# counties in MO with no building codes?



## Mel- (Mar 30, 2004)

I'm looking at land in Missouri. I really like the lots Smile4uinc.com offers, such as this lot which is close to 5 acres for about $5500 and close to forbes lake:

http://www.smile4uinc.com/listings/3303.html

but the subdivision the lots are in don't allow chickens and require 1000 sq ft lower floor and all the other regular subdivision requirements. the no chickens isn't a deal breaker for me but the rest is.

does anyone know of any 5+ acre lots at this price in missouri that have no building restrictions? I want to be near a lake community. I am not really interested in the lake itself but have lived in a small lake community in the past and really enjoyed that type of community as the closest *town*. What I want to build at the present is something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/storage-shed-gu...ultDomain_0?hash=item4cec54593f#ht_2739wt_926

on piers with no elec or septic or block foundation. Just a weekend cabin type situation at the moment with outhouse or portable toilet and bring own water in. Eventually I will add septic, well, elec but don't want to have to at this time.

some other places I have looked at you can get by without septic if you have 10+acres but the elec co won't hook up without a septic system (if I can find a place I can hook elec up now cheaply enough I would do this at the beginning but save water and septic until later).

I prefer MO though am also looking at KY. KY is closer to *home* but I used to live in MO and prefer it to KY. Thanks for any info you might have. I am open to all of MO though would prefer to go as far north as there are still dogwoods growing wild and blooming  may sound like a strange requirement but this will be my retirement and hopefully last home and gotta have dogwoods growing WILD plus redbuds of course ! have lived too many years where I have to travel to the southern part of my county to see them growing wild in the spring.


Thank you.


----------



## Kmac15 (May 19, 2007)

Nowhere near what you want....but we have lots of wild dogwoods and redbuds even this far south. ;P


----------



## Mel- (Mar 30, 2004)

lol, kmac, I know, my family is from tennessee and ky. but finding dogwoods and redbuds this far north in indiana requires a sunday drive. wherever I end up, I want them right outside my kitchen window. but sc is WAY too far south for me. gets hot and humid enough in this part of indiana !


----------



## Batt (Sep 8, 2006)

Mel, let me make a suggestion.... I live on Pomme-De-Terre lake in SW MO. Pomme Chamber Brochure Pomme is about 9,000 acres and two arms are each over 12 miles long. So we got lots of fishing and duck hunting water. Also COE (Corps of Engineeers) and MDC (MO. Dept of Conservation) acreages would total...I don't know Lots of acreages. You can find dogwood and redbud on most of it. I have not had any luck transplanting them though.

Real estate: I am familiar with the following sales within the last 4 months.
1. 47 acres, electric, phone,septic tank and a 2/7 share in a water well. $1700/acre Old house burned down.
2. 20 acres, flat, good soil $1500/acre Estate.
3. 40 acres, nice lay, well. septic. elec. Pond, older mobile but could easily be made liveable. $1500/acre Estate.

Now the key is you have to act quick. These kind of deals are available, but they don't last long. All were within 3 miles of the lake.

These were in Hickory and Polk Counties. Very few to no building restrictions. I built my place in Polk County. The only permit I had to get was to have the septic tank professionally installed. Survey,permit and inspection was $200. What inspection?? They knew my installer, he called in and said he was ready. They told him to cover it up, it was approved. The only reason I had to get a permit was as I understand it, we were within 1/4 mile of the lake.

As for Forbes, it isn't Forbes lake, it is a subdivision just off of Lake of the Ozarks...Take a real close look before you comitt,

If I can be of further help, feel free to PM.


----------



## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Adron there is someone over your way selling 5 acre parcels,owner finace with Well and Septic.Thinking maybe you know him? I've seen it in the Freeby Paper.

big rockpile


----------



## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

I know of a place for sale near Alton Missouri with a house and 12 acres. PM me if you want contact info.


----------



## Mel- (Mar 30, 2004)

adron,

sorry, I mis typed. I did know it was a subdivision called Forbes Lake and have looked at their LOA. Incredibly LARGE subdivision apparently. do you know something negative about that area/LOA? Reading their history, it seems it was formed in the 70s but still isn't very populated.

I'm not going to be buying anything sight unseen. I would like to narrow my focus down to what counties allow basically an off grid hunting cabin to be built but am having trouble finding that info on the net or getting responses from county offices.


----------



## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

We bought a 90'X100' lot for back Taxes for $1,500 put a 10'X20' Shed on it at present going to add 12'X28' on to it.Can't have Farm Animals but can have Dogs.Can't have Septic but can put 1,000 gallion Holding Tank on it .But we have a Composting Toilet and they are fine with this.

This is Benton County close to Warsaw.They have a Book in the hallway at the Courthouse with properties that have past due Back Taxes.

big rockpile


----------



## Batt (Sep 8, 2006)

Mel- said:


> I did know it was a subdivision called Forbes Lake and have looked at their LOA. Incredibly LARGE subdivision apparently. do you know something negative about that area/LOA?


 Been there a couple of times, not impressed.

