So I am interested in buying a bit of wooded acreage west of the Coast range in Oregon. Something that might be adjacent to a river, or something that has a creek running through it.
It would be something that would never be logged, I would probably put it in a trust. I would also want to build, you know, nothing fancy but a little cabin on the land.
Is there an RMLS equivalent to search for something like this? Also is there website out there that I could bone up on the rules of building, use, etc?
I don't know about an RMLS equivalent website to search for a parcel of land for sale, but each county will have their zoning code available for your use. Most will have a GIS department with the zoning code online or at least online access to the code.
Being able to get a building permit on rural timber land may be a difficult proposition. Depends on the zoning and uses allowed.
Contact some reputable and knowledgeable real estate agents in the areas you are considering. Most good ones are quite willing to help and know of the places you desire.
Good advice! Also check with the county and get the specifics of the zoning as many wooded lots that have never had an existing structure have the potential to be unbuildable or will require jumping through numerous hoops for approval to build. Good luck in your search.
If you find something with a house already on it you will have much less trouble building a house. Even if the house is an old ramshackle shack you can usually replace it with a new one or totally restore it. Building on virgin land is getting tougher and tougher.
I've witnessed this first hand. I've been trying to develop 15 acres in TC zoning and it's been one thing after another. Try to stay away from TC zoning if your trying to buy raw land. If there is a house already on the parcel then it's no big deal.
After you find something you like I would contacted the planning department in the county the property is located and go over it with them to see if there's any issues with the plans you have for the property.
You can set up filters on the website trulia (dot) com specifying minimum lot size and price parameters. You can then view properties on a map (it pulls RMLS listings). Lots of cool Coast Range properties on there. Good luck!
You can also set up filters for the latest properties on the market on Trulia. Watch out for prompts to get email notifications, because you'll get a lot of junk email.
Good luck in your search. Very difficult to finance raw land, so you will either need the owner to carry the financing or probably have to pay cash. Then when time to build, if you get a construction loan land will need to be paid off so lender can be in first position. Be careful of owner financing with any type of pre payment penality.
Do your homework, be patient and you can make this happen, but it will not be easy............
16 acres with a 1/2 mile of riverfront on the Grays River, some old growth spruce, some pasture, power & city water to home site, gravel road to where the original farmhouse stood (about 30 ft higher than the 500 year flood level). Wahkiakum County, WA. It is about a half hour drive to Astoria, OR Or an hour to Longview, WA. We could be talked in to putting it on to the market. CW
30# - I've found LandWatch dot com to have a decent selection of parcels. Searchable by county and various site characteristics as well.
As others have said, having local expertise (a realtor, a land use lawyer and financing sources familiar with the specific area) in your corner is critical.
Not sure why no one has mentioned Zillow but it searches by map and filters so can be very helpful.
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