# 'nuther trip to Missouri



## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

Just got back tonight from a "quick" (1,500 mile) trip up to Missouri to walk an 80.

Place was not advertised as having a spring...but it does. Has some really nice white oak, and lots of pretty good size post oaks. Saw turkey and deer during the hour on the property.

Wife and I both find the piece acceptable, at the right price. Now need to formulate an offer.

With the way the economy and equity markets are right now, I am not sure how to proceed! Land has been on the market a year without an offer. General job market/economy stinks, prices seem to be falling in general.

It is larger/more expensive than we originally intended to buy, but the price per acre will likely end up below $1k. The property is a quarter mile off a county gravel road...access is via deeded easement. This would be a negative to many people. Also, there is no power within a quarter mile. Between running poles and cutting a power easement, it would cost a little over $4,000 to get electrons to the property line.

Asking price is $88.5K and is the original asking price from a year ago. Like I said, no offers yet per the realtor. I don't want to offend the owner...but I think my offer is going to be in the mid $70's. I think most folks looking to buy a piece off the road and off the grid are looking for hunting land....and the prices are generally lower for this type of land.

Am I out in left field?


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## DaynaJ (Dec 5, 2007)

Where is this located? Parts of Mo, like other states are less expensive. I just sold 48 acres with small garage, footings poured for a house, water, septic, electric & drive way already made on property for about $1,700 per acre--There's quite alot of good acreage in the area for even less--


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

We had been looking around kirksville and Macon, and they still want a small fortune. I think the realators get a bit greedy when somebody from out of state comes looking. So I think we have stopped thinking about a move, for now anyway. maybe when we retirer.>Thanks marc


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I say lowball them. 
Worst they can do is say "no".

Good luck!


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## SirDude (May 30, 2010)

Does your Realtor have any feeling of their needs, etc? I would think that if they have been sitting on this place for a long time and are truly trying to sell, then they will counter-offer just about anything you send them. 

And even though it's up to you to make an offer, it's your realtor's job to find a nice way to sell it to these people / their realtor. 

Plus, like you said, it has things that would be a turn-off for other buyers, so figure out the comp's and start maybe a little bit lower. Even if they don't counter your offer, there's nothing written saying you can't make a second offer if they shoot this one down. Unless they "shoot" your realtor. LOL 

Good luck! 

SirDude


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I dont think "niceness" should be a factor. 
I really dont. There are a LOT of places for sale in that area
and if they dont make a counter offer, then? Oh well. 
Keep looking. It is a buyers market. 

take the risk.


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

Well, you didn't ask my opinion, but $1000 an acre probably seems good from Austin, TX, but that is probably the going price for 80 remote acres (the more acres the cheaper). The price on acres seems to be staying stable here in Missouri, houses are dropping, repo's are still thick and heavy. I've had terrible luck with deeded access to land-bound property (it all depends on who owns the property you are crossing---mine sold to a drunken jerk that threatened me with guns---I sold out before I got killed---deeds and lawyers don't help if you are dead). Around here it also costs about $4000 to get all the sewage and approvals/inspections put in----don't forget to check---it depends on the county a lot. But by all means offer low, but not so low as to be insulting. Good luck.


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

The listing realtor tells me the owner lives in AZ. His cousin owns the land that the deeded easement runs across (120 acres to the west and north).

I have no idea what the seller's situation is....but I might have a better idea after the first counter (assuming there is a counter)!

I know how much I have to spend, and it starts with a 7. So I will have to find a way to make the deal, or move on. Like was stated, there is a lot of property on the market and folks seem to be getting more motivated. I am seeing properties with "price reduced" whereas I did not see that much in this area in recent years.

The parcel is in Ozark County.


Appreciate the comments!

Tim


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## Madame (Jan 1, 2003)

When I found the house I'm in now, I offered $12,000 less than it was listed for. It'd been on the market for a year and she accepted the offer.


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

Tim, if you don't have any luck with this piece and head back that way, holler at me. We have 59 acres just north of the Ozark county line, in Douglas county, off of P hwy we have decided to sell. I think we're going to end up permanently in Arkanasas. We'd bought the 59 acres to retire on. It has a nice spring on it, power at the road, and is 20 minutes to Ava, 30 to Gainesville. 

