I'm here - now what? Buying land for full-time camp (Bangor: for sale, real estate)

[flyingdog]

First a hello to all - been visiting the forum for quite a while now as I planned out my move to Maine and dreamed of all the things I'd love to do with a piece of land. All your contributions have been invaluable to me and I must thank you for them.

But now I'm here and I'm finding it harder to find that 10+ acre plot of backwoods undeveloped "junk" land that no one else wants than I realized it would be. First, a quick run down of what I'm looking for, then a plea for help with direction in the search from those in the know.

5-25 acres, preferably 10-15 or so, for under $700/acre

undeveloped with at least 5 acres wooded, the rest can be swampland, hillside or whatever (really not picky)

access to power (and hopefully DSL/broadband, or at least telephone for dial-up) as I work online (web developer) and don't want to lose my clients but definitely don't have the budget for solar/wind/etc

I plan to build a small simple camp cabin (no foundation, maybe 20x20 or so), garden a bit and eventually raise rabbits/ducks(/goats?) for meat. I'm in it to win it here so I plan to do any land clearing myself, build my own cabin(s), use alternative gardening methods as I build up decent soil, drive/dig my own well, use rainwater harvesting, etc, etc. I've become fairly knowledgeable (though not experienced) with alternative energy/heating/etc over the years, ranging from rocket mass heaters and passive solar heating techniques to cordwood construction and earth bag homes. I wont know what my final "plans" are until I have the land and know what I have available to me, and so I'm very flexible. This is on the one hand a great experiment and on the other a desperate fleeing to get back to the land and live the life I've always wanted.

And now the plea for help: HELP!!!! I'm currently staying just outside Bangor as I search around the area from 95 west to skowhegan or beyond, dover-foxcroft south to 95 again, and I truly expected to find more land available for "dirt cheap". Seems entire towns are up for sale, yet the best land prices I am finding are still $1k/acre or more - hardly the $500/acre I was hoping to find. Asking locals even resulted in being directed to real estate agents selling for $2, $3 or even $5k/acre!

I know the land is there and I know a lot of it is for sale, but how do I find the people selling it? What's the secret?

Again, thank you to everyone for your existing contributions to the forum - I truly hope the community here can give me some pointers to help find what I'm looking for. If anyone would know, it'd be you guys

[mainegrl2011]

It's a secret The land in Maine is very special, why should anyone want to sell it dirt cheap.

[flyingdog]

LOL!

I definitely know what you mean there and have to agree to some extent. Just have to figure that when there's no jobs and entire towns are up for sale, people would be a little less concerned about making a big profit on land that would be considered unsuitable for building or even recreation to most that could even afford what they're asking.

I grew up here in the northeast (NH & Maine) and so missed it while away - I just sincerely hope that my hopes and dreams don't turn out to be impossible because of greedy real estate agencies and speculators

[Submariner]

I sent you a DM with contact info for a forester who sells 'stump farms'. He might not have any parcels as small as what your looking for, but he certainly does have land that low priced.

"Stump farm": clear cut land with stumps and ruts.

[WhoFanMe]

Originally Posted by flyingdog

I just sincerely hope that my hopes and dreams don't turn out to be impossible because of greedy real estate agencies and speculators

Good luck on your search, but keep in mind those greedy real estate agencies have been retained by property owners to market their properties to as many people as possible in order to attract the highest sales price. For many, that land that you covet is their only asset that been in the family for generations. Someday, when your new property no longer meets your needs, you might want to maximize the return on your investment too.

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by flyingdog

I definitely know what you mean there and have to agree to some extent. Just have to figure that when there's no jobs and entire towns are up for sale, people would be a little less concerned about making a big profit on land that would be considered unsuitable for building or even recreation to most that could even afford what they're asking.

Most people aren't going upta camp to go to work. There's value in land that seems unusable. It creates distance between neighbors. Privacy is valuable.

I grew up here in the northeast (NH & Maine) and so missed it while away - I just sincerely hope that my hopes and dreams don't turn out to be impossible because of greedy real estate agencies and speculators

Here's a good rule of thumb. Don't slam or p*ss off the real estate agents who frequent this board and offer a lot of help at no expense to anyone. You might need them some day. They have bills to pay and need to make a living in a lousy economy.

Seems entire towns are up for sale, yet the best land prices I am finding are still $1k/acre or more - hardly the $500/acre I was hoping to find.

How long ago did you find land for $500 an acre here?

[RMoore007]

What ^ MW said.

This got me interested to go check a realty website in Dover and check land costs. I found a 22 acre lot for $28k, 36 acres for $38k, 42 acres for $39k and 52 acres for $59k. It seams the best deals are when you buy more property like this. There are also some .25 acres lots for over $150-$200k.

My family owns 40 acres (35 of it wetlands), another 7 acres on route 7 and a 19 acre gravel pit right next door to my brothers 15 acres and cousins 40 acres. All property has been in our family since the late 1800's. The last time there was a for sale sign at our old farmhouse was 1889. My gg grandfather bought it from people that had lived in the house for 39 years already. (circa 1850)

Good luck in your search.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

flyingdog asks:

"What's the secret?"

Size. There is plenty of land for sale at $300 an acre, but it's about 2,200 acres and a long way from DSL or it's s "stump farm".

[mainegrl2011]

Who's being greedy? Sounds like you want more for less/alot for a little for yourself. You may have to compromise between your original plans and reality. It always gives me a chuckle when I read "get back to the land" or "off grid" and Internet service in the same paragraph. The locals I know aren't going to help someone perceived as from away find the cheapest land/best deal unless you have your ME birth certificate in hand. Take your time, be patient, get to know people, let people get to know you, listen more and talk less.

RMoore007 pretty much said what I had been thinking. Even if you HAD to sell land that had been in your family for generations, would you want to sell it dirt cheap? As I reread the OP, the term carpetbagger came to mind. If you find this dirt cheap land and decide to sell it someday, will you want to sell it dirt cheap?

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

flyingdog asks:

"What's the secret?"

Size. There is plenty of land for sale at $300 an acre, but it's about 2,200 acres and a long way from DSL or it's s "stump farm".

Exactly.

There is a parcel adjacent to us that is FSBO asking a low price, but it is 345 acres and half of it is peat bog.