# California urbanites to move to great lakes rural area



## Ziemael (Apr 26, 2018)

MN, WI, MI or round a bouts. We need a single 5 bed or 2 smaller houses on same lot in the $80k range. No major roof or plumbing issue homes will be considered. Wooded acreage a must. A realtor that understands the frugal homesteaders mindset is one that will get a sale in a couple months.  Net equity cash from California homes to buy place outright, so no qualifying issues.


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## hiddensprings (Aug 6, 2009)

PM me your email address. I’m a realtor in northern Minnesota and I can do some searching for you. 80K probably won’t get you what you’re looking for. Just a quick search state wide only turned up two places that meet most of your criteria but that was at a bit higher price tag.


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## Teepeerock (Apr 26, 2018)

have you considered Western New York? Very rural, you have Lake Ontario to the North, and Lake Erie to the west, with Buffalo, and Rochester bookending the area. Alot of cheap homes out there.
https://www.trulia.com/p/ny/barker/2093-carmen-rd-barker-ny-14012--2012638561

or for a few dollars more, you get ALOT more. Check this place out,.
https://www.trulia.com/p/ny/dayton/9653-allen-st-dayton-ny-14041--2012663345
8 1/2 acres 7 bedrooms, built for some senator.


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## Ziemael (Apr 26, 2018)

Teepeerock said:


> have you considered Western New York? Very rural, you have Lake Ontario to the North, and Lake Erie to the west, with Buffalo, and Rochester bookending the area. Alot of cheap homes out there.
> https://www.trulia.com/p/ny/barker/2093-carmen-rd-barker-ny-14012--2012638561
> 
> or for a few dollars more, you get ALOT more. Check this place out,.
> ...


Yes I completely agree that New York has the best looking acreage and insanly perfect old homes. Hard to beat really. In reading through state laws I was none to keen on more than several disagreeable ordinances and codes. A Few Counties Seem To Be Havens amist All This State imposed chicanery. While others are so oppressive they could be excerpts from a socialist playbook. Enough that we keep our feelers the the west of Pennsylvania. Seems that Truila takes a shine to grandstanding forced equality laws but doesn't readily supply the parcel tax history. Equality in the state means little to me if they have to rob everyone to enforce it. Zillow gives me a keener perspective regarding tax trends.


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

Speaking simplistically, forced equality in many cases doesn't elevate a C student, rather it descends the A student to everyone else's level. There are a lot of beautiful locations stifled by fine print. I have an employee that lived briefly in upstate NY when he first married. Most beautiful countryside he had ever seen....that taxed and regulated him out. I've used Zillow on land purchases with great success.


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## Teepeerock (Apr 26, 2018)

WNY has stunning landscapes. But.... you pay for it in real estate taxes. Then again NY is known for is social services. If you need access , it is there for you. If not, you are paying for someone else.
Minn. And Wisconsin aren't so cheap either. My cousins in Minn. tell me it is the NY of the Midwest with their taxes and social services. 
Ohio might be your least expensive place to live.
If it were me, and I was dead set on Great Lakes living? I wouldnt factor taxes in. Pick the place you fall in love with, and make it work.


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## Springwood (Mar 8, 2017)

I don't have a lot to add to the real estate search but I grew up in Western Michigan, lived in both Illinois and Ohio. One thing you should take into consideration that you don't mention is consideration of what you want to do with the land vs. the type of soil you have on the land. Will you be raising animals? sandier soil might be better for drainage and not having mud pits to deal with, raising some food crops? more clay based soil might be better plus check out the 100 year flood plain maps & anticipate that if purchase is anywhere within those flood plains you might not want to purchase or at least factor in that you'll *need* flood insurance. 

Re: soil...Wisconsin, Western Michigan and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan closer to the lakes, much of the soil is very sandy & hard to grow crops in because it doesn't hold the moisture well. Eastern Michigan and parts of the Upper Peninsula are very rocky and sometime rocky/sandy mix. Ohio soil is a lot of clay. Western Ohio is very flat, Eastern Ohio (Cleveland & east) is rocky and very sticky clay and hilly, which means you don't want even remotely low lying land because it floods with every gully washer rain. These are important factors you need to consider. 

