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Isaac-1 · 01-03-2021, 07:55 AM

Depending on the area, this might be due to zoning and other regulations to a degree. A few years ago I spoke with a local real estate developer that has built a number of small residential subdivisions (10-20 houses or so each), and he commented on the ever growing cost to build these, the cost of putting in streets, etc. This all came down to regulations, for example the local parish (county) government had recently implemented a rule that all new subdivision streets must be paved to certain standards and have curbs, and if over a about a dozen houses must be plumbed for water and sewer. The side effect of this is encouraging ever narrower lots, since this was fixed cost per frontage foot of the lot. Whereas previously developers would put down a thin strip of asphalt that would wear out in a couple of years call it paved, and hand over the ownership of the street to the local government.

As to the rest of the disparity between the 1 acre for $40,000 vs the 40 acres for $40,000 you need to look at accessibility, if it is developed cleared land, if utilities are available, etc. I just looked at realtor.com for my local area, and it is much the same as you noted, with 1 acre of rural land seems to start around $12,000 for reasonably accessible land in need of clearing off an established paved road, 3 acres goes for about $35,000, and 20 acres goes for about $50,000. Though even at these prices one is mostly getting poorly drained land covered in scrub brush and junk trees, which would cost additional thousands of dollars to clear and made useful. With the cheapest thing that might meet your being $95,000 for 6 slightly overgrown acres with a hurricane damaged, but possibly repairable very small older house on it, down a short dirt drive off a small paved road just a couple of miles out of town surrounded by mostly similar sized or slightly larger properties.

chunker · 01-03-2021, 08:41 AM

My GF wanted to buy a lot on a bayou in NW FL off of Choctawhatchie Bay. That's east of Pensacola and west of Panama City. It took a lot of searching but we found one that allowed keeping an RV on site, WITH restrictions. Can't be permanent meaning we take it home to LA, Lower Alabama, occasionally. So tagged and road worthy. We fought with one AH neighbor but won. Waterfront land can be expensive and getting utilities also expensive. But we are set up with water, electric and septic, 3 sites, dock and boathouse. This lot will eventually have a house but not by us and for her it's a great financial investment.

Issues a person faces looking for their "private RV lot in paradise" will be zoning, covenants, permitting for utilities, opposition from neighbors, and depending on where you go, weather adversities. We have to be aware of tropical systems and be able to move her trailer and my boat to "higher ground", my place in AL. Depending on the issues listed above, such a project may not be for the feint of heart.

EDIT adding: For those thinking this might be a great source of additional income, their private RV getaway as a rental, that potentially can open up a whole new can of worms with possible commercial property regulations, additional neighbor uprisings, etc.

bmcgc · 01-03-2021, 11:31 AM

A few of my friends are RVers, we have discussed each of buying a bit of dirt in different areas, then sharing, or buying/renting into a nice park and sharing the lot.

Calson · 01-03-2021, 01:35 PM

There is a minimum value for a home site which can be a very small parcel. In areas that are zoned for farming a 5 acre parcel may go for as little as $1,000 an acre if it is not considered a home site. Often one can put in a well and run electrical power onto the parcel and not jeopardize its status as ag land and no zoning issues with a RV that is a temporary and not a fixed abode.

The zoning laws and their enforcement vary by state and by county. Some counties are far more lax than others. In California the truly rural areas tend to be more lax but with so many people having moved into very small tows as in the "gold country" this has changed as well.

Land is still often undervalued as the seller is discounting for lack of a well or city water and lack of electrical or gas utilities. A well can be drilled for $10K and a solar powered DC pump installed for water and a solar array can be installed for less than $10K to provide power for a cabin or house.

A college buddy bought 5 acres less than 10 miles from Mendocino CA in the 1970's and then would spend weeks on it using a tent and camp stove. Later he built a 10x20 foot cabin that still lacked water but had electricity and a composting toilet. After many years of labor on his part he now has a 5,000 square foot home and he has not paid a dime in interest on a mortgage.

bmcgc · 01-03-2021, 01:47 PM

Lots of considerations.

+1 on local zoning laws. In some areas, if city water and sewer are available, you are required to hook into it.

An issue I woiuld have is making improvements and then leaving for any length of time.

People steal and vandalize just because they can.

Isaac-1 · 01-03-2021, 04:01 PM

Along those same notes, depending on the climate vegetation can quickly take over if not kept in check. Where I live in western Louisiana, scrub brush and even small trees can start to take over an otherwise cleared lot in just one or two years to the point it will be difficult to clear without professional equipment, and will become a completely overgrown brush pile needing bulldozers to clear in about 5 years.