It's about a mile down a gravel road, but no easement! It's very private, as all 4 sides are hilled, and the bottom/center of the land is flat. It's really a cooll piece, but wouldn't be good for farming if that's what you're after. Scenic, yes!


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

CJ

PM sent. 


thanks,


Tim


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE have a lawyer examine that easement with a fine-toothed comb.

You will be so glad you did.


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

I have written in section 21 of the contract that any offer is contingent upon the seller providing the buyer with an easement of 45' x 1320' across the 40 ie the southwest 1/4 of northwest 1/4 of section.....), from county road XXX to the border of subject property.

Once the seller has that in writing, I will have it examined before going forward.

I can only imagine the feeling one would have when they realize the easement they thought they had is really nonexistent.

Tim


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

We have a contract!

Only had to go back and forth twice...

I have purchased 6 houses, but this is much more exciting to me! All the potential of 80 acres...all the planning, dreaming...

Howdy to all my new neighbors in Missouri (and extreme north-central AR)!


Tim


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## onthespot (Oct 7, 2007)

Here is a place in that general area that I thought looked good. Anyone from around there able to share some info on the general area?

http://www.morealestate.net/listings.htm
Listing # PPR-818


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Congratulations on the contract.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

onthespot, I am not getting #PPR-818? 
Which county are you looking at?


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## onthespot (Oct 7, 2007)

Sorry, If you click on the link and past the listing (PPR-818) into the "Listing Number" box and search, it will come up. It is in Gainsville


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## Mel- (Mar 30, 2004)

here is a link to the listing he is talking about:

http://www.morealestate.net/multili...ck&linkcolor=000099&linkcolor2=F00&lid=381871


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Sorry to tarbe for the highjack. 

onthespot, I would look to get a bit further from town, myself. 
41 acres of pasture, what would you use this for?
Not really any forest left at all on that place.
I guess it depends on what you want to do with the land though.
You should come and check out the area.

Employment? that is the biggie.


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## silverbackMP (Dec 4, 2005)

springvalley said:


> We had been looking around kirksville and Macon, and they still want a small fortune. I think the realators get a bit greedy when somebody from out of state comes looking. So I think we have stopped thinking about a move, for now anyway. maybe when we retirer.>Thanks marc


Kirksville through Macon (north Missouri) has lots of good to marginal row crop land and dang fine pasture land and zero rocks. 

The sub $1200 an acre stuff (mostly south Missouri) grows rocks and trees.

Hence the price disparity.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

silverbackMP said:


> Kirksville through Macon (north Missouri) has lots of good to marginal row crop land and dang fine pasture land and zero rocks.
> 
> The sub $1200 an acre stuff (mostly south Missouri) grows rocks and trees.
> 
> Hence the price disparity.


Beg to differ. Here in NW MO, there is good soil, and land can be had for a little over a grand an acre.

Johnson Controls has started hiring again -- big time -- and there's serious talk about adding a 3rd shift.


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## onthespot (Oct 7, 2007)

So what is the "best part" of Missouri? I want to keep poultry and not be too far from a post office.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

onthespot said:


> So what is the "best part" of Missouri? I want to keep poultry and not be too far from a post office.


Well, we live in Worth, the smallest county in the fine State of Missouri. 

Post office is 5 miles up the road from us in Grant City. 

We have chickens, guineas, turkeys, ducks... We have "non-poultry" animals too: rabbits, goats, dogs... I want to get a pig. Maybe next year. Neighbor across the road had camels, burros, had a zebra last year. 

Lots of folk have grass-fed cattle operations. Nicest thing you'd ever want to see when it comes to meat production.

Taxes are WAY less than what we were paying in Northern Illinois.

There's no one breathing down your neck, so you can pretty much do anything the law allows. Folks are friendly and helpful, but they're also "live and let live" as well.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

We live in Texas Co, MO. On 120 acres we pay less than $300 taxes a year. This is a very rural area. Plenty of small farms/ranches and all my neighbors have poultry, cows,horses, Friendly small towns. Plenty of opportuity to sell excess. Friends mak their living with a pastured poultry operation, for instance. There are some really nice places for sale around us; some by owner,too. DEE


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## squeakyzig (Dec 21, 2006)

Gainesville is the County seat of Ozark County. The population of Gainesville is 632. In town we have 2 gas stations, a Dollar General, a building supply and 1 grocery store. The post office and 1 of the banks are in an adjoining building. The other bank is on the square. There is one motel in town and another a few miles west of town. 

