Yes, I'm dreaming.

I want to purchase some land where I can go and do some plinking and maybe some shooting at distances greater than 100 yards.  I ran across a perfect listing this morning.  

275 Acres with wonderful bold mountain views.  Multiple streams and 30 minutes to Charlottesville VA.  (Not too far from Northern VA)  Price is only 1,082 an acre.  Total would be 297,550.  

If we were able to get 300 people to invest 1,000 each we would purchase this land.  [:D]  Like I said, I'm dreaming.  Or 100 people to invest 3,000 each.

Land, I want land.  Another listing is something I will really think hard about.  26 acres for 35,000 dollars.  I've also seen listings for 60 acres for around 70 thousand, but I think they are more hilly.  

If I win the powerball tonight, (Yes, I will win.)  I'll buy the land for everyone on the east coast to use for shoots.  I'll also keep a mini-gun there for everyone to use. hahah.

Ok, back to reality.  

If you win the lottery tonight, will you buy me a Steyr AUG?  And a 1983 Fiat spider?   Please.

[):)]
NSF

You are not alone, buddy.  I know how you feel.

How do you know what a mile and a foot is?

Peasants have money.
Kings have land.
I want to be a king.

Yeah.  Stop pretending you understand English measurements.[:(!]

What ever happened to the AR15.com group island purchase???

We all throw in money, and by some little island outside of US control and start our own nation.  That way we can have as many M16s and T-72s as we want.  

Okay, so that won't happen anytime soon, but maybe if you hit the powerball...

I call "Secretary of H&Ks"!

Ugh!
I thought this would be a plot
to control
unfriendly state
elections
by introducing a
large  new
voting block of land
owners.

 [b]DIDO[/B]

Time to go buy another few powerball when the stores open in a few hours.  Hmm, I should up my acreage when I win the 300+ million powerball.

Just checked my 5 tickets for last night.  I won 7 dollars. Whoohoo.  Thats what, a few [s]feet[/s] inches of property?  [:D]

Oh shit.  I just found out there was a 3x multiplyer for powerball.  Never knew about that.  you take your prise from 0 to 100k and multiply it times the multiplier drawn that night.  Whoohoo, 21 dollars.  [rolleyes]  I'll probably just buy 21 powerball tickets.  Damn, more crap.  You need to spend an extra dollar to envoke the 'multiplier'  Back to 7 dollars.  [:(]

I am in for $3,000.00

My last purchase of a pre-ban worth that much.

Damn, I'd be all over that.  Where in VA is this land?

yeah, yeah, yeah, where do i send the check?

I'm really thinking hard about getting some sort of land.  I found something a little cheaper.  120,000 for 117 Acres.  That is something I could probably purchase with my salary.    About the same area.  30 miles south of Charlottesville.

Time to hit the mortgage calcuators...

Btw, someone told me loans for just plain land are more than house loans.  True?  

Hey 7, while you are at it, can you get a beach front land at least? or next to a lake?

A swim after a shoot is nice...

yeah, water is a great place to test fire those 12ga. flame-thrower rounds!
[pyro]

I guess I'm better off out east on Long Island, but then again maybe not, you can't even drive a black Mercedes SUV in reverse without hitting at least 16 people.....[B)]

...hey, i'll be on montauk this saturday, is that crazy bi+ch still around?

Nope...I think she's hiding out in Manhattan because everyone else wants monetary compensation for her driving skills. She's fu@&ed!!! and she totally got off on a DWI charge.....must be nice to be rich. I would have loved to collar that chick!

great, i'm not even safe walking to work from GCT!...all that just makes me want to send a check to 7 even faster - i also LOVE the AR15.com island nation idea, think of it, a liberal free place where full-auto is legal without taxes, BG checks or anything...

im in with you for an acre..........

To 7 and all you VA wallahs:

I would be SERIOUSLY interested in a VA land group purchase. Maybe 300 acres or more with plenty of room to hunt, fish (a lake would be helpful) camp and SHOOT! Just enough "owners" to make it reasonably affordable but not so many that it becomes another range membership. I would really like someplace to do some good old-fashioned plinking, shoot a few tracers and teach the kids the basics. Anyone else interested?

