Step one is to research different areas to find the one that fits your needs.  Consider things like proximity to shopping, schools, entertainment, and job opportunities.  Consider the political, economic, and social makeup of the community.  And consider the more obvious things like climate and natural beauty.   Don’t purchase on a whim, do your research.  Next, develop a relationship with a local, knowledgeable, reputable, real estate professional.    Real estate transactions are complex and your local real estate professional has the knowledge to help you through the process.

Second, look at several properties in the area, and narrow down the features that are important to you in the purchase of a property.   While there may be things you will not compromise on, many times you will need to make some compromises to find the property that fits your primary needs and wants.   Things to keep in mind are access, utilities, water, soils, exposure, geology, land title and other amenities.

Third, research the market to assure yourself that you are not overpaying.  This is done primarily by comparing the property to other properties that have sold in the area.  Country property is not as cut and dried in the comparisons as suburban homes, so ask your agent to provide comparable sales that have general similarities and discuss with them how those properties compare with the property you are interested in and their opinion of the price differences.   Find out if the market is a seller’s market, a buyer’s market or a stable market.    Other market factors to consider are the days on the market for the property of interest and current market trends on asking versus selling price.

Next, when you make an offer on a property, build into the offer a reasonable due diligence or inspection period.  This gives you a period of time to investigate the property and if, for any reason it doesn’t meet your needs, you can cancel the escrow and your deposit will be refunded.   This is a critical step to protecting yourself, and making sure that the property fits your needs.   Some of the major things to research are:

1.) Title - Make sure that you review the title and know of any easements, Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, leases, or lawsuits that affect the property.  It is important to then determine if these work for you and your plans.  Also make sure that any financial liens or obligations of past owners are paid off in escrow.   -  Deal with a reputable Title Company and Escrow Company! One extra note of caution, a neighbor may have acquired a claim to a right on the property by extended use of a road, trail, or spring.   Only a discussion with the owner and the neighbors can help you determine if this is the case.  If a road or well used hiking or riding trail goes across the property you are buying, beware of this possibility.

2.)    Zoning and other Governmental Restrictions - Your land is yours to use as you desire, subject to government regulations.  Contact the County Planning and Building department to determine government restrictions, and how they may affect you.

3.)    Check out the water!!   Water is such a critical element in developing a property and most rural properties are not on a community water system.  This means having a well or developing a spring.   If the property has a well or spring have them tested for both quantity and quality by a reputable pump company or spring development company.  Discuss how the water results fit your needs.  It is also important to understand the type of water system and the associated costs. If there is no water source, drill a well in escrow, as a contingency of your purchase and again test it for quantity and quality.  Also, if you plan to use water from any pond or stream on the property, look into water rights issues.

4.)    Check out the soils.  Soils tests can be done for several purposes.   First, most rural areas are not on a community sewer system, and most counties require that the soils be tested for dispersing the waste water in a septic system.  Again this test should be a contingency of your purchase.   Second, if you have any agricultural aspirations, you may want to have the soils tested to determine the suitability for the crops you want to grow, even a veggie garden and family orchard.  Third if you plan to build a pond on the property you should check the soils to determine if they adequately compact to hold water.  Last in most counties in California geological testing is required for the building site, to determine the stability of the site and the type of foundation that will be required.  This may be something you would want to do during the inspection period.   A geologic survey may be in order for other portions of the property as well.

5.)    Check out the property corners and boundary lines.  While it is best if the property is surveyed, so that you know the exact corners, surveying is quite expensive and sometimes properties are bought without the benefit of a survey.   If you purchase without the benefit of a survey, be very careful as the lines that are shown to you may not be correct.  It would be prudent to check county plot maps, aerial photos, talk with local surveyors, talk with neighbors, and develop all the information you can.  Plan any improvements well away from approximate lines.   It is not a good feeling to find you built your house on the neighbor’s land.

6.)    Check out availability and cost for utilities, such as power, telephone, gas (usually propane) internet, and television.  These can be high dollar items, and should be factored in.  Also you may want to consider alternative energy, and the relative cost of solar, wind, and hydro to supply your power needs.