There is a Wal-Mart in Ava, about 35 miles north, another in Mountain Home, AR, about 30 miles south and a 3rd in West Plains, about 40 miles east.

I live approx. 10 miles south of Gainesville.


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## onthespot (Oct 7, 2007)

I would be paying cash for whatever place I bought, so I wouldn't have a mortgage to worry about. I have a fair flock of poultry and sell eggs and ship all over the country. I am also a home health nurse, so I could possibly scare up some $ doing home visits for wound care, insulin shots, or extended care of quadraplegics or comatose people... just depends. I recently read a thread on BYC about a gal that did that. She paid cash and all the locals look askance at her, like she is some kinda threat to all the married men around. I'm no homewrecker, and not much of a catch, really. I'd hate to get the cold shoulder in a new, small town though... almost worse than I'd hate to be married, LOL


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## onthespot (Oct 7, 2007)

I can't help but see the sudden stop of post to this thread after my post as somehow affirmation of what my situation would be like if I moved to a small town and paid cash and just enjoyed my chickens. I can't help but think the poster from the other forum experience would be similar to what I would experience if I moved to a small town and paid cash. I would think in a real estate forum on here, there would possibly be more posts about different options, perhaps other posters with properties that might suit, or something. Instead, the thread dies. Kinda sad, for me and for whoever I would buy from. Oh well. Better stick to what i konw. I was somewhat open to a change, but not so much now. This will be my one big move and I need to make it count.


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

onthespot, 
I've always figured if you told "everyone" your business you wouldn't have any for yourself. Therefore, I'd highly recommend you keep the independance of your finances to yourself in a small community. Otherwise, whether any of us small-towners want to admit it or not we have and will continue to ostricize newcomers to our small, clannish towns. When I step back and look at conversations and situations regarding "those wealthy californians" that come in here buying up all of "our" cheap land I can see true resistance to newcomers. 

I know it aint right. And I know it's a hard thing to understand. But, it happens. Once again, whether we want to admit it or not.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Onthespot, I'm a bit confused by your post. Frankly, I missed the one about paying cash, etc. Things are pretty busy this time of year anyway, and computer time is low on my list of priorities when I'm running out between the raindrops to catch up!

Francismilker has very good advice, though. It's really not wise to let anyone know that you've paid for your home free and clear, and it's unlikely that someone will ask you about that. (One fellow asked if he could ask me what we paid for our place. I said, "No" and went on talking about something else.)

People really just want to know where you're from, who are "your people," and what you are going to bring to the community in the way of participation. 

TMI is just TMI. Folks are struggling everywhere, and lots of folks are hard hit in small towns. They don't want to feel that you're taking advantage of a lifestyle that finds many of them barely treading water.

But paying cash for everything isn't going to get you funny looks in this neck of the woods. That's how most folks operate around here. There are some who write checks (and it astounds me how many places will take checks!), but mostly it's cash and carry.

When we moved here, we found folks to be open and welcoming. Once they know you're willing to pitch in and help, they're more than willing to bend over backwards for you. We get told fairly often how glad folks are that we moved here. It's a sign to them that there's still life, I guess. 

No matter where you go, be friendly, ask questions, be interested in other people. They'll be very interested in you, but they seem to like to tell their stories first, and have you understand them, the town, the history. 

I am not selling a property because I'm pleased with where I am. There are other properties in the area for sale, and I'd be happy to send along numbers and such if you'd like.


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## onthespot (Oct 7, 2007)

I'm not independently wealthy. Someone passed away and left me a wolf, a baboon, and a run down moldy leaking house and a five year condtion to live in the house and it would be mine if I cared for her animals well. Besides that I am hand to mouth, foot in mouth, broke down, cash and carry but carry little cash. Thanks for the input. I was sorta feeling like a thread killer. I need to find out soon as the escrow closes if I need to do a 1031 exchange being as it was an inheritance and in a trust and all. I honestly don't know. I have been eyeballing other properties just in case. All over the states, and in the virgin islands, where I grew up. That is the most likely place of me fitting in, to be honest. Might end up down there. Thanks for the answers, pony and francis. I never have been good at keeping my mouth shut, for good or for bad, but I do pitch in and help like crazy, even for people I don't know. I figure anywhere I move will better off for me being there, most likely.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

We're not independently wealthy, either, but because this is such a rural area, we were able to pay for the place free and clear. Doesn't mean we don't have to have a way to bring in money, but we don't have a mortgage.