Not JUST VA, all are welcome to get in on the deal.

Lougotzz, I guess you live in NYC or Nassau? I'm on the S. shore of Suffolk and it's not that bad. There's still alot of open land in eastern suffolk (East of Moriches/Speonk). I want to eventually buy 50 acres or so in the Catskills.

...word to the wise, do it fast, before the casinos come! BTW, there is a dutchess county land auction coming up...

Hey guys.  A few things -

First, everyone would need at least 10 acres to make this reasonable.  If you can't belly up for AT LEAST $20K, you're not very serious about this (and it becomes another "range fee" as mentioned).  10 acres is also the minimum lot size in agricultural districts in Virginia - which is what you want to be.  Agricultural keeps your taxes down, allows you to get agricultural permits (i.e. things that go BANG for removing tree stumps :), and avoid any county restrictions.  If land is acheivable at $1,800/acre, I think average lot size should be much larger.  I live on 23 acres now - not nearly enough...

Second - financing.  Yes, land does cost more typically.  You can typically borrow at MOST 80% of the value of the land, and typically for only 10 years.  Compared to a 95% LTV and 30-year payoff for a house (PLUS the interest deduction on your taxes), land is much more expensive.  The key is to refinance your house for a low, interest-deductable rate and purchase your land on the side.  If you meant for this land to serve as a retreat in times of crisis (even financial), this makes sense.  It also means you don't have to answer to the "owner" (a bank) for what you want to do with the property.  

My goal is to have a few hundred acres (my own mountain?) in Western Virginia within 5 years.  It is acheivable with some planning.  Having a few big lots together is a great goal.  A bunch of one-acre lots would turn into a big campground or trailer park if you're not careful IMHO.  

    Black Fox

If I could get 2 other serious people, I'd probably go in for 1/3 and be 1/3 owner.  That would be 91 acres each.  Not bad for about 100k.   80% financing huh?   I'd have to forget about any more class III for a long time. :(

I can't refinance my house now because I have no house now.  doh.

Realistically,  I'm going to maybe look hard at a 117 acre plot near the same area.  If that costs too much then maybe something small for now. ie nice 25 acre place.

We could declare war on the US, surrender, get all kinds of foreign aid, and tell them to FO on gun laws, we will have our own lack of them.

I've always liked the island idea.  I've already picked out my transportation: [url]http://www.ussubs.com/[/url]

Personally, I like the Discovery - [url]http://www.ussubs.com/Luxury_folder/lux.discov.html[/url].  Imagine your "commute" past coral reefs and giant sea squids!!  Okay, maybe it won't be that exciting...

Looks like we have a lot of people in Virginia interested in land.  This could get interesting!

    Black Fox

Black Fox makes a lot of good points.  Having just gone through the process of buying land myself in WV, I can tell you it is neither easy nor fun.

First, I'd investigate the county the land is in, especially now that the new census data is out.  How much did the population increase during the past 10 years?  How much is it expected to increase in the next 10?  20?

What is the zoning in the area?

Check for easements... the big thing now in Loudoun County is for private groups to get farmers to "donate" the development rights for their land to them, with the idea that the green space will be preserved, so no development can happen.  Not only does this devalue the land, it may prevent putting up houses on even 10-acre lots (western Loudoun is zoned A-20 and A-50 now).

Closing costs... you'll want perk tests, water from the well tested (if there is a well), a survey done (lots of $$$ on big properties), title search, title insurance, etc.  This adds up fast.

Land needs regular maintenance if there are cleared areas and fields, if only to keep the weeds knocked down.  Same goes for fencing, if there is any.

Financing - neither my credit union, local bank, GMAC, and all the other "normal" avenues of credit would talk to me (amount of loan was too low).  You'll have to find a bank local to the property for the loan.  Federal law states that they have to serve within a certain geographic area around the bank.  The bank was willing to do a 10% down, 90% finance loan, but I have sterling credit.  However, I did 20% down, 80% finance to avoid PMI and having to pay into an escrow account.