7.)     Other things to check out during this time are neighbor and/or neighborhood problems, including registered sex offenders  in the area, excessive noise from any source, excessive odor or dust from any source,  environmental hazards, such as toxins, and contaminants, including mold, underground storage tanks for chemicals or hydrocarbons , tax assessments, property taxes, fire and police protection, geologic hazards such as earthquake fault zones, flood zones, fire hazards, and weather related hazards.

8.)    For a developed property, additional inspections that should be done are a “Home Inspection”, a roof inspection, a pest and fungus inspection, a septic inspection, and inspections of any additional components such as pools, hot tubs, heating systems, outbuildings, energy systems, etc.

Your due diligence inspections and research are a critical part of purchasing rural property and corners and cost should not be cut at this time, as this may come back to bite you later.

One additional note is there are unscrupulous people out there so check out the people you deal with and be on the lookout for scams.   If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is and red flags of caution should go up.   A good local real estate agent can help you through your research and due diligence and he/she knows what concerns are particular to the area.  Good luck on your new endeavor, and enjoy your home in the country.

Tim Mathias

Real Estate Broker

Rancheria Realty,

Boonville, CA.

www.rancheriarealty.com

Wayne County is known as the Lake Region of the Poconos with a New England flair; enjoying a perfect blend of Victorian architecture, rolling hills, mature woodlands, and stunning vistas.

The County is perched on the northeast corner of Pennsylvania, 100 miles west of New York City, 150 miles north of Philadelphia, and 35 miles east of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre corridor. It is growing at the rate of nearly two-percent each year, the third fastest growing county in the state. Covering 744 square miles of rolling terrain, the elevation varies from 2,656 feet above sea level. It enjoys a four-season climate with average temperatures ranging from lows in the teens in winter to the 80’s in the summer.

Honesdale is the county seat and the largest commercial center. A place with small town charm, a New England style flair, and big potential for doing business. A place where cars still stop at the crosswalks, where people are friendly, and where merchants and their customers know each other by name, it’s a place teeming with history, and surrounded by the natural wonders and year round recreation of the Pocono Mountains.

Education and Community

Wayne County is known for its abundance of cultural, educational and recreational resources.  The County offers three highly rated primary and secondary educational systems with numerous college campus’ close by. There is a heartwarming feeling of community throughout Wayne, evidenced by the large number of organizations whose aim is to improve the quality of life here.  It’s a perfect place for artists and artisans, and a place where nature and music are in harmony.

Real Estate in Wayne County

Enjoy privacy, affordable housing, fresh air, low taxes, a low crime rate, quality healthcare, safe schools, and unspoiled natural beauty.

Wayne County REAL ESTATE appeals to many types of families, individuals and businesses, whether they’re ready for their first home, second home, vacation hideaway, an investment property, or need real estate to relocate or establish a business.

Typically speaking, you get more land and home for your money here. Depending upon your preference, choose from village, historic, waterfront, golf course, country, ranch, mountain, lake, or quality tracts of land for commercial use.

For over forty-five years Davis R. Chant Realtors has specialized in the marketing of Wayne County’s unique country properties. When you’re ready to invest in your dream property give us a call at 570.253.4191 or 800.278.3424.

View our Pennsylvania land for sale on LandSaleListings.

Nicole M. Patrisso
Realtor, Licensed in PA & NY-Davis R. Chant Realtors
Independent Distributor-Premier Designs
http://www.premierdesigns.com/
http://www.chantre.com/

          The second consideration is determining your cost ratio.  What can you expect to sell your developed home sites for?  What is the market in the area?  Are people living on 2 acres, 5 acres, etc?  You have to develop what the public wants to buy (and afford); meaning, know your market and the people that live in it.

          For example: a 2 acre site might sell for up to $14,000 per acre; a 5 acre tract might sell for $10,000 per acre…because of the total sales price.  People who want to put a mobile (manufactured) home on a piece of land might not be able to afford $50,000 for land and put a $30,000+ mobile home on it.  Home building sites are altogether different.  People will pay a lot more for say a 5 acre home site to build on because the home is going to cost $100,000+ these days.  An example of this is a developer paying $250,000 and $300,000 for two residential lots.  Then he builds a $1,000,000 to $1,500,000 home on each lot, selling each and making a nice profit.

          The market liked by most land developers is the rural, unrestricted (no covenants) home site, because they find that the majority of buyers want unrestricted land that they can put a mobile home on, have horses, build a workshop out back, etc.   Again, it just depends on what market you choose to be in.

