more on the middle of expensive nowhere

All concerns of eminent domain aside, I'm also a bit dismayed that land in the Ozarks has become so prohibitively expensive. A few years ago, it seemed like there was land everywhere for sale, and you could easily find it for $1000 an acre (or less). Now you're luck to find anything listed for $1500 an acre. Of course, it is important to keep in mind that these are asking prices, not selling prices. There's no telling just what land is selling for, short of watching county records as they are (eventually) updated after a sale. But even that isn't a very good indicator, as many land sales that are financed by the seller won't show up in sales records until the land is paid off in full, since the seller is still carrying the loan in many cases.

The truth is that everyone wants a nice piece of land in the middle of nowhere, that they can retreat to. People in the Ozarks are no exception. Unfortunately, when everybody wants to get out in the country, it is no longer a getaway from your neighbors, but a getaway with your neighbors. Obviously, the farther out you go (and the farther away from modern conveniences and human life), the cheaper land will become, but who wants to have to drive 30+ minutes to get to a hospital in case of an emergency?

And of course, we can thank all of the developers who have the gaul insight to buy up large parcels of farm and wilderness and subdivide them into 2 acre lots at a 800% (or more) markup. In most cases, they choose areas that lie just outside the borders of established towns, just outside of zoning regulations in most cases. Also certain towns are more desirable due to their recreational amenities and conveniences. In my particular area, when it comes to real estate Branson is probably the most sought after vacation destination, and the second home market is exploding accordingly. But there are still areas that are relatively close-by (Berryville, Blue Eye, Green Forest) with some affordable acreage here and there. Unfortunately, you have to deal with the white trash, who also tend to flock to the more affordable areas. Catch 22, I suppose. You want neighbors with a high standard of living, but you want them to be cheapskates like yourself.

I don't necessarily have a problem with poor folks - I just don't like people who use their acreage as a trash heap and let their pack of six or seven un-spayed rabid dogs run free to terrorize anyone in a three mile radius.

So I guess you can't really win. As I mentioned in my previous post, selling all your possessions and playing gypsy is about the only way to really be "free" in this country.