CA to Great Lakes is like moving to a completely different country. Different culture and completely different weather. Once you select the area you want to buy in, I'd suggest go knock on some doors and talk to the locals. Midwesterners are notoriously friendly so don't worry about doing this. Ask questions about the weather/land/growing seasons/ any local orgs, gov't entities, Ag extension offices etc that can help you adjust to the dramatic differences you'll experience. This is *Not* a small move and you'll have to be flexible and do your homework in order to make it work. I've moved 7x and it's difficult to do. Be patient and know that you have a lot to learn and adjust to about the area that you ultimately move to.


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## Ziemael (Apr 26, 2018)

Teepeerock said:


> WNY has stunning landscapes. But.... you pay for it in real estate taxes. Then again NY is known for is social services. If you need access , it is there for you. If not, you are paying for someone else.
> Minn. And Wisconsin aren't so cheap either. My cousins in Minn. tell me it is the NY of the Midwest with their taxes and social services.
> Ohio might be your least expensive place to live.
> If it were me, and I was dead set on Great Lakes living? I wouldnt factor taxes in. Pick the place you fall in love with, and make it work.


I have aunts, uncles, cousins, etc in northern MN who confirm that as well. Did see a handfull o potential in some Ohio properties. Maybe we will look closer Yooper, since it is closer to my home state of Alaska anyway.


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## Ziemael (Apr 26, 2018)

Springwood said:


> I don't have a lot to add to the real estate search but I grew up in Western Michigan, lived in both Illinois and Ohio. One thing you should take into consideration that you don't mention is consideration of what you want to do with the land vs. the type of soil you have on the land. Will you be raising animals? sandier soil might be better for drainage and not having mud pits to deal with, raising some food crops? more clay based soil might be better plus check out the 100 year flood plain maps & anticipate that if purchase is anywhere within those flood plains you might not want to purchase or at least factor in that you'll *need* flood insurance.
> 
> Re: soil...Wisconsin, Western Michigan and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan closer to the lakes, much of the soil is very sandy & hard to grow crops in because it doesn't hold the moisture well. Eastern Michigan and parts of the Upper Peninsula are very rocky and sometime rocky/sandy mix. Ohio soil is a lot of clay. Western Ohio is very flat, Eastern Ohio (Cleveland & east) is rocky and very sticky clay and hilly, which means you don't want even remotely low lying land because it floods with every gully washer rain. These are important factors you need to consider.
> 
> CA to Great Lakes is like moving to a completely different country. Different culture and completely different weather. Once you select the area you want to buy in, I'd suggest go knock on some doors and talk to the locals. Midwesterners are notoriously friendly so don't worry about doing this. Ask questions about the weather/land/growing seasons/ any local orgs, gov't entities, Ag extension offices etc that can help you adjust to the dramatic differences you'll experience. This is *Not* a small move and you'll have to be flexible and do your homework in order to make it work. I've moved 7x and it's difficult to do. Be patient and know that you have a lot to learn and adjust to about the area that you ultimately move to.


Yeah when I drove for my Alaska to California move it there was a 2 year adjustment period. I still act Alaskan


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## Ziemael (Apr 26, 2018)

Springwood said:


> One thing you should take into consideration that you don't mention is consideration of what you want to do with the land vs. the type of soil you have on the land. Will you be raising animals? sandier soil might be better for drainage and not having mud pits to deal with, raising some food crops?


Yes on all those. From my garden experience in AK, (from sandy/rocky to heavy clays) and what I learned here working around and with big ag in CA. Sandy is fine because we are going to use woodlot biomass in with layering techniques. (the hippies are calling it back to eden/Permacultur) in our trials here we converted a litteral cat ridden sandbox plot into good soil with no $. Using tree/shrub/grass clippings in about 2 years. Natural animal behavior (goats/ chickens etc) with controlled parceling help convert faster. Good points you brought up especially the flooding.


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## TedH71 (Jan 19, 2003)

Ever consider or visit Maine?


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## Ziemael (Apr 26, 2018)

I know I would love Maine as much as Yooper. But both have the disadvantage of being to far away from the type of art vending events that traditionally have the best ROI for my business model. So I booked a flight to Flint, MI on the 1st. Will drive straight north and view homes with agent from Heritage Properties. Hopefully I have a decent offer by then so I can bid with something more than tentative restriction.


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