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greenacarina
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# Posted: 20 Apr 2011 05:45am
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I get 2 ideas in my head when I hear this word...maybe depending if it's used as a noun or a verb.
Firstly I think of a big cluster of cookie-cutter houses in the suburbs with HOA's and CCR's.
Then there's the big chunk of farmland that gets platted out into smaller lots.
So my question is this- Does that big chunk of divided-up farmland pose the same problems to the recreational-land buyer as suburban-hell?
The reason I ask is this- When I was looking at a smaller piece of property (slightly more than 1/2 acre), I could tell from the plat map that it used to be a large land area that was sectioned out. The 2 lots next to the one I was looking at were developed and had houses on them. The lot I was interested in was totally overgrown and I would have preferred to keep it (mostly) that way.
All the lots in this section of land were in the unincorporated county and likely not as code-restrictive as property in the city limits...but how can I find out what is or isn't allowed (general appearance, construction, etc...) on a piece of property like this? I didn't find anything terribly helpful (other than tax information) on the county website.
Thanks.
Chris
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bobrok
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# Posted: 20 Apr 2011 07:59am - Edited by: bobrok
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Hi Chris,
There isn't likely to be anything like this on a website, but I strongly urge you to make personal contact with al local authority to review the subdivision information thoroughly. There could be deed restrictions. There could be a subdivision proposal for the rest of the property behind you, for example, that would surround you with development in the future.
There could be codes restricting the height of your lawn. These are far-fetches to be sure, but it is buyer beware and due diligence on you to obtain as much info from as many sources before you commit to a purchase. Talk to the farmer, the developer/builder, the neighbors, the code enforcement people at the county level right down to the local level if there are any.
I used to draw those tax maps for a living. Be as thorough as you can.
Bob
Edit: your profile doesn't say where you are located and you didn't mention where you are looking at this property. I am in NY and, to say the least, NY'ers are subject to multiple layers of government and a lot of gov't intervention in our lives. I'm sure things are lax compared to us if you are elsewhere in the US, but due diligence is the operative here.
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Gary O
Member
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# Posted: 20 Apr 2011 08:38am
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Quoting: bobrok Talk to the farmer, the neighbors
For sure
If you are thinking of a get away for just occasional recreational use, maybe your chat with the neighbors would be the end of it.
However, you must find out what the future holds, what the action is in future development.
Any realty signs? If so, you might give them a call. Usually their jabbering as to what's planned for the area is very informative.
Quoting: greenacarina The 2 lots next to the one I was looking at were developed and had houses on them.
How do they look?
Manicured lawns?
Expensive toys?
Lexus is the 2nd car?
Or, couch on the porch?
Barbeque is a shopping cart?
Swimming pool is the back end of a pick up?
Family tree in the front yard has no limbs?
If either of these, you might just keep lookin' without askin'
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turkeyhunter
Member
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# Posted: 20 Apr 2011 09:44am - Edited by: turkeyhunter
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Quoting: Gary O How do they look? Manicured lawns? Expensive toys? Lexus is the 2nd car
i know these folks........ :-)
Quoting: Gary O Or, couch on the porch? Barbeque is a shopping cart? Swimming pool is the back end of a pick up? Family tree in the front yard has no limbs?
and run with this crowd........... LOL
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BadgersHollow
Member
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# Posted: 20 Apr 2011 10:54am
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I went the "subdivision" route, but had to look for a long time for a piece of property that could offer me a small cabin type of existence. I think the one thing that you compromise with a rural subdivision is true privacy. I'm on 5 acres and have two potential cabin sites. From one, I can see the next cabin over. From the other, I can see the neighbor's shed. I've got lots of trees, so, with strategy, should be able to screen them out. But still, not true solitude.
The land is first-off and primarily my oasis. But, secondly, an investment. Chances are that I'll want to sell the ground some day. The subdivision has the right zoning - residential. Power. Phone. Access - a county maintained/plowed road to the subdivision (huge benefit in the Oregon Cascades).
Someday, I'd like to try a true backcountry set-up - solitude, self reliance. But, for me the subdivision route was more practicle at this point in my life - kids & job.
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BadgersHollow
Member
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# Posted: 20 Apr 2011 11:02am
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Like I said though, it took a lot of looking before I found a "subdivision" parcel that would work. There is a lot of subdivision ground in Klamath and Lake county Oregon that is cheap and platted as subdivision - but also very undesirable (zoning issues, water table at the Earth's core, sketchy neighbors living under a blue tarp 300 feet away, deer overlay, access).
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Gary O
Member
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# Posted: 20 Apr 2011 11:38am
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Quoting: BadgersHollow water table at the Earth's core, sketchy neighbors living under a blue tarp 300 feet away
Too funny
So, when did you look around the Bly area?
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Kelly
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# Posted: 2 May 2011 02:28pm
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I would contact first your township and question the zoneing, and bilaws of that piece of land. Do you have any creeks or water areas at all on the property? I found that we had to speak to our local conservation authority first to see where we were allowed to build before we bought it. We have many creeks running through and we were really surprised how much area they consider to be protected areas you can`t build anything on in so many feet around the creeks. When we were looking the township gave up lots of papers that listed many ways the land was able to be used for it was very helpful before we went ahead and bought it. This saved us any surprises for the future I hope this helps.
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