Dennis58 · 01-04-2021, 08:46 AM

Here in North Alabama you can do as you please on your land IF you reside outside the city limits or in other words out in the country.

That being said 1-5 AC lots are hard to locate and not cheap when you do find one. Getting utilities onto that land is most always not a big deal but if internet is a big deal than that could be a problem.

I'm always on the lookout for that 2-3 AC place with a POS house on it that can be torn down or converted into some other use. My ideal place would have 2-3 RV pads I could rent out and my home pad. I come and go as I please and pay someone to keep the grass and weeds cut.

Around here that setup would run about $200K to buy and build.

Dennis58 · 01-04-2021, 09:09 AM

Example;

West Point Road
Somerville, AL 35670

$60,000

5.0 Acres with mature trees located on West Point Road. Great building site. Water Meter on property.

Power at the road, NO INTERNET

Dennis58 · 01-04-2021, 09:24 AM

This one is turn key

3164 Huckaby Bridge Road
Hartselle, AL 35640

1.32 AC / $55,000

READY FOR YOUR MOBILE HOME TO BE PLACED ON PROPERTY OR A HOME CAN BE BUILT. 1500 GALLON SEPTIC TANK IS IN PLACE, UNDERGROUND UTILITIES AND WATER WITH SHUT OFF VALVE ALL AVAILABLE. CARPORT WITH CONCRETE IN PLACE. ALL ONE HAS TO DO IS JUST HAVE THEIR HOME DELIVERED.

All you're getting here is a place to park and get off the road.

Jay D. · 01-04-2021, 10:16 AM

we have thought about it for some acreage in Oregon BUT acreage in Oregon is getting at a premium price just for this reason. ive thought about sharing a plot of land with some other people, and then rent it when its not being used. or use on the share bases, if you have a place and want to exchange time with me.
Jay D.

LeeB · 01-04-2021, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay D.

we have thought about it for some acreage in Oregon BUT acreage in Oregon is getting at a premium price just for this reason. ive thought about sharing a plot of land with some other people, and then rent it when its not being used. or use on the share bases, if you have a place and want to exchange time with me.
Jay D.

Oregon would be perfect and we would would have no problem sharing and/or renting out when not used..... Just a empty site would work, we can survive a week + or - without hook-ups ie; tanks emptying water adding... We could always go to a town to find a dump and water if one was near bye...
LeeB

LeeB · 01-04-2021, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis58

This one is turn key

3164 Huckaby Bridge Road
Hartselle, AL 35640

1.32 AC / $55,000

READY FOR YOUR MOBILE HOME TO BE PLACED ON PROPERTY OR A HOME CAN BE BUILT. 1500 GALLON SEPTIC TANK IS IN PLACE, UNDERGROUND UTILITIES AND WATER WITH SHUT OFF VALVE ALL AVAILABLE. CARPORT WITH CONCRETE IN PLACE. ALL ONE HAS TO DO IS JUST HAVE THEIR HOME DELIVERED.

All you're getting here is a place to park and get off the road.

Dennis this would be great a little far to travel (I am in California) and more money than we can spend....... Thanks anyway....... LeeB

Isaac-1 · 01-04-2021, 01:43 PM

The sad thing is so often people don't appreciate what they have until a thread like this comes up. I have access to some family farm land with about 1,500 feet or water front property on the banks of the Ouachita river in NE Louisiana on one side and an Ox Bow lake on the other, about 120 miles from where I live and have only camped out there once since buying my current coach 4 years ago.

georgelesley · 01-05-2021, 05:13 AM

We have also considered buying a lot to park the RV on. We always stop and remember though that if you do that, that is where you will spend your time because that is where your money is. As mentioned above, that is also a place that will require maintenance and work. We bought the RV to travel and see different places not the same place all the time. We already have that with our stick and brick house.

We lived in Northern MN for 10 years and saw the same thing play out repeatedly with cabins on the many local lakes. People would buy a cabin and after a time, tire of the cost and maintenance. They would not go to other places anymore and soon became bored. We had access to a family cabin in the area but only used it twice in ten years. As a fisherman I enjoyed fishing the many other lakes and not just the same place all the time. Another consideration is that if the area you bought in changes for some reason, you are stuck with a place that may no longer suit you.

We saw that happen with the family cabin I mentioned. The lake became overpopulated with people and under populated with fish and was no longer a good fishing getaway. Proceed with caution and be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.