You'll want liability insurance on the property; I got mine as a rider on my homeowners (which I had to change, because my former company wasn't licensed in WV).  Again, another major headache.

Other considerations -

For everyone interested in going in on the deal - pull a credit report before applying for a loan, and clean up any problems.

What if one of the co-owners passes away?

Who is responsible for maintenance/upkeep?  It will take both money and time.

I'm sure I can think of more eventually...

BlackFox or 7 or anyone else:

I am SERIOUS about this. I like the idea of buying several ajoining plots. If anyone has some locations in mind lets look into making this happen. goto go my boss is hers

I'm serious Makarov, just wasn't planning to do it myself for a few years.  I'd rather buy than borrow, and I don't have much time or ability to camp or enjoy it with a 3-month old.  I decided not to actively look and tease myself, then.

These should get your appetite going, though:
[url]http://www.handyrealtors.com/land/willsridge.html[/url]

[url]http://www.handyrealtors.com/land/carroll2.html[/url] - this one in particular looks like a few lots overlooking the New River.

    Black Fox

Those are like 6+ hours away for me. :(   I'm going to do a little more looking in the area near Charlottesville.   I also have to decide if now is the right time to buy land.   I need the winning powerball....

6 hours?  You must drive like an OLD LADY!!!  Naa Nany Naa Naa...  7 drives like an OLD LADY!!!  

Sorry, couldn't resist :)

One attribute the property should have for avid shooters is a natural backstop.
Those pics have beautiful views, something not
good nor necessary for us shooters.
Unless of course your able to turn around and shoot back into the mountainside.

BigZ - I always thought a 3000' mountain made a pretty good backstop!!  Some of the best shooting I've done is uphill against a mountain or downhill into a valley.  If that doesn't do it, a good backhoe/front-end-loader can make a nice 20-30' backstop (or more).  

I want to purchase acreage for more than just shooting (it's just a hobby, guys!) - I'd like somewhere to camp, retire or even use as a retreat.  A "view" would come in handy for all of the above.  Just my thoughts...

     Black Fox

I drive like an old lady when I have my M16 in my car/jeep.  [:P]

And I was going to say we can borrow BlackFox's tractor to make backstops, he just beat me too it. [;)]

Btw, just bought a box of clays today.  I now need a shotgun to bust em up.

If westerners are drooling, I poked around real estate sites in Nevada and once found a 123 acre parcel for $5000 iirc. Hilltop and 4wd access partial year etc. Many more like it. There are places in CA where land is cheap. Hear its pretty good in klamath lately...

I've already got shooting land with a 300yd range-and only 10 minutes from my place in Charlottesville [url]www.rrpc.org[/url] [:D]


I can sympathize. My wife and I are just out of college but we're already getting tired of our little apartment in Charlottesville. Ideally I'd like to get around 100 acres, but realistically around here, I'll be lucky to afford 20.

I agree, against a mountainside or manmade backstop.
Never down into a valley, unless you own it!

Land in Alabama or Mississippi runs $500/Acre.

Land in Tennesee runs $1,000/Acre and says it has lots of Deer, Turkey, etc.

How about Idaho. Runs $500/Acre. Land on the Snake River runs $4,000/Acre.


Private Islands in the Bahamas:

Carrion Crow Cay US$ 75,000 1 acre (0.4 ha)
Little Andros Island US$ 95,000 12.3 acres (4.98 ha)
Upper Cedar Cay US$ 259,000 5 acres (2.02 ha)
Goat Cay US$ 320,000 7 acres (2.83 ha)
Polly Cay US$ 380,000 7.3 acres (2.95 ha)
Lobster Cay US$ 500,000 3 acres (1.21 ha)
Cabbage Cay US$ 765,000 34 acres (13.76 ha)
Cockroach Cay (Sold) US$ 840,000 80 acres (32.37 ha)
Pigeon Island US$ 950,000 13 acres (5.26 ha)
Sandy Cay US$ 1,200,000 1.75 acres (0.71 ha)
Joe's Cay US$ 1,200,000 30 acres (12.14 ha)
Outer Point Cay US$ 1,500,000 3 acres (1.21 ha)
White Bay Cay US$ 1,850,000 30 acres (12.14 ha)
Devils Cay US$ 2,995,000 117 acres (47.35 ha)
Clove Cay US$ 3,000,000 144 acres (58.27 ha)
Little Hall's Pond Cay US$ 3,500,000 45 acres (18.21 ha)
Little Ragged Is. US$ 4,000,000 700 acres (283.27 ha)
Little Normans Cay US$ 4,200,000 35 acres (14.16 ha)
Matt Lowe's Cay US$ 5,000,000 50 acres (20.23 ha)
Bonds Cay US$ 7,500,000 600 acres (242.81 ha)

Near Antigua:

Pelican Island US$ 6,300,000 32 acres (12.95 ha)

Off of Florida:

Money Key US$ 2,600,000 5 acres (2.02 ha)
Black's Island US$ 6,800,000 10.7 acres (4.33 ha)

[url]http://www.privateislandsonline.com[/url]

[image]http://www.vladi-private-islands.de/sales_islands/medien/05_bahamas_5.gif[/image]

[url]http://www.vladi-private-islands.de/[/url]

Joe's Cay, Abacos, Bahamas, US $1,200,000
White Island, Grenada, US $1,400,000
George Dog, BVI, US $1,700,000
White Bay Cay, Bahamas, US $1,850,000
Little Halls Pond Cay, Bahamas, US $3,500,000
Bird Cay, Bahamas, US $3,850,000
Bonds Cay, Bahamas, US $7,500,000
Isle de Caille, Grenada, US $10,000,000
Rudder Cut Cay, Bahamas, US $12,500,000
Bock Cay Archipelago, Bahamas, US $11,800,000
Leaf Cay 2, Bahamas, US $25,000,000

I like this one:

Little Ragged Island
$4,000,000
700 acres

Let's see - 10 people at $400K each would get 70 acres/each.  The island would have to have high ground to build homes on.  It would be expensive to build a desalinization system, solar power and sand-based septic systems.  Kids could be schooled locally, but you would still have to venture to nearby land to buy supplies.  We could form our own Country based upon the Constitution (as it was intended).  With the advent of satellite technology, we could telecommute to our normal jobs and make a decent living.  You could also work for investments now and live off the interest.  A mil in the bank yields $80-100K/year, which is pretty respectable if you don't have many living expenses.  

As far as land in Virginia, I would still rather stay in the US if possible.  The US may have it's problems, but it's still the best place in the world.  We don't have to worry about pirates, and have the wealthiest standard of living anywhere.  We take for granted what we have here...

Land in Virginia is more expensive the farther North and East you go.  I pay ~$5K an acre in Central Virginia near Richmond.  It's hard to get a lot of land at that cost.  Land near Lexington and Charlotte is ideal - everybody thinks so!  But that's why it's hard to find big lots and it's very expensive.  It would also be crowded in time of crisis and will become increasingly crowded over the next few years under normal conditions.  I would rather have 5x the land ~2 hours SouthWest in a more isolated environment than Lexington or Charlottesville.  Just my opinion.  In all seriousness, it shouldn't be six hours - maybe four or five?  I can get to Blackburg in 3.5 hours driving speed limit.  I figure 5 to get to Wythe County, and I'm taking backroads.  With I-81 and 64 for those of you in Northern Virginia it wouldn't seem as bad?  

    Black Fox

Black Fox.  I'm looking for something close to where I am now.  I think it is about 2 hours to around Charlottesville.  This would be an ideal area for a weekend getaway without much driving.   5-6 hours is a little far.  
Now in a time of crisis, you might be correct.   I could either stay on the property and be a 'northern base' or drive down to your AO.  [:D]  lol.

Wow,  I didn't think this topic would create this much interest.  

Count me in.  But we have to buy the land in MO.

It is in the middle.

It is 500 to 700 per acre.

Full auto is legal with a C&R