          Rural land developers tend to work with county governments since the majority of properties are located outside most city limits, in various counties.  County governments tend to be a lot less restrictive in their requirements  and seem to encourage rural development since that increases their tax bases, whereas most towns, cities, and even some counties are overbuilt, under taxed, and tend to discourage or highly restrict development.  (Their argument is that development overloads streets, traffic, schools, etc.).

Most towns, cities and counties are so restrictive that they have now started zoning out in some counties, which has not been done in many counties before, to limit or discontinue some kinds of developments.  These are counties that in times past may have gotten a lot of development, but now are for the most part avoided by developers.  Many at one time encouraged and also needed the development, but the governments in the counties make it too hard on the developers who therefore avoid them.

The first step in developing rural property is ALWAYS know your market.  Serious mistakes financially can be made by not researching what property in a given area will sell for, what it can be bought for, how far should you go in developing it, etc.  A common mistake is a person deciding to buy one or more homes to flip (remodel and sell for a profit) and then spending too much money on the homes in the remodel therefore pricing them well over the average home in the area.  In some cases they end up being rent homes.  This is a prime example of not researching market sales in an area.

The second step in developing property is to visit the county permit and zoning departments in the county you would like to invest in.  Get to know them and what their requirements are for what you’d like to do.  These are the ones that will approve or reject what you want to do!  Even if you do a lot of repeat work in a given county, still go visit them to show respect for their position and to be sure that the requirements haven’t changed.  And they do change.  When you visit them, take all the data you have, location, survey, legal description, etc., and what your final plans are for the property.  This makes their help for you a lot easier.  Another important contact person is the land surveyor, an invaluable person to know.  If at all possible use the same person as well as the same closing attorney on all your transactions; they know you and what you do best and you get to know them and their capabilities.

Although some agents may have a fully staffed office, it does not take a staff of people to buy/sell/develop property.  Like the others mentioned above, these people do not have to be on your payroll as such.  They are paid as they do work for you.  An answering service that acts as secretary can be helpful.  And finally a good CPA/accountant who understands development is important.

Using the same people to help you develop your property has its advantages.  Yes, you might be able to in some cases save a few dollars by “shopping” prices with competitive businesses, but the value of building close relationships with sub-contractors and other sources is worth the investment.  Going back to the same people, they know what your interests are and they know you will be coming back to them time after time.

The old real estate axiom is “location, location, location.”  The new axiom is “market, market, market.”  Today’s rural developer makes it clear that he buys land but also that he is available to other real estate agents to call him if they want to sell their land or land listings.  Other sources used in buying land are reading land listings in your local paper.  This should be done every day.  It is not unusual to see something in the morning paper and own it by noon the same day.  Know where the real estate book stands are and pick them up the day they are distributed.  Go on the Internet and look for land listings. And finally another way to find property is to have local agents regularly send you their land listings.  Driving around looking for land that is for sale is a waste of time and gas.  This is because a lot of rural property doesn’t have a sign on it!

When looking for property to buy, some rural developers will buy close to their home not necessarily because it is convenient but because the developer knows the property.  Most importantly is knowing if it is a good buy, the property is where buyers will buy, and finally there is a good market for resell.  There are two things to consider if you plan to buy “out of town” or outside a town or city.  One is to remember that your buyers, or the majority of them, will most likely come from a major town/city as that is where the population is and where the most prospective buyers are located.  The second is always be aware of how far your prospective buyers will commute to work.  Part of your marketing strategy is to find out just how far out people are willing to live and where their jobs are located; ask every prospect who calls these questions.  Developers often find that a major highway that runs through a town say thirty miles from a major city could be the dividing line for prospective buyers who choose to not purchase land on the farther side of the highway away from the major city, even if the property is only a few miles farther!

There is no average time-frame of beginning to end when purchasing/developing rural property.  The time it takes from finding a suitable development property, to closing the sale to purchase it and getting it financed, and selling it out completely, varies with the size of the project.  A large tract takes a proportionate amount of time to sell out than a smaller track.  For example two to five acres can be sold in a month or two while ten to twenty-five acres may take six months to a year to sell out.

