Buying land. Then get a Log Cabin, Motorhome, Trailer, or Other?

[CatLady]

Buying land for cash? Then get a Camper, Trailer, Cabin, or Other?

I am early in my research, and looking for some pointers. Sorry for the newbie questions.

I'm looking to buy land soon (probably around 5 acres, though 10 would be nice) and I'm thinking of a log cabin. Let's assume the land already has septic & utils. (A trailer used to be there. Or I would install the utils.)

I am accustomed to living in a large typical house. I am ready to take the plunge and live in the country, however, I don't want to regret if I get a small cabin or camper. On the other hand, I want to save money.

I feel that a newer Trailer would cost too much. So I would be in an older singlewide that might start needing repairs. I would try to get a early to mid 90's trailer. That's one main thing I like about cabins, being smaller and cheaper to transport, it looks like I could afford a new or excellent condition cabin. If I get one that's not fancy and larger. I am thinking of cabins as small as 12x32, with a big loft. That's the smallest I could deal with... and if I did this, I'd have a detached garage for storage.

On the other hand, it (or a camper) would be quite small and not feel like living in a house. A trailer would feel almost like a house, at least when I was inside. Right now, I like the idea of living in a cabin, and like that they would be so cheap to heat (if insulated properly), but I wonder if I would regret it within a year.

I am also wondering about buying a cheap old motorhome / camper to start out with. I would be using it for shelter and not moving it, but it gives me flexiblity to resell it later, since someone can drive (or haul) it away. As big and nice as possible but staying down around $2000-$3000...? I am thinking of an 80's one. What do I need to consider about living in one (on my own land)? What might I hate? They rock slightly in strong winds, right? Are they always badly insulated if they are this old? Would I stay warm? With my electric heater which is a type that has less risk of fire.

I would probably hate the motorhome for a while, especially an older one, but I'd get used to it, and would be saving money. I would plan to upgrade to a trailer or cabin or build (stick built). If I went with a cabin or trailer, I might be leasing and paying interest. OR leasing the land and paying interest. I am mulling over these options to try to save money. Without skimping so much that I am unhappy.

I need to consider these things now, because I am considering paying cash for the land. It seems to be best to spend more on the land first, and skimp on the housing part, since I can upgrade that later. Rather than get stuck with land that is too small or not private enough or otherwise wrong. However, I don't want to be totally a "fish out of water" and unhappy. If I leased the land, I would have more cash to get the cabin/other, but it would be really nice to know the land is owned and paid off.

Other options? Thank you in advance for any guidance.

 

[Carykong]

How about one of the micro homes? Skip the trailer,RV. You can always expand the micro home as your budget and time will allow. Tell us more about the property you are interested?

 

[CatLady]

Those seem really expensive compared to a log cabin...?

Initially I was only looking for land which had a trailer or cabin on it, but a lot of them are expensive, or need repairs, or the land isn't ideal. So I am wondering how I would do things if the land didn't have a place to live. They often have a storage building already, and occasionally have septic/utils.

Also I have allergies and would rather have a place without carpet, without new paint and vinyl floors, and certain no mold. I felt like a log cabin would be good, not having carpet and usually just wood for walls. (I could deal with carpet for a while, but want to get away from it.)

However, a trailer would be like a home. My first instinct is that a trailer is my best compromise since the cabin and others would be so small. And then I could focus on decks (if it didn't come with) and garden and orchard and chicken coop and things like that which are important. I don't enjoy the "under construction" phase and was initially looking for a place that already had a good deck and other things. But of course it's really good to save money and not pay interest.

But then the trailer would be breaking down over the next decade... cabin should last longer? I am wondering about down the road, if I can get a 2nd cabin next to it, using the same septic, and build an enclosed bridge between them. If they both have a porch and I enclose both porches. Or build on the back, an enclosed deck.

 

[BruceWard]

I would consider a FEMA camper. I have seen many for sale in the $3500 to $4500 range. I know of one that sold for $2500 due to needing some flooring replaced.

They are 30 feet long, have one separate bedroom, a full kitchen with normal refrigerator and stove. Many even have slideout sections. They are typically 2005 models. Most are Fleetwood or Cavalier brand.

Here are pictures of one I found for sale locally for $5K Check out my photos!

Here is a less expensive option for $3500 2006 Fleetwood Fema Travel Trailer

To me they seem like a great deal.

There also are single wide FEMA trailers that are quite a bit more expensive to buy and move.

 

[CatLady]

Those look really good. A friend of mine knows someone who has lived in one for years. It says the campers are 32 ft x 8 ft which would be quite small for me, but I could consider it short term. I will check into their larger ones.

 

[CurlyDave]

One of the big problems with RVs of all types, is that they are only really intended for occasional use and full time use tends to wear them out. For some reason parts for repairs are usually expensive.

A single-wide mobile home is intended for full-time occupancy and may hold up better.

All of the log homes I have seen are more expansive than traditional houses and seem to me to be less "livable". You give up a lot for the novelty of a log home.

I would go with a single-wide if you can find the right one. A few years ago used ones were almost free as people would move one onto their property and live in it while they built a main house. After the house is finished, zoning laws require them to remove the mobile home.

 

[buck12]

If you plan to have a garage/shop you may consider putting a small living area in it for temporary living until you can afford to build what you want. Down the road you could tear out the interior walls to enlarge the garage. I had a family member do this for a weekend place on the lake until retirement when he sold his house and build a house on the lake lot. He wound up with a nice shop with a bathroom.

 

[CatLady]

Ok, good input.

