Where does one shop for a home on 5-10 acres? Zillow is just about worthless for that I've found.

I'm in James City county looking to stay there-ish.

landsofamerica.com


Edited because I wanted to hotlink it....
http://www.landsofamerica.com/Virginia/all-land/type-3/

www.realtor.com

maybe contact a local realtor.

sometimes on craigslist......though it is sketchy

I've got a local realtor but I'm starting to worry he's trying to pigeon hole me into a home in a subdivision.  I outlined two sets of parameters and he's focusing more on the "city" homes.

Tell him to gtfo then and find someone else.

landandfarm.com

mossyoakproperties.com

www.trulia.com

First be certain that  your realtor is:
an experienced realtor who makes his/her living at helping people buy and sell homes;

very knowledgeable about the real estate market in the area where you plan to buy your home/acreage;

an Accredited Buyer's Representative

A realtor who is all three will be able to search out prospective properties for you, and will also likely be able to direct you to resources where you can conduct an effective search for yourself.

And Zillow is an effective tool to get started finding prospects that meet your requirements, but you will need to use the "More" dropdown in the search bar to filter the search results for the specific criteria you're seeking.

And be forewarned that decent (i. e. move-in condition, not requiring rehab/renovation) homes with land of the type you're describing do not stay on the market long anywhere in Virginia.

Average stay on the market for anything worth having is 30 days or less. The first three properties I wanted to look at all had contracts on them as soon as we called.

This is a far cry from 2009.

Take a drive down Croaker road and Fenton Mill rd. I've seen a few signs on each of for sale by owner.