Other factors include a slow economy, one location may be a little better than another, roads to build, utilities to be brought in, etc.  You may choose to avoid this type of property as you may have to start spending money to improve the land and your return may not justify the outlay of time and money.

One final note:  buying land to develop it can be a lucrative and rewarding business, if you take the time to do your homework, know your market, and invest in the time and effort to study the land, the people, and the properties you plan to develop.  Remember buying and selling houses is a completely different than buying rural property to develop.  Anytime you find someone who is selling houses, commercial property and development real estate, be weary as this person dealing in all three markets won’t usually be very effective at any one of them.

The Conservation Reserve Program reduces soil erosion, protects the Nation’s ability to produce food and fiber, reduces sedimentation in streams and lakes, improves water quality, establishes wildlife habitat, and enhances forest and wetland resources. It encourages farmers to convert highly erodible cropland or other environmentally sensitive acreage to vegetative cover, such as tame or native grasses, wildlife plantings, trees, filterstrips, or riparian buffers. Farmers receive an annual rental payment for the term of the multi-year contract. Cost sharing is provided to establish the vegetative cover practices.”¹

To find out if the property you are interested in purchasing is available for the CRP program the USDA Service Centers are designed to be a single location where customers can access the services provided by the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Rural Development agencies. The NRSC web site http://www.offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app will provide the address of a USDA Service Center and other Agency offices serving your area along with information on how to contact them.

First you pick the state, click on that state and then pick a county. Service centers in that county will appear including addresses and telephone numbers of the agency and if it has information on whether or not it is a Farm Service Agency, a Natural Resource Conservation Service, a Conservation District, or Rural Development. By contacting the agency closest to the land you are interested in, you will gain much needed information and lead you in making the decisions necessary in the direction you are pursuing.

Once you have found land that you want to farm, and you know that the state you are buying the land supports your effort, but you are a beginning farmer who might not qualify for a conventional loan your next step is to go to the United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA). At their web site you can click on the link to farm loan programs provided by the agency. “FSA makes direct and guaranteed farm ownership (FO) and operating loans (OL) to family-size farmers and ranchers who cannot obtain commercial credit from a bank, Farm Credit System institution, or other lender. FSA loans can be used to purchase land, livestock, equipment, feed, seed, and supplies. Our loans can also be used to construct buildings or make farm improvements. Many FSA loan application forms are on our website! We also encourage you to contact your local office or USDA Service Center to learn more about our programs and the information you will need for a complete application.”²

If you need technical assistance or information on conservation planning, the national headquarters of the NRCS is your source for information. In addition they offer financial assistance programs, an easement division, a resource conservation development and outreach division among other programs.

Hugh Hammond Bennett, is considered today to be the father of soil conservation. He led the soil conservation movement in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s, and urged the nation to address the “national menace” of soil erosion, and created a new federal agency and served as its first chief - the Soil Conservation Service, now the Natural Resources Conservation Service in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The following principles are NRCS’s heritage and still guide its work:

• Assess the resources on the land, the conservation problems and opportunities.
• Draw on various sciences and disciplines and integrate all their contributions into a plan for the whole property.
• Work closely with land users so that the plans for conservation mesh with their objectives.
• Through implementing conservation on individual properties, contribute to the overall quality of the life in the watershed or region.

If you ask the question “Can my property go into CRP?” then you are ready to begin the necessary research which will prepare you for your land purchase. Only then will you be able to answer all the questions and make the right choices.

1. United States Department of Agriculture Conservation Reserve Program: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/CRP/
   
2. United States Department of Agriculture Farm Services Agency: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=landing&topic=landing

CRP properties for sale at LandSaleListings

Of course we dreamed of a place in the country; a home-away-from-home. But actually finding it seemed to elude us until somewhere between that time, as empty-nesters, and retirement. So we made a plan. Find a piece of land in the country, build a cabin in the woods, or invest in land on water somewhere - a lake, river, or ocean. It didn’t matter where or what; what mattered was taking that first step - saying YES to finding our place.

First we had to decide where to find the land. I like warm weather and water but not necessarily the beach. He likes cold weather and water but not necessarily the mountains. So we sat down and divided a sheet of paper with HIS LIKES on one side and HER LIKES on the other side. We each wrote down all the things we wanted in a weekend retreat. We both liked the idea of warm weather but not too hot so a beach was out. We both liked water but we didn’t need a house on a lake. So we agreed a cabin on a piece of land with a lake large enough to boat or fish on would be ideal.

