Wow, there's alot of replies. Almost as many if I had posted a "Kubota is best because ______" thread. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Answers to the questions. Sorry if I miss any.
House size - the house does not have to be very fancy. Maybe a 3/2 or 2/2 and a two car garage. I would want to build a larger detatched workshop later once I'd move in.
City size - not too large, but not tiny either. A city where I could buy about anything I needed on any given work day if I drove into town. A million plus population isn't required, but something along the same size as say West Palm Beach FL, or Poughkeepsie NY, or Santa Rosa CA, or Danbury CT, or Green Bay WI. I mention those cities specifically, because I have lived in each one of those places and am familiar with the size. I've also lived in Atlanta and Miami and I went to collage in Rochester NY, but those are relatilvey large places. Also have lived in Edmond OK, Jamestown NY, and Rohnert Park CA, and Ithaca NY, but those are smaller towns than I want to live in again. Granted, Rohnert Park is right next to Santa Rosa, and Edmond is right next to OKC, so they would be sized fine based on proximity.
Land prices - right now in my area of Palm Beach County, FL, the standard 1.25 acre finished lots are selling for early $180k. There is no house on the lot. I paid $210k for my place last October 17th. Back when I bought, finished lots with no house were selling for about $90k-$100k. Houses are selling for anywhere from $280k and up for the equivalent of my place, depending on buyer and seller. If I could find an area that sells for alot less per acre, that would be great.
Atlanta house - my Atlanta house is in Duluth, which is in the NE quadrant of Atlanta. It's been very stagnant there. I paid $145.7k for the house two years ago, and now it would probably sell for $150k. I bought it in October 2002, got laid off from my job in Nov 2002, and moved to Florida. I bought my current house in Oct 2003, and have been renting the Atlanta house because I'd lose alot of money on realtor fees if I sold it. I actually have been making about $100/month profit by renting it, so it's been working out OK so far. I might sell it next year, but I don't know.
Based on what alot of posters have said, it seems like the north-central states are still inexpensive (in comparison to South Florida at least). Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Tennessee, etc. Warmer climates would be nice, but I lived in NY for about 12 years so I guess I could get used to the cold again.
Are there any published lists of land prices based on location such as zip code or real estate location codes, etc? I've been going through realtor.com with zip codes I look up on Yahoo Maps, but that takes forever. It's hit and miss because I have to guess where land might be cheap, and then go through trial and error.
