Buying Cheap Land?

[urbankid12]

Has anyone bought cheap land for the van life? I been loving the LTVA during winter so maybe I should just buy my own little patch of land for my private Place to call home. 

Does anyone have insight into this on the western part of the US.  Anything under 5,000 I think would be ideal.

I know I’m gonna have to do some deep research but maybe somebody already has the downsides or suggestions as to what places it could work or what.

If I could do it for myself then somebody it be nice to buy more land and create a private LTVA like in La Posa.

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

The biggest downside is usually ZONING. It's amazing that you can be in the middle of the desert, completely out of site of everything/body and "they" still won't let ya just park and live your life........
Second possible problem would be water.

 

[bullfrog]

And how much will it cost you to stay long term on BLM land? And how much will you pay in getting utilities put in and trash pickup? Maybe a little more for road base after the track in washes out. Most lots with utilities already usable cost a minimum of $30,000 in Arizona now. Raw land is cheap (maybe 10 acres zoned for recreation for $30,000) if you are lucky but making it half as nice as long term BLM is expensive and a lot of work.

 

[JDub]

I follow this blog of an old guy in St Johns (AZ) who lives off grid way back in a gulch. He's been there for years and has built himself a nice little retreat there. Kinda "Life Below Zero" only he needs to add "Life above 90 F" too. It's a tiny chunk of land too.

http://joelsgulch.com/

Cheers

 

[bullfrog]

Have you looked at land around Saint Johns and what it costs for a septic, well and electricity! Last place I looked at was like $80,000 for ten acres with an old house with the roof falling in and a questionable water supply! Not to mention an RV might not be allowed but a mobile home would. You have to consider trips to major stores and doctors get expensive as well. When you are nomadic you can sort of plan to pass by where you need to be when you need to be there.

 

[mattvei]

check out gramkracker's youtube channel. He just did 2 episodes on tax lien sales in AZ. Very few people know about this. I've been messing with them for 40 years. Only downside is every county in the country has different rules. Advantage is the money players avoid vacant land. Another point, with the advent of LOE satellite internet in a few years, you'll have cell and internet everywhere

 

[JDub]

Have you looked at land around Saint Johns and what it costs for a septic, well and electricity! Last place I looked at was like $80,000 for ten acres with an old house with the roof falling in and a questionable water supply! Not to mention an RV might not be allowed but a mobile home would. You have to consider trips to major stores and doctors get expensive as well. When you are nomadic you can sort of plan to pass by where you need to be when you need to be there.

Until this COVID thing you could buy 40 acres for like... 12K. There were literally dozens of land parcels for sale. Now, all bought up. I know a guy out there and he says it's all townies. How long they'll last is another thing though... As you said though water, water, water. Out towards Witch Wells there aren't any restrictions like on the "ranches" closer to town. What I like about this old guy is he's done everything on the cheap. Lived in a ramshackle TT while he built his place. If I were ever to pitch it for some remote bug out location. I'd use this guy as a model. Problem is trying to live the lifestyle as you get older and older... Tic Toc...

Cheers!

 

[bullfrog]

My point is land ownership comes with built in expenses and liabilities not to mention taxes and insurance. Take a look at “open range” laws concerning liability. Maybe that old barbed wire fence a foot inside your property line, or the gate you put up ain’t such a good idea when you find you owe a rancher $8,000 (they get paid for future calves the cow may have had) for the cow that died on your property because the gate was closed. Even doing thing on the cheap can get expensive quick. There aren’t any restrictions being enforced or not yet is more like it in many of those places. You used to be able to op out of them, soon that won’t even be possible.

 

[JDub]

Oh yeah. The newest post in his blog goes over that. He's constantly complaining about cattle.  He doesn't have a fence. They come right up to his cabin.

 

[jwhite]

I have been looking online for small property in FL to park my motorhome on and use it more for recreation than a permanent home site because I already have that.
the only real estate agent that called me back it sounded like you have to have a permit to park the motorhome on your on land for 300.00 a year some counties it was one time only and others it was yearly. ?
I don't know how they can inforce that especially if it's a motorhome or trailer that is coming and going ?
My thought were to find a small property that has alot of lakes close by that I could fish.
but it sounded like they prefered you have electric septic and a well and build or place a house trailer then your good, but tryng to be offgrid could be a problem.
I probably won't go through with this but I want to research it just in case.
I some what got the idea from a full time RV'r that said they wintered in FL near okeechobee and fished and caught a limit each day of fish and stocked there freezer with fish.

 

[bullfrog]

It starts with local regulations and zoning classifications that could be a home owners association, city, county or state boards that determine them. You will need everything verified in writing and I would have it signed by whoever is in charge of enforcement in that county as you cannot go by what others have done before buying the property and you cannot trust a realtor that stands to make money off a sale. Rules change, tax rates change and lots of things that are allowed now may not be in the future. One nice part about renting is the property owner is required to meet these guide lines renters are sometimes given some slack by enforcement because they are considered temporary problems. As an example a land owner may allow you to build something with the understanding you can use it but it becomes his property when you leave and that you may be required to tear it down if county enforcement becomes aware of it and attempts to fine the property owner. This gives the owner lots of wiggle room and allows him the opportunity to add to the value of his property. Sad but true especially in rural remote areas.

 

[ridgeway]

I know a few people that live on "cheap land", I am living on undeveloped land at the moment and love it.