We then had to decide if we wanted our land to be close to our home in the city or far away. What kind of drive would we like to make if we were to leave on Friday afternoons and return on Sunday afternoons? The decision was made that two hours was the farthest we would drive to get to our place.

The next step was to get a map and determine how far a two-hour drive was from our home. Making a circle around using the correct distance gave us a circumference to determine where we would begin our search. Searching for land to buy with a lake large enough to meet our requirements at first seemed a challenge. We thought we should find the lake first, but then it became clear that there were lots of properties for sale that had lakes on them and those lakes might not be on the map. So instead of focusing on the lake, we focused on the land to buy.

Finding a beautiful rolling Platte of land for sale that was approximately one-and-a-half hours from our home in the city, we took a drive to get a feel of the area. It was a very nice drive down a county road off the Interstate that led from our home town. A little country store on the corner of the road which sold various sundries and gasoline for our car seemed the perfect spot to stop and ask questions.

Finding a kind gentleman who owned the store, he told us his family had owned all the land on that side of the highway, approximately three-hundred acres. When his mother passed away, the family decided to subdivide the land and sell it off. The piece of land we had seen advertised on an Internet web site, was one of the parcels in this man’s family. Hearing the history of the land, how his great-grandfather had farmed it; how the soil was rich; and then he shared the best part.

When his grandfather owned the land, he took the lowest part of the property and turned it into a lake that was a half an acre in size. A natural spring fed the original lake but his grandfather dredged it out and made it big enough to stock with bream and striped bass. He asked us if we wanted to see the property and we agreed.

Walking around back, the gentlemen opened the wooden doors of an attached garage and we piled into a Honda Mule that seated four. My husband rode in the back and I sat up front with the gentleman as we rode around the back of the store, into the patch of woods filled with deep scented pine trees and then along a path through a beautiful field of un-harvested hay. We came upon a knoll and saw before us the most beautiful piece of land we had ever seen. And both my husband and I knew at that moment, this was our land.

Magnificent trees, a lovely lake, wild flowers scattered everywhere, and rolling hills off in the distance where the setting sun would make for a beautiful evening. We thanked the nice man and with a handshake between the three of us, we got back into our car and drove home. Following the road back, tracing our steps through the rural land, we talked all evening about the next steps we would take to make our weekend retreat - our place in the country - our very own.

Please see my Oregon Land For Sale on LandSaleListings.com.

Thank You,

Forrest Smith, Hill & Assoc. RE LLC

Hill & Assoc. RE LLC.

1470 NE Third St

Prineville, Oregon

Anyway, back to the things I see. In just these past two weeks from the date of this article, I’ve seen moose, several black bears, countless deer, coyotes, foxes, and wolves. I’ve also seen sandhill cranes, bald eagles, owls, osprey, pileated woodpeckers, geese, ducks, grouse, wild turkeys, etc. I’ve also seen (and caught a couple) trout, pike, bass, perch, salmon, and the numerous other hybrids and baitfish. I’ve even came across a few frogs, toads, snakes, and salamanders. That virtually covers everything in the wildlife kingdom the Upper Peninsula has to offer… pretty neat stuff!

Also, just in these past two weeks, I’ve seen a famous man’s old hunting camp, active and abandoned fire lookout towers, old logging camps, remnants of countless dwellings, farms, or camps, etc. I’ve even seen a few things that I’m not quite sure what they were… maybe an old railroad repair station? Those things may not seem that interesting to many, but the neat stuff I find around those areas may change a few minds. I now have an extensive collection of stuff that I find. I have many old beer cans that are in surprisingly good shape (many brands I’ve never heard of). I also have old pots, pans, and glass bottles. I’ve also found old oil cans and coffee cans. I have a couple old saws from way back when, countless railroad spikes, old animal traps, etc. Some of these things are worth money, others are worthless. But, I have a great decor in my house  and it all matches. And, my wife and I can tell you a story about almost every piece we have (lot cheaper than Pier 1 too).

