Southern VA lot - What to do

   / Southern VA lot - What to do
  • Thread Starter
#31  
Here's a drone video of the area. Before I bought the neighbors were mowing a good 100 yds onto this lot. Same realtor they bought from same seller. I had him talk to the neighbors to make sure they understood where the line is. When we were there a couple weeks ago the corners are still nicely flagged, I want to put up poles to make it more obvious.


 
   / Southern VA lot - What to do #32  
Good question. Right now a place to get away to, but eventually maybe moving there if we like the immediate area and neighbors.
Or maybe flip the property if we think it won't work for us. Money in the bank is losing value, but real estate seems to be gaining.
this lot is convenient to I81, and less that 20 minutes to multiple groceries, Lowes, etc.
Originally I was looking for a lot with a better view. Before deciding on this lot, we had an offer on a property in WV that had magnificent view. We bailed on that when we found out wells in the area were over 700ft deep and would cost about $20-25K to drill. It was also almost entirely flat, on top of a mountain, and no trees. But the view. WV land was also an hour from most big stores like Lowes or HD. It did have TSC and food lion within a couple miles, and was only 2 miles out of town. It was an old orchard years ago.

I just retired the end of last year, so that dampens my spending cash, but I have more time now to work there.
it is 4 hours away, but 1 1/2 hrs from Mother in Law. Part of the reason for the location was to be a little closer to her if we retire there, but not too close. Plus we like the general area.

My current house is too big, and not handicap accessible. of course our friends here want us to stay and not move away. If we stay here too much longer, I need to make this house more handicap accessible, like maybe converting the garage to a master bed and bath on first floor, and then build a detached pole barn garage.

building permits seems reasonable in this area, but did find out they kind of control things with zoning permits. They won't issue permit to build a barn or any accessory structure without you first applying for house building permit. Even though zoned agricultural, they won't allow barn to be place forward of the front of the house (even though it's done all up and down the road, probably before this became a rule). Everything requires zoning permit also, even to set a shed that doesn't need building permit (under 250 sf I think). So putting the house on the hill in the woods could impact future barn location.
You're a good man when you mention your MIL is only 90 minutes away from this new place ;)

Ironic, you NEVER think about "handicapped" accessible when you buy or build, but after having my dad live with us for 4 years in the basement, and now having a boy ready to more out after he graduates high school (becoming empty nesters), my wife doesn't want to clean 3 floors and honestly I hate having to take a walk down stairs from the bedroom area to the basement that has two flight of stairs.

If not to much of a personal question, why are/were you thinking about buying the family farm in Ohio? (I remember you mentioning about it either on this thread or another). Seems like you'd be stretching yourself pretty thin time-wise alone with the new place added you be father away from the MIL.

Given what your response to my question, in your shoes, I'd just look to build your "dream-house" on the land you bought with keeping in mind your MIL may move in with you in the future. That said, my comment is made not knowing the entire situation on your end (family, the wild card sometimes you can never plan on).

I've only bought one home in my life. Our neighbors are good people because I'd like to think we're good people. From what you're wrote, it seems like your neighbors won't be a issue.

That said, after my MIL retired a couple years after my FIL, they moved 800 miles to be closer to both their girls in NC (the move was actually great for both of them).
 
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   / Southern VA lot - What to do #33  
Don't have the answer. But I'm helping my carpenter remodel our master bathroom, and materials alone were kind of out of this world per pricing.

Land alone would is a wise investment by the OP in a desirable area, which it seems.
Good friend of mine who is a Multi-Millionaire says "they don't make more land". So it's always a good investment.

We've been in our house 4 years. House build cost was $225,000. My Builder says today it would be $315,000. That cost difference would have made it a very hard decision to build. We ended up with a $80K debt for just less than a year. Not sure we could have saw thru a $170K debt.
 
   / Southern VA lot - What to do #34  
The #1 priority in designing our house was handicap accessible. It limits design choices but we kept it as a priority. Neither of us have handicaps of any sort. Just planned for the future. The largest step in our house is the front door threshold. Main shower is wheelchair accessible with no door. Now that we've lived this way for four years I'd never want to go back to a house with steps. :)
 
   / Southern VA lot - What to do
  • Thread Starter
#35  
The Ohio land would be an investment, Timber and mineral rights. Since I just retired, I will also be going to Ohio more often, especially to help dad with the mowing at the farm. One reason while work on this VA land might take awhile.
 
   / Southern VA lot - What to do
  • Thread Starter
#36  
The #1 priority in designing our house was handicap accessible. It limits design choices but we kept it as a priority. Neither of us have handicaps of any sort. Just planned for the future. The largest step in our house is the front door threshold. Main shower is wheelchair accessible with no door. Now that we've lived this way for four years I'd never want to go back to a house with steps. :)
I appreciate you sharing your house drawings when you built. I kept a copy of your floorplan and incorporated some of that into my design.
You may or might not know, but I was in a wheelchair (couldn't walk for several months due to an illness) for several months 3 years ago. I still have a wheelchair ramp in my garage that friends built for me while I was in the hospital. when I got home after 2 months in the hospital, I slept in our family room, but I had to scoot my butt up the stairs and basically crawl to the bathroom to take a bath for about 3 more months before I could walk again. I recovered about 90% or so, but some days my walking is not as good as other days. I have constant pain in my feet. My days of roof work is over, but I can do pretty much everything I did before, except long hikes.
 
   / Southern VA lot - What to do #37  
I appreciate you sharing your house drawings when you built. I kept a copy of your floorplan and incorporated some of that into my design.
You may or might not know, but I was in a wheelchair (couldn't walk for several months due to an illness) for several months 3 years ago. I still have a wheelchair ramp in my garage that friends built for me while I was in the hospital. when I got home after 2 months in the hospital, I slept in our family room, but I had to scoot my butt up the stairs and basically crawl to the bathroom to take a bath for about 3 more months before I could walk again. I recovered about 90% or so, but some days my walking is not as good as other days. I have constant pain in my feet. My days of roof work is over, but I can do pretty much everything I did before, except long hikes.
I recall you having some problems. But you are very humble about it and never talk about it for any type of sympathy. Simply informative. I don't recall it being that limiting for that long. Again, because of your modesty about it.

I'm sure all of your future building projects will have that consideration at the forefront. I'd gladly come and roof for you if needed. :)
 
   / Southern VA lot - What to do
  • Thread Starter
#38  
I had the setbacks wrong in post 21, so I corrected them. It's 60 ft front, 30 ft rear, 20 ft sides.
So when I called the county and said the road is on two sides, which is front and which is the side, they said it depends on how I face the house. Hopefully if I put the drive off the bottom but face the house East, they still consider East the front. Also I'm not sure if the road to the bottom is part of the shared road, or the driveway to the last 2 houses. It does cross my property according to the survey.
 
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   / Southern VA lot - What to do #39  
Like someone said above, your threads are very interesting and I will follow along. Might not post much, but I will enjoy reading it. Thanks for sharing. Jon
 
   / Southern VA lot - What to do
  • Thread Starter
#40  
Was going to take BX down to mow Thursday, but they now say .5” rain, and 1” Friday so mowing probably won’t happen this week.
 
 
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