For land to be "cheap" it is usually undesirable you have to figure out why and decide if that is something you can deal with. It could be season like heat in summer, flooding in spring, poor access. It could be no water, no access, strict building codes, ? Some reason no one wants it and that's why it is "cheap".

For $5000. in western US you will probably see a couple of acres of desert with no water and many miles from water. Or strict building codes. I do know people that have gotten decent land for $10-$15k in western US and enjoy living on it.

You have to spend time searching.. Look at ads then go look at the area then call the county and see if they will shut you down for "camping" or living on it.

 

[LERCA]

I have to laugh at all the empty counties I’ve called in my home state of California (city planners)

I know my county backwards and forwards and don’t fool yourself that what seems to be the backside of nowhere isn’t known to the extent of every inch to locals and city planners. It may seem empty and rural to you but to people who live there they’ll spot you and your illegal builds/camps/RVs. And locals drive all over the place. There are few truly empty places left in this country sadly and if you find one don’t tell anyone. There are a few places in California with less than 50 people and a post office that aren’t even listed anywhere but they are alive and well. With regulations.

 

[Cammalu]

I know many don’t want to be East but I have a house in KY on beautiful acreage. I see campers being used on properties all the time for years.

Anyone interested I can point you to location. Plenty of fishing there.

 

[Cammalu]

What am I talking about I see other people living in campers on their land? Hell that’s what I do! I put in a septic ( no I didn’t get approval) and electric and a pad. That’s where I stay for most of the summer. I have nomads coming thru and staying off and on through the summer. Never a problem.

 

[desert_sailing]

The difficulty people are having is that they are hoping to live fulltime in residential zones in a vehicle or other creation but not meet all the code requirements.

While there are indeed some locales thst allow camping for very limited periods it is highly unlikely any will find the unicorn.

INSTEAD people should be checking zoned areas and code requirements regarding PRIMITIVE camp grounds. These lands tend to be zoned under recreational and the codes for habitation are much more in line with living off grid.

For instance Oregon requires a minimum of 2 acres to operate as a primitive camp ground. As a primitive campground there are zero requirements to supply drinking water, bathrooms nor sewage and garbage disposa. There is also no requirement to provide electricity.
In fact as it relates to primitive campgrounds in Oregon you are forbidden to build any kind of permanent structure including decks and tent platforms.
In addition, this zoning/ code also allows the owner or manager to live on site year round. Visitors are limited as to lenght of uninterrupted stay.

Ofc there are developed camp grounds and rv parks that require more infrastructure.. including providing water, sanitation, a parking pad with electrical service and a whole myriad of other code requirements.

STOP searching residential zones to "camp" on.... its very unlikely you will find this... at least on a long term basis ( months).
Find what the primitive campground requirements are for your area of interest and then search for tracts of land that allow that use.

Also note there is no requirement to rent out any camp spaces to anyone else and you can stay as private or public as you choose.

Primitive campground land is what I am looking for. I figure a bit of acreage that allows me to share and welcome other nomads for a stay AND maybe generate a few extra bucks.

 

[JDub]

my country allows pretty much anything if you own the land. the towns obviously have codes etc but if you "live out in the county" as a lot of folk do to avoid town regulations and taxes, it's pretty much a free for all. I have an acquaintance who's lived in a tiny TT for years on his little chunk of woods way back down a dirt road. He's got trash service and electric, a well, and septic. Happy as a vandweller.

 

[bullfrog]

Problem is that there are many that used to be that way because of lack of enforcement or rules and regulations that now exist due to increased numbers of people buying property. Escapees figured this out a long time ago and developed their different types of “parks” and even they haven’t been able to keep up with demand. Due to where their Rainbow’s End Park was developed as their headquarters in Polk county Texas and the political control they are able to exert it has worked extremely well for everyone including the residents that were previously living in the county. Bob Wells has stated in the past he was looking for the perfect piece of land which may not exist but have to be made like the like the Escapees did through extremely well managed association working with motivated groups of people. HOWA has shown much more can be accomplished by a group rather than one person. Organization which is something most of us dislike but may be the key to everyone being able to use a home base when needed.

 

[43oswegatchie]

I have been looking for land the last 3 months in Oregon and the prices are skyrocketing due to California's problems. I have basically given up that idea and instead looking for some land to lease or rent off someone else, even if it is just a larger parking area for the rig. I am also looking at intentional communities, but they are hard to get into. Anybody have any spots to rent or lease to a part-time nomad in Oregon????
P.S. As a bonus, my partner is trained in massage therapy in the East (Latvia) and West (Colorado) in case you need healing :blush:

 

[ChileSauceCritic]

I have to laugh at all the empty counties I’ve called in my home state of California (city planners)

I know my county backwards and forwards and don’t fool yourself that what seems to be the backside of nowhere isn’t known to the extent of every inch to locals and city planners. It may seem empty and rural to you but to people who live there they’ll spot you and your illegal builds/camps/RVs. And locals drive all over the place. There are few truly empty places left in this country sadly and if you find one don’t tell anyone. There are a few places in California with less than 50 people and a post office that aren’t even listed anywhere but they are alive and well. With regulations.

Texas has plenty of cheap unincorporated land with almost no regulations out in the middle of nowhere with ridiculously low property taxes, but the problem is you never know when a Walmart, strip malls and housing developments will pop up nearby and all of a sudden the property taxes and regulations start, on the regulations they usually grandfather you in, but the taxes they don't, it happened to a former boss who had a trailer in the woods on land he owned that his family used for hunting for 70 years. now the land is useless to him because it's now surrounded by housing developments so the wildlife went elsewhere.