US Virgin Islands? Sounds so nice, but I've never been. Is it very beautiful?


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## onthespot (Oct 7, 2007)

Yes, it is very beautiful. My sister is trying to talk me into seeing who owns this place to see if I can buy it. The less grown over pics were taken in 07, the overgrown ones last week. It is a shame to see a house like this just get eaten up by the vegetation. It is right near the beach, very out of the way. No one living near by. She said the roof seems good. Maybe looks like the windows all got blown out by a hurricane or two, but you could just sweep it up and live in it today. Well, now you would have a TON of plant erradication to do... but she said it didn't look too bad to handle. I don't know if I could afford it. The Realtor I contacted says bare land in that area goes for 100k/acre. Who knows, you never know until you ask.

Here's a shot of the entry way, as it looked in 2007. 









Here is a shot of the view from the balcony.









Here is a shot of the veranda. It has COOL old wrought iron in between the pillars.









Here's how overgrown the steps are now, photo taken last week... Shame....









Here is a detail of the wrought iron


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Oh, my! That is absolutely stunning!

You had me there, right up until you wrote "hurricane." That killed the deal for me.

Well, the 100K an acre is kind of a bummer, too. 

Still, it does look beautiful, and I can see why you'd rather locate there rather than on the Great Plains.


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## onthespot (Oct 7, 2007)

well, that plus, I got "people" there, friends from my childhood. I have a brother that lives there, even though he struggles with alcoholism and meth addiction, he's "people" and knows people who know me. Also, it is a tourist place, and their economy is rejuvenated by a constant stream of retirees and people who vacationed there and want to live there permanently. The island people know that, are not afraid of strangers, are happy to absorb the monetary infusion into their economy. They don't really care who brings the money, just bring it on, LOL. Hurricanes don't bother me too much, especially in a house like this that has already withstood a hundred years or so of them. I'd rather a house like this than a new one, to be honest. Hmmmmmm..... decisions, decisions... it is very hard to know what to do. There are advantages and disadvantages to being the sole decisionmaker, to be sure.

Edit to add: A place like that, if you got it all squared away, could be rented out for $3-4k/week. You could have weddings there, photo shoots. For that I wouldn't mind a week at a motel while someone enjoyed my home... especially if it was a paid off home.... if I could pull it off. Or I could buy a farm in MO and just have my chickens and a lot less headaches.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

It's good to have "people" wherever you are. Even though the folks here have been more than welcoming, I still my my "peeps" a lot. Seeing both of our kids this past weekend really drove that home.

As for being the only decision maker, perhaps a dart board would help? You could put the different places you're considering on the dart board, grab a fistful of darts, blindfold yourself, and throw. 

Make sure that no one is standing between you and the board, though. That might get messy.


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

Got a big Cashier's Check sitting on the counter....ready to go out in the overnight mail tomorrow (along with various Notarized paperwork).

By Friday we will be the new owners of 80 acres of trees and rocks, plus a spring!


Tim


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

It is done....we are official.

The land is exactly 4 miles as the crow flies from this place http://www.rockbridgemo.com/


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

Congratulations, and welcome to Missouri! You've chosen a wonderful place to call home! If we ever move back to our land, you'll be a stone's throw away


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Please allow me to also welcome you to the wonderful Show Me State. It's a great place to call "Home."


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

Thanks all. I am going to be nagging my wife to let me retire, now that we have a place to go work on.


Tim


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## Cheribelle (Jul 23, 2007)

Congratulations! 
Now, we need to get you into the goats forum.....


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Cheribelle said:


> Congratulations!
> Now, we need to get you into the goats forum.....


:rotfl:

Ah, yes, to repeat myself (from another thread): Come over to the Goat Dark Side. 

We have cookies and goat milk.


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## katy (Feb 15, 2010)

Anyone still looking in Missouri ? 25 acres, 3 BR, beautiful. One mile outside small town, don't know the population but probably not more than 500. Let me know if interested.
North Central part of state.


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