I dont know anything about putting in septic or well water, but what a beautiful property and 6 acres is great!

What kind of trees does the neighbor to the east/southeast have compared to yours, that they are so green?

If one of your daughters were to buy a lot from you, would their house be sort of intruding on that neighbor's space, even though the neighbor doesn't own it?

Nice lot!

Very nice lot. For me, I would prefer entering from the more private road BUT I wouldn't want the hang out spot in the back of the house to face North. So, with that in mind, a crooked driveway from the busier road would still seem private if you leave the trees thick across the front. Very green and very pretty.

I dont know anything about putting in septic or well water, but what a beautiful property and 6 acres is great!

Thanks! As I said, I'm excited to go look at it again tomorrow.

What kind of trees does the neighbor to the east/southeast have compared to yours, that they are so green?

As you can see in this picture, the neighbor has large pines behind the house... the lot that potentially might be ours is mostly hardwoods (suits me -- I'm no fan of pines, which don't mix well with fruit trees, especially apples). What I'm showing you here is from Google, and I assume these pictures were taken in the winter when the hardwoods were "naked". You can see some pines mixed in with the hardwoods.

If one of your daughters were to buy a lot from you, would their
house be sort of intruding on that neighbor's space, even though the
neighbor doesn't own it?

Since it's larger than a typical suburban lot, I don't think it'd really be a problem. Here are the roads towards the back of the lot ... marked with arrows ... part of the road is blocked by those heavy trees:

Very nice lot. For me, I would prefer entering from the more private
road BUT I wouldn't want the hang out spot in the back of the house to
face North. So, with that in mind, a crooked driveway from the busier
road would still seem private if you leave the trees thick across the
front. Very green and very pretty.

A very good idea. I'd prefer the house to be on "the main road" because it's flat, and it has the orientation I want. A longer, crooked driveway is a good idea.

I think it is a great lot with lots of potential. When we bought our 2 acres, it was about 5k above appraised value. We did it anyway because it was valuable to us. The view we have was well worth it and we have had multiple offers for the lot before we started building.

If you like the lot, septic and a well are not that big an issue.

I'd say snatch it up if you like it, can afford it, and can afford the septic and well etc you will need.

R

mrspete I wouldn't let the well and septic need scare you off although I totally understand the hesitation. I'm Chicago suburbs born and raised and our must have list included all the usual city services (and then some); city water, sewer, natural gas, paved road and sidewalks. We bought land with NONE of that. If it's the right property for you, you'll know it and it won't feel like a second choice about w&s but an alternative choice.

Maybe I'm missing something, but your first pic doesn't seem to show access to the secondary road. If there is access, don't buy assuming you can sever for a separate lot. And even if it is possible to sever now, don't assume that right will exist in the future. File for severance asap. Been there, been denied. :-(

Well and septic are only a cost to be factored into your offer.

I assume the property is in the South? Down South pines planted in a row like that are intended for sale to a paper company. You see plantings like that all over everywhere. The pines are a long-term investment as it takes 20-25 years for them to grow to the size for harvesting. The type of pine in the photo are usually not Christmas trees.

Very pretty lot!

If you like the lot, septic and a well are not that big an issue.

Yeah, I've lived with well and septic, so I know about living with the pros and cons. I don't know about the pros and cons of building these items.

Maybe I'm missing something, but your first pic doesn't seem to show access to the secondary road.

It's there, I promise. I just tried to go back to Google Maps and "snip" a picture that'd encompass both the "front door" and the "back door", but I can't fit it into one screen without losing sight of the property lines. Going around to the "back door" requires probably three miles of driving and four turns ... but, yeah, I walked through the property, then down the small roads 'til I reached the main road again.

I assume the property is in the South? Down South pines planted in a row like that are intended for sale to a paper company.

Yes, we're in the South, but we're a popcorn and soybean area. If people are selling for paper, I'm not aware of it. Hmmm ... not that what the neighbors sell affects me. Just curious.

But if it is a pine plantation, a clear cut is awfully ugly. However, from the size of those trees a clear cut for sale at least 20-25 years away,. We are in a row crop area too -- soybeans, corn, rice and a little wheat and cotton BUT there are also pine plantations nearby and one day you drive past a beautiful stand and the next it's gone -- not attractive.

Pine plantation? I learned something new today.

My thoughts base on some experience with building involving well and septic (in the south).