I just wouldn't have anything to do with any LOA/POA or any other OA. Once people get on one of those boards they let a little power go to their head. To much open area to fool around with that.

I can only speak for the counties I am familiar familiar with, Polk and Hickory. There are no codes in either county unless you are building inside Bolivar city. The rest of the county is pretty open. Also Douglas county is pretty open. Greene county (Springfield) has lots of regulations, also Christian County (just south of Springfield). Just don't know about the rest.

Come to think of it, like Rocky said, I think Benton county is pretty lax. Know one couple who built a very rough log cabin home out of the native oak logs from their own land. No problems.

Good luck!!


----------



## caroline00 (Nov 10, 2002)

Texas county/Shannon county... not lakes but lots of rivers...

there is a state wide septic reg, I believe that you need 3 acres for a septic lagoon and they have been trying to ban starting new ones but that hasnt gone thru yet

If you are not dependant on local income, look at Emminence.. a river community.


----------



## Mel- (Mar 30, 2004)

I'm self employed and semi-retired so employment isn't a concern. I am, however, looking for a place that will be my full retirement home someday and I want it in a lake area. I lived in an area like that when I was younger and always thought it was great for the retirees since that was most of whom I saw all year. and there were always lots of activities. I liked missouri when I lived there and only came back to Indiana to help out in a family situation.

I'll have to look further at benton co. but that is where most of that forbes lake subdivision seems to be the only vacant land. they really do have great prices on the land they have and some amenities I like though I'd rather not have any bans on lifestock or be required to build 1000 sq ft. I'll have to give up my chickens to move but hoped to have them again when I settle.

the realtor did have 2 or 3 properties in the warsaw area that didn't have restrictions.

a holding tank is fine with me. do you also send your grey water into it? the house I live in now had it's original 1950 septic when I moved in and it was essentially just a holding tank with about a 10 ft line and I had to get it pumped about once a year or so.

thanks for all the ideas. once my house closes I will be going that way and living in a travel trailer in the area until I can find property that suits me. I lived in a 14 ft trailer like this in michigan and wisconsin in the early 90s for almost 2 years while I traveled around. Never did end up buying up there (I thought Indiana was cold and snowey !) but it was an enjoyable way to live. 

I've searched and read through most of the off grid discussions here but most seem to be about how rather than where.

Thanks again and if any others know of other counties with a lake community nearby please post. like I said, I don't want to live in the community or on the lake but I would like it to be the closest town and live out in the country on at least 2-5 acres.


----------



## Mel- (Mar 30, 2004)

adron,

talking about transplanting the trees, did you try in the spring or fall? my father still owns the farm he grew up on in tennessee and we have sucessfully brought redbuds, dogwoods and mimosa up here but this area is best to transplant in the spring as early as the ground thaws.

they will grow here if you plant them, but they don't reproduce and grow wild the way they start doing only about 20 miles south of here.


----------



## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Mel- said:


> I'm self employed and semi-retired so employment isn't a concern. I am, however, looking for a place that will be my full retirement home someday and I want it in a lake area. I lived in an area like that when I was younger and always thought it was great for the retirees since that was most of whom I saw all year. and there were always lots of activities. I liked missouri when I lived there and only came back to Indiana to help out in a family situation.
> 
> I'll have to look further at benton co. but that is where most of that forbes lake subdivision seems to be the only vacant land. they really do have great prices on the land they have and some amenities I like though I'd rather not have any bans on lifestock or be required to build 1000 sq ft. I'll have to give up my chickens to move but hoped to have them again when I settle.
> 
> ...


The only reason we would need a Holding Tank is the property isn't big enough for Septic and it is so close to the Lake.

The reason we can't have Animals is its in a Subdivision.But you can find other properties away from Subdivisions.

You might try this site http://ozarkland.com/ some of his places you can have animals.

big rockpile


----------



## Jaybeard (Nov 3, 2018)

This is an old thread, but I am looking to land in this area. Would love to be able to off grid. Codes still lax? Any leads on cheap land?


----------



## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I dig out native wild dogwoods and redbuds by the dozens every spring. For some reason they are constantly sprouting in all my flowerbeds. I have mature redbuds and dogwoods in the woods near the creek, central Ohio. I've seen both growing even further north of me.


----------



## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Jay not sure on your finances but try this site. I found a couple places but me and my wife decided know because we're not able anymore.

https://www.billyland.com/Missouri-Land-for-Sale/Auctions

big rockpile


----------



## Voiceofhope (Dec 13, 2020)

caroline00 said:


> Texas county/Shannon county... not lakes but lots of rivers...
> 
> there is a state wide septic reg, I believe that you need 3 acres for a septic lagoon and they have been trying to ban starting new ones but that hasnt gone thru yet
> 
> If you are not dependant on local income, look at Emminence.. a river community.


 ypu suggesred texas county. I have a family memwmbwr who has land there near success just 2 accers. I wanted to know how i coukd my it an off the grid homestead and what building permits i need. We are mission workers returning drom overseas and I dont know much about homesteading and land rules. Do you know texas counties rules? What could i do there? Could we have chickens and make a small man made pond?


----------

