WWVBOT do? Big house, small lot, or vice versa...

[cmb396]

My wife and I are making plans to build our next house next summer. We have our house plans, and everything we think we want to do. Our original plans included buying 8-10 acres and building our "dream house". My wife is from town, so she doesn't really appreciate the idea of having a decent size plot of land. I, otoh, grew up on 300+ acres.
Now for the dilemna, just down the road from where we had planned to build, a 110 acres are up for sale, obviously much more than the 8-10 we planned to buy.
We could buy the 110, and build less of a house, or go small with the land and big on the house.
The smaller lot, would need a lot of clearing, and a road built into it where we want to build. The larger lot, already has several nice places cleared to build, and about a 3/4 mile road cut into it. A road that is suitable enough for me even to get my lowered Z06 down. The larger lot also has 3000' or river frontage, which is nice, b/c we boat in the summer.
I like the idea of the larger land, I hunt, plenty of room for that. I have two boys, plenty of room for them to ride 4wheelers, etc., and most importanly, I know there will never be a house within eyesite of where we would build. The biggest downfall, is it would cost us a boat load of more money. I think buying the larger lot and building our house would be possible, but neither of us want to be 'house poor".
I know this is a subjective question, but what are do y'all think??

[snide]

Go big or go home.

[Uncle Pervey]

Whatever floats her boat I would say. Personally I think one inch more space than you need for privacy is a major pain in the ass. I'd hate to have to mow and maintain 110 acres of property. Fences are a bitch and with that much land you have to have fences and signs or you'll be over run with poachers and tresspassers.

[mrvette]

2000', 1/4 acre lot, with nice garage in back, tow or dock your boat, stay close in, join a hunt club.....

keep your fuel costs down, you be lucky to farm that land for the taxes you will have to pay....

My folks moved from the convenient burbs outside DC, in '63 out to 2 acres in what's now NOrth Potomac Md.....about 6 miles from gasoline, 15 miles from groceries.....ONE WAY.....

every nickel your kids make at any summer job gets eaten up with transportation, and YOUR inconvenience.....

best of luck....

[neece]

I thought everyone in WV lived in trail0rs?

Buy the land, you can always add onto your house. But, I am biased with the boats and all.

[lander]

They aren't making land anymore.

[Vet4jdc]

More land!

[Barn Babe]

It's all relative. Your title states "small lot." 8-10 acres isn't a small lot in most people's book, that's still a nice chunk of land.

I would prefer the land, how much would you have to downsize the house if you went with the land?

[Nemesis]

How big of a garage do you plan to build?

[cmb396]

Originally Posted by Uncle Pervey

Whatever floats her boat I would say. Personally I think one inch more space than you need for privacy is a major pain in the ass. I'd hate to have to mow and maintain 110 acres of property. Fences are a bitch and with that much land you have to have fences and signs or you'll be over run with poachers and tresspassers.

That all goes with the territory, upkeeping of a farm that big is a PITA, but worth it!!

Originally Posted by neece

I thought everyone in WV lived in trail0rs?

Buy the land, you can always add onto your house. But, I am biased with the boats and all.

They teach that to Bammer fans so they feel better about the trailer they live in!!

Originally Posted by TxAg

buy large land. Sell portions of it down to a "nice" to finance house. Build house nearly debt free. Enjoy life.

Just my .02 FWIW.

That is a possibility. It's all preliminary, but there are several portions that could be sold in 2-3 acre lots to help with finances. Also, my dad estimates around 50-60k in timber could be taken out. Not sure if I want to go the timbering route tho.

Originally Posted by Barn Babe

It's all relative. Your title states "small lot." 8-10 acres isn't a small lot in most people's book, that's still a nice chunk of land.

I would prefer the land, how much would you have to downsize the house if you went with the land?

We have 7 1/2 acres now with a 4200sq ft home. Our next home would not be much bigger, just more to our liking, and nicer. Not sure how much we would have to skimp on home just yet to make it happen.

Originally Posted by Drew M

How big of a garage do you plan to build?

Current house plans include a 3 stall, with additional plans of building a 36x48 pole barn, or something in that vicinity.

[MattW]

Originally Posted by Drew M

How big of a garage do you plan to build?

This.

Small house... huge outbuildings for hobbies and toys

[oyealiz]

Neither of those is anything I'd consider. Even 8-10 acres is WAY more than I'd want to keep up with.

My brother bought acreage when his three sons were young. They are all grown now (one still in high school), and they are tired of living "out" and having all that to care for.

And if it would make you "house poor", that's another huge vote against buying that much land, IMO.

[vetteman9368]

buy the land, build a smaller house. Later on you can build another house and you will have a guest house or a house to give/leave to family later on. over 100 acres is plently of land, and is the kind of place that becomes "home" even once the kids go their own ways

[vetteman9368]

Originally Posted by Wadoka

This.

Small house... huge outbuildings for hobbies and toys

my plan= 2000 sqft house, 10,000 sqft shop

[oyealiz]

Originally Posted by vetteman9368

buy the land, build a smaller house. Later on you can build another house and you will have a guest house or a house to give/leave to family later on. over 100 acres is plently of land, and is the kind of place that becomes "home" even once the kids go their own ways

If you want to care for that much property!

My brother's place is awesome, outbuildings, etc. But now that the kids (all but one) are out, they don't want all that to mess with.

With just a couple of acres, you have plenty of room for a big house and a huge garage/outbuilding.

And again...the house poor (or house and land poor) thing, I'd hate!

[vetteman9368]

Originally Posted by oyealiz

If you want to care for that much property!

My brother's place is awesome, outbuildings, etc. But now that the kids (all but one) are out, they don't want all that to mess with.

With just a couple of acres, you have plenty of room for a big house and a huge garage/outbuilding.

And again...the house poor (or house and land poor) thing, I'd hate!

Funny thing around here, all the 2-5 acre parcels are priced about $10k-20k an acre. But i can buy 10 acres for $43000

[oyealiz]

Originally Posted by vetteman9368

Funny thing around here, all the 2-5 acre parcels are priced about $10k-20k an acre. But i can buy 10 acres for $43000

Usually that means it's further out.

And it sounds like big acreage and smaller house is the most costly in the OP's scenario.

[Cobra4B]

First, what all do you ahve to do to "keep up" 110 acres? I mean if it's not a working farm what do you have to go do on a regular basis? How do you keep people from doing stuff on your land?

My parents' old house in Fairfax had a bit over 7 acres and that was a good bit of land to me. My childhood revloved around yardwork and cutting grass. Even with most of it being woods and having a riding mower it still took about 4 hours to do it all and the edging once a week.

I'd probably buy the land then build a massive garage and live in the garage until I could afford to build the hosue

[cmb396]

Originally Posted by oyealiz

Usually that means it's further out.

And it sounds like big acreage and smaller house is the most costly in the OP's scenario.

Not really, big acreage, smaller house would be around 450-500k, same as smaller plot with desired house. Big lot with planned house is closing in on 700k.


And small lots around here are the same. Small acreage lots go for 10-20k an acre, farms, 100+, go from 1500-3500 an acre. Funny thing is, you can buy a farm, turn around and clean it up and sell 2-5 acre plots for 20-50k dollars all day.

[C5SilverBullet]

Just get the diesel...


Wait, wrong thread.