Countrysiders...

Well, I have decided we are going to make the plunge within the next year to buy land and begin building a cabin. We're seeking 3 or more acres of land (but not more than 10) in SE Ohio, would like to be near an Amish/Mennonite community and apx. an hour or less from Steubenville. We've identified some areas we would like to explore: Barnesville, Carrollton, Quaker City, and Lewisville. We are willing to pay up to apx. $1250 per acre (more or less depending on the homesteading potential), total cost of the land under $10,000. The sale can be cash.

I have checked out all the sites that Annie from Ohio has offered, but most land is really out of our price range (haven't seen anything less than about $14,000).

If you or anybody you know has land that fits my criteria, would you kindly email me? Thank you for reading this!

Chris

-- Chris Sedlak (csedlak@juno.com), December 27, 2001

Answers

An hour from Steubenville gives you a pretty good range in eastern ohio. $1250/acres is a bit low. What do you plan on doing with the land? What kind of quality land do you need? There is most likleys some ex minning areas in this price range in SE ohio. If you go N from Steubenville then you should be able to find some rural settings that might meet your requirements.

I doubt your going to find low cost sites like this on the web, but call every agent you can find. MIght be worth a drive into the area to pick up local small town newspapers and scope out the land yourself if its possible.

-- Gary (gws@columbus.rr.com), December 28, 2001.

Chris, i was looking in last nights paper and Bruner Land Company has this listing:

7 acres with nice woods $7500 located east of Barnesville off State Route 148E

Also on SR 9 they have 5 acres for $7900

Here is the number: (740) 435-3434 or (740) 685-8138

I would call and tell them what you are looking for. They seem to buy a lot of property around here and parcel it out. They also finance, so if you are offering cash they may give you a better deal. I hope this helps. Barnesville is a great area. I live around Centerville and there isn't much property for sale here, unless it is coal mine auction, and it seems like these land buyers get all of it.

-- Melissa (me@home.net), December 28, 2001.

Chris, I've lived in Steubenville for 2 1/2 years. There is a lot of strip-mined land and underground mine shafts. There's also still strip-mining going on and a lot of landfills. I hauled Jersey trash to them for a spell. Note that some of that strip-mined land cannot be developed for 30 years after it's "reclaimed" - and with good reason. Investigate, and don't buy sight-unseen. You are going to have a hard time getting 5A of decent land for less than $12,500.

You mentioned you want to be in proximity to Steubenville. Many people move here for the vibrant Catholic community or to work at Franciscan University. If you would like Catholic neighbors, I may be of some help in introducing you via the homeschool group. I know dozens of people with country properties, but don't know offhand of any with adjacent land for sale.

I have driven by an Amish farm just north of East Springfield, Ohio, about 35 minutes from Steubenville. There is some good land in that area, even some with timber! About two years ago, I checked out a for-sale 20A parcel w/ '80's mobile home, well, septic, spring, timber, power lines, and about 1.5 A cleared with small horse-fenced area for $60k. This and adjacent 20A parcels could not be split for another ten years, "by agreement with the township," the owner said.

Roads are often built on the crests of hills. This place is all hills. Many parcels are long and narrow, falling off from the road.

A friend had a place a mile from that parcel. He had very hard well water with pressure problems and inconsistent flow. Couldn't seem to filter it economically. But then, I don't know what solutions he tried. He may not have dealt with the problem veru creatively or resourcefully. I never got a chance to check it out in detail.

Good luck!

-- Bob (robertblessum@netscape.net), December 28, 2001.