Please School me: How can I find inexpensive, quality land?

[jwar]

Congratulations to those of you who already have their place out of the way, I wish I could join your ranks!
I have been spending months looking for the right piece of land to build my bug out location (and as soon as possible to live on full time). I'm looking in Idaho and Montana, but of course I am not dead set on those two places. So far I've found a couple of parcels in my price range, but unfortunately they are in Property Owner Associations, and as you probably know, these POA's can be very restrictive, telling you what you can build, how many animals (and what kind), even how many trees you can cut down. Not what I had in mind at all.
I prefer something with partially flat land (to grow a large organic garden) and partially hilly with trees (for building materials and firewood). I believe I need at least 5 acres, but of course the more the better and I would love to have 20 plus acres off the beaten path.
However, my budget is not very big. I have about $10,000 that I can spend (I prefer not to go into debt for the land, but for the right property I could see going up to $20k). Something where I could dig a well for under $5k, and it doesn't need to be near electricity or phone. Also, the ground must be able to accept a septic system.
I know it's out there somewhere...
Anyone who knows how I might find what I'm looking for (preferrably without a POA) please email me at jwarkow gmail. (As a new user I can't post my email, I hope you will just add the appropriate missing symbols, etc.)
Thanks!
John

[Skyowl's Wife]

Good luck with your search!

[wyatt265]

ok thanks to those that log on and contribute nothing. To find good cheap land look for strip , mine.... clear cut timber. trash land, land that nobody wants. advertise, do craigs list do the newspaper. advertise and advertise. my good friend found 2 acres for 2k and yes it is the desert and yes it needs work but yes you can own your land and home. near me lots of cheap land no power no water no road but cheap.... a retreat ya..... you bet........ neighbors are already solar and hauling water. septic and compost, wind and solar power no cell no tv no internet no power but safe contained and cheap.. just 50 miles from phoenix. again thank you and good luck time wasters. this is to help each other not waste time. don't log on if you are a time waster.

[johnnie l.]

Easy guy we all have to start somewere.

[wyatt265]

and yes it is

ok I am simply saying it is avail with some serious work but it is avail. I sit at this time about 5 miles from such property. Do not misunderstand. it takes a ton of work........ a ton.

[TheLastMountainMan]

I've got 10 acres in the Kansas City area, to sell. Eastern Jackson county.

[ricky63]

There are certin counties in NC where taxes are low, land is inexpensive, and out of the way...I found 2.5 acers with a great house, well off the beaten path for 116,000, well, septic, and a National Forest for my back yard...remote, nice and peaceful

[wyatt265]

At the risk of repeating my self. There are cheap retreats out there. It is a bunch of hard work to find them. I live nt far from an off grid area. solar or wind power. mobiles or scratch built homes. battery back up. the well is shared the price is cheap. the roads are out in the winter during the flood season. can it be done...... ya...... there are folks that have been there for perhaps 10 years or more. Some trailer in their water. some have wells. depends on your finances. This is in Arizona. I do not have a personal ax to grind. with the exception that I would like to have like minded neighbors....... Good luck is not an answer to a question.

[jwar]

Montana is looking good, but ...

Thanks to the posters - especially liked the idea of advertising on Craigslist.
I have found a couple of bits of acreage in Montana - one at 4,700 feet elevation (10 acres, under $20k) but it is in a POA :( with all the problems that entails. I don't know how hard it is to grow food at that altitude, I am really hoping to find something around 3,000 feet or below though.
ANYBODY with suggestions for finding inexpensive acreage in the lower mountainous region of Montana, please help me out.

[m38]

jwar,
Have you been through Montana on vacation? Big state, lots to see. If you're going to set an elevation limit, then maybe you should focus your search to the Missouri River Breaks in eastern Montana. But as far as growing a garden, I live at 8,000 feet in the Colorado Rockies and we have a garden every year. So elevation is not going to be your limit. It'll be the frost cycles for where you decide to live. You can usually find that information out online for any locality you are interested in. Montana will have shorter growing seasons simply because it's farther north, and it gets lots of cold Canadian winds. But if you build a green house, you can extend your season. We did that for some of our crops. It helps.

Something you might try to help focus your search, find the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or Forest Service (FS) lands near where you want your BOL. If you look for what's called "inholdings" then you'll find private land that is surrounded by government land and there are almost never any HOA or POA restrictions. A phone call or email to local realtors will tell you if any are for sale. These could be old homesteads, or mining claims. Access might be an issue unless you have an over-snow vehicle for the winter. Old patented mining claims are often sold as summer retreats or hunting camps. Some of these will have cabins and water developments already on them. Typical mining claims are 5 acres but can be as large as 10 acres for a single claim.

Good luck with your search! Send us a postcard if you find your piece of paradise. And remember, with satelite internet, like Hughesnet, you can stay in touch without ever leaving your sanctuary.

[prkchp76]

check the bozeman mt craigslist section a friend of mine moved up there for medicinal purposes and loves it they are some small people though the local stores only carried clothes up to three x so if your a big person than be ready for lotsa mail order

[hford]

Try landandfarm.com. you can search in price ranges, state, even counties. You can narrow the search to all types of land....it's pretty good. There are lots of really inexpensive parcels on there, and most have lots of pics. Just email the realtor of any parcel you are interested in. Good luck!

[ryeder]

Depends on where you want the land...I am looking at 20 acre lots at around $1K per acre in Montana. Remote and will need work. It is out there. use; landflip or landwatch.

[wyatt265]

more,

Take a look at the book recently out called "Rancho Costa Nada". Discusses buying tax forclosed land. making a shelter etc. It's not for everybody but it is a way cheap way to go. I happen to live in a desert area with lots of survivalists. it's not MOTHER EARTH NEWS pretty but it is cheap and do able. when I first moved out here acres were about $1200 with a road and nearby electricty......... much cheaper now due to the economic collapse....... a bit further out way cheaper............. way...

[TheLastMountainMan]

Don't forget to check the sate's land tax auction. Or something like that. It's when they confiscate your land because you didn't pay taxes on it, and they auction it off.