I was told if I owned the land free & clear, lots of places would lease me a singlewide. Maybe roll in the cost of the moving for me too. However I have bad credit. I'm guessing a few companies/investors/owners will still finance me on it with 10-20% down, given that I own the land, and it's a only a used trailer not something really expensive.

So I was looking for a seller to finance me on trailer + land but as I said, there are problems with that. I'm finding most of the land isn't and usually the trailers are too old. If it's older, then I'll be wanting to upgrade sooner, and it's a pain to find a buyer for an older one. I'd end up nearly giving it away, and having to wait for the buyer to pick it up, before I can move in a new good one...I really don't want to move all my things out like that.

So, ideal might be to lease the land and then I can afford a pretty decent trailer & the moving costs. Paying cash for the trailer. But I am having trouble finding land for lease purchase that I like too.

There is one lead I have which sounds promising but it's cash only. Hence, my wondering if I can live in a cheap camper for now. Or hopefully I can lease a decent trailer?

What confuses things is I'm not sure how quickly I'll have additional cash for building/improvements. If I knew a time table I could make wiser choices. Most people have a better idea and plan out that they will start builing in a year and just do the frame, then the following year they will finish it. I have a property to sell after I move (but may have to hold it, or take a lot less to move it quicker). Also have some some smaller items (which could take a while to sell).

 

[CatLady]

Yeah, I am also curious about the possibilities of using a garage/barn/shed or other building as temp living space. As long as I won't be cold this winter! Also I don't want to make the wrong move. (Example: if I spent $3000-$7000 getting the temp living space, then regret it because I found a trailer that was great and I'm short by a few thousand so I can't buy that trailer.)

I like the idea of a composting toilet, but in reality, it might drive me crazy...? But I love my shower and having a decent sink. I wouldn't mind not having a real kitchen for a short time. I would want to have a real freezer and fridge but otherwise just a hot plate, microwave.

You never know until you see the property. This one sounds good and I am thinking of driving out to see it. Had people living in a trailer on it, so it already has utils. It also has a well insulated metal building... so yes, I wondered about living in there briefly? However, I believe the metal building is NOT near the utilities! I should find out. I believe the trailer hookups are on the top of the property and the building isn't. It is also small, I don't know how small, but possibly under 200 sq ft. However it apparently has a wood floor and then it has a full basement under it.

I found a gently used log cabin for sale that is supposedly all ready to go with insulation and everything (just hook it up), for around $11500 delivered. 12x32 with loft. About the minimum I'd want. But... for that price I suppose a singlewide would be better.

 

[Pilot]

Catlady,

I sense unclear objectives. Living on 5-10 acres and needing some kind of housing seem to be the main objectives and everything else seems unclear. And maybe you have your eye on a particular parcel and maybe not.

So what do you really want and in what order of importance? Which of your wants are musts and which are nice to have? How soon must you do this? Write down what you want, review it in a week and redo it until you no longer make changes.

Now, miscellaneous thoughts:

Land is usually sold for cash or on contract--banks don't generally loan on land. So credit only matters if you find a seller who would sell on contract. But you don't want to invest in property on contract and then build on it--if you lose the land you lose the house. With a regular mortgage, the house is part of the property. So if you want to live on land you buy on contract, put as little money as possible into anything that stays with the land and make your house something that can be moved off, like a travel trailer.

Don't know what part of the country you are in, but in the northwest log houses have a reputation for rot in the bottom log. OTOH, when we lived in Montana, my boss was looking into them and found that a log house was cheaper to build than a conventional house--a difference of opinion from what CurlyDave found. Perhaps they were cheaper in Montana because lodgepole pine logs, a kind well suited for log houses, were almost on our doorsteps.

In spite of the mortgage fiasco, some lenders seem like they are still being pushed to loan to subprime borrowers. Fannie Mae seems to be in that market--check Homepath.com. We found a townhouse 4 years old in good shape, 1800 sq. ft for $120K or $67 per sq. ft. Didn't jump on it fast enough. With all the foreclosures there are a lot of foreclosed and distressed homes on the market. This is likely to go on for a few years more so if you are patient and diligent about searching you may make a killing.

Mobile homes: In our area there is a manufacturer who builds mobiles that can look just like real houses--same roof pitch, eave width, etc. Just a few months ago they said prices ranged from $40-80 per sq. ft. for about 2,000 sq. ft., depending on options. You can specify no carpet, etc. Site built would run at least $100 per sq. ft.

Used mobile homes: As you said, a used MH is hard to get rid of. They can sometimes be had for a song for that reason.

A large travel trailer would be much easier to get rid of. I don't know about how well they hold up, but if you are alone and take care of things I doubt you would have much trouble. But ask around, maybe visit an RV park and talk to people with older units

A motorhome has a drive train to maintain. Unless you need to travel in some kind of RV, I wouldn't bother considering a motorhome. OTOH, if you do need to travel, then that's an entirely different matter.

Study the market, learn all you can, make sure friends know you are looking and what you are looking for and as I said be patient and diligent.

FWIW, when I found our property it was because I noticed an old real estate sign in the weeds. The listing had expired; the property had been on the market for a long time. The brush was thick, but being a forester it didn't bother me to fight my way through it. I walked the property and found that from the back corner there was an unobstructed view of Mt. Hood and all around from the east to the northwest and from that spot there would be no neighbor houses within 1000 feet. We made an offer 20% under market and got it. The sellers were getting divorced and had to sell to complete the breakup of their property.

Good luck in your search!