arkansas - usually a couple of weeks every year. I can't see a positive outcome in this venture. Tax issues aside, your tenants would almost certainly disappoint you when it comes to how they'd treat your [-]meth labs[/-] property.

 

[MRG]

Like aja8888 I spend some time in rural Arkansas - usually a couple of weeks every year. I can't see a positive outcome in this venture. Tax issues aside, your tenants would almost certainly disappoint you when it comes to how they'd treat your [-]meth labs[/-] property.

No joke, our rural home in MO. The neighboring farmer had a rented out an old dive 1/2 mile away. DW calls me says two undercover Sheriff's deputies and a State trooper want permission to use our land as a stake out. We cooperated as there was no way we wanted the methheads around. About a month later I come home there's 20-30 official vehicle's out there. Turns out they weren't manufacturers, they smuggled Ice(Meth mixed with PCP) across the Mexican border to sell.

Odd part they couldn't get a warrent based on the evidence they had. Cars coming and going, and all night parties. There was a small child living there part time, they got the warrent based on back child support, then saw drugs.

 

[Fermion]

I used to want to own land but then found out I had a friend with millions of acres of land where I could camp for free. He pays the taxes, takes on liability and even cleans up on occasion. What a deal.

 

[ArkTinkerer]

We always enjoyed camping in remote state parks. There is a lot of that kind of recreational land available to the public. You may not have it "all to yourself" but many of these places are really large and it's easy to get away from the campground and feel like you do. Personally, I can't imagine owning it myself.

Lots of state parks and campgrounds in AR. Problem is there are a lot of campers! You can go to areas that are not officially campgrounds and "boondock". I modified our trailer by putting the axles under the springs for more ground clearance so we can go places others can't. Still, even some of those areas get crowded as you are dealing with tent campers as well. One of the things I look forward to about retirement is being able to go to the state parks during off-peak days/seasons and stay home during the peak times like spring break, 4th of July, Memorial Day...

 

[Music Lover]

I used to want to own land but then found out I had a friend with millions of acres of land where I could camp for free. He pays the taxes, takes on liability and even cleans up on occasion. What a deal.

Even if the OP doesn't have a friend with land, there must be plenty people with vacant or unused land who are willing to rent a portion of it at low cost to a responsible couple. At the very least, they may feel that having someone on the property even for a short period may discourage some of the riff raff.

 

[Fermion]

Even if the OP doesn't have a friend with land, there must be plenty people with vacant or unused land who are willing to rent a portion of it at low cost to a responsible couple. At the very least, they may feel that having someone on the property even for a short period may discourage some of the riff raff.

I am sure the OP is friends with my friend.

 

[robertf57]

I am sure the OP is friends with my friend.

I'm not sure about your friend; but, I know the OP is related to my Uncle who would be happy to have him camp on the land