For septic, I would recommend that your contract include a "subject to septic approval" clause. Sometimes it isn't just money, sometimes the locality will not approve a septic. In many areas, septic requirements have gotten much stricter over time so knowing that it was once approved, or that neighboring lots were approved, is not the same as your lot being approved. This also applies to ensuring that the size of the septic meets the needs of your house (based on number of bedrooms). And, it would apply to separating off another lot. Most likely, with 6 acres in a piney area, you'll have no problem with septic approval. But, I wouldn't want to buy the lot and find out afterwards that there is some unusual condition.

Approved locations for well and septic could possibly impact your plans for where you want to site your home(s), driveways, etc.

Cost for well and septic can be estimated but can't be known in advance.

Red, it's just what just an even aged pine tract it is called, at least around here. Size really doesn't matter, it can be 1,000 a acres or just 20 -- just a field of approximately even aged pine planted to be harvested all at the same time years in the future. Pine is pretty actively managed because it is a fast growing tree, needs thinning occasionally etc.

DH used to have some pine land, but sold it when it became too much to tend and bought/exchanged for a rental property instead because DD is in the property management business. My family still has a relatively large farm, about 3500 acres of crop land (soybeans, rice p and corn) that we lease out and around 150 acres of treed land, but it is primarily hardwood and is most actively managed except for selective cuttings every few years -- primarily hunting land for my brother and his crew. But nothing plantation about any of it.

Omlet & Virgil, Thanks for all the CYA thoughts. I'd already thought about making an offer subject to a positive perk test, survey to verify property lines, and clear title search. I have a lawyer whom I've used for real estate transactions in the past -- an old country gent -- and I do trust him to look out for my best interests.

I have thought about calling -- but haven't looked up the number yet -- the county water department to ask when /if they intend to lay pipe down this road. This area is booming in terms of housing and business, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear them say, "That road is scheduled for ___." Even if we bought this week, we wouldn't start building next week ... so I'd be willing to wait a bit for county water, if I knew it were planned in the near future.

I had not considered calling the septic /well people, but I'm putting it on my to-do list. I know it's not a sure-thing, but they may be able to say something about that area in general.

As for the "back road", I did walk it, and although it's small, it's a real state road with state upkeep. I have personal experience with the create-a-road department (when we put a road through our family farm, and working with them is odd. However, the idea that one of my daughters could build from that direction is a possibility that may never play out, so I'm not going to base decisions on that.

No flood plain or soil issues.

No drainage issues are evident, but with a creek forming one border, I'll think again on that topic.

This property is in the middle of residential /agricultural areas -- no non-residential within a couple miles. Town is about 5 miles down the road. My farm is about 9 miles away.

Red, it's just what just an even aged pine tract it is called, at least around here

I don't think that name is "a thing" around here, but I'm not surprised that names vary from place to place.

I have no great love of pines. They don't provide good shade like hardwoods, big trees can "snap off" during a storm, and they wreak havoc with fruit trees (which I like very much). Since the pines on this property seem to gang towards the back, I'd probably leave them alone for a while, but I would probably not allow new ones to spring up.

It is beautiful. My biggest hesitation is the amount of land. That's a lot of land. We just sold our house and ground to downsize to half an acre. DH doesn't want to mess with a yard in retirement. Personally I wish we had more. I'm afraid there will be little yard for my grandchildren by the time the house is built.

on the other hand, you are younger than me and how fun would it be to have an outbuilding with some "toys" for the grands, a place for bonfire, campouts, etc.

A forested tract may not require much upkeep. My parents built a house in the woods, and had a small front lawn, but virtually no grass on 3 sides of the house.

I think it's a beautiful lot!

That's a lot of land.

LOL, you don't know where I grew up. Our front yard was approximately five acres with twenty-something big, old oak trees. The two side yards were about three times that size, one with a pond.

Yep, I grew up on a farm as well. Lots of great memories.

Mrs Pete,

I would get the perk test done through the county, to see what kind of septic field you will require. Make sure you do the perk in an area where the field would go. A Standard field to an engineered field can be a lot of $$ difference. For the well I would talk to a neighbor and/or call a local well driller. They should have an idea of depth and water quality. But you should plan on a water treatment system regardless.

another problem with pines is the pine bark beetle, they went though our neighborhood in 2011 and decimated almost every single pine tree, the neighborhood was hardly recognizable you could hear them chomping on the trees.....consider the views of and from the lot without the pines.....as it could happen

another problem with pines is the pine bark beetle, they went though our
neighborhood in 2011 and decimated almost every single pine tree, the
neighborhood was hardly recognizable you could hear them chomping on
the trees.....consider the views of and from the lot without the
pines.....as it could happen

Sounds like us with the dogwood trees a few years ago. I tried so hard to keep mine alive ... failed.