Another fantastic aspect to getting out in the woods is the unnamed creeks, tributaries, and lakes that I come across. There are so many lakes I know of that most old timers have never heard of that I just don’t keep track of them anymore. Most of these lakes and creeks are clearly visible from a map, but very few have ever been to them in person.

From all of my outdoor adventures I have developed a great library of things I’ve found and places I’ve seen. If I want to fish and not see another soul for days… I know where to go. If I want to watch wildlife with my wife… I know where to go. If I want to see a waterfall… I know where to go. If I want to cool off on a summer day… I know where to go. If I want to show my nieces or nephews an old logging camp… I know where to go. If I want to… well, you get the point.

The greatest thing about this little article that I’m writing is that I found virtually everything I’ve mentioned by having absolutely no idea where I was going.

The point of this article is to encourage folks to get out there. Many folks searching for recreational land, a hunting camp, or just some vacant land to hold on to for the future, all seem to want everything that I’ve mentioned above on their property. Though it is always smart to buy good land that meets your needs… it is not necessary, and often unpractical, to have absolutely everything on your acreage. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula has more public lands than any individual could ever explore (though I’m trying). In my opinion, your recreational acreage should be thought of as more of a base camp, rather than a place you never leave. If you think you need to spend way more money than you have to get that really expensive waterfront property, you may find that an inexpensive forty can make you much more happy in the long run. It’s about the feeling you get up here, the memories you make, and the adventures you have. You just never know what neat stuff you’ll see in the woods…

If you would like to follow along as my wife (Wendy) and I work in woods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, please visit www.northmichiganland.com and look for the link called “The Land Log”. We update that section everyday with log of our daily adventures and great pictures. We also have a several webcams to view and we offer a UP Outdoors section for up to date fishing and hunting reports, recipes, berry and mushroom picking tips, local events, and more! Of course, if you are looking buy or sell land in the Upper Peninsula, we’d love to help you.

View my Michigan Land for Sale on LandSaleListings.com.

David M. Huey
906 362 6695
Northern Michigan Land Brokers
100 North Third Street
Marquette, MI 49855
www.northmichiganland.com

The point is that the remote regions of the UP are a truly unique part of the country where one can truly be themselves. The wealthy merge with the needy and at times not even the life long locals can tell them apart. You do not need to spend all morning in the shower before you head to town for a nice dinner. That is if you even decided to install a shower in your camp, most folks round here sauna instead.  That brings me to another point, it’s “sahh-oooooo-nah” - not sauna.  In fact, that is one of the easiest ways to spot a tourist - if they don’t pronounce the word sauna as if they were an old fashioned car horn.

If you love the woods, nature, paddling, hunting, fishing, exploring, bird watching, moose spotting, relaxing, and just plain being yourself; you will absolutely love it up here… that is if you can deal with a little bit of snow, bugs, and the funny accents.

If the UP sounds like a place where you could hone your outdoor skills, chop wood for the wood stove, catch dinner, or just sit with your significant other and watch the stars like you’ve never seen them; now really could be one of the best times in recent history to make your move. Dealing in the remote land business, I constantly hear the old timers brag about the ridiculous deals they got way back when. I hear the younger old timers tell me they sure wish they’d have bought a forty when the prices were dirt cheap through the late 80s. I hear all the regrets from all sorts of folks… except from a very select group of folks that realize this (right now) is one of those times everyone will look back on a say “would’ve, should’ve, could’ve”. Now, I know what you are going to say - of course he’s telling us to buy land in the UP… he’s a real estate agent. Well, maybe your right, but I call ‘em like I see ‘em, and that’s my honest opinion.  And hey, you really wouldn’t like it here anyway…

If you would like to follow along as my wife (Wendy) and I work in woods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, please visit www.northmichiganland.com and look for the link called “The Land Log”. We update that section everyday with log of our daily adventures and great pictures. We also have a several webcams to view and, if you can handle the bugs, we offer a UP Outdoors section for up to date fishing and hunting reports, recipes, berry and mushroom picking tips, local events, and more!

View my Michigan Land for Sale on LandSaleListings.com.

David M. Huey
906 362 6695
Northern Michigan Land Brokers
100 North Third Street
Marquette, MI 49855
www.northmichiganland.com

Because real estate is selling for less than it was in 2005, this may not be the perfect time for one to sell their home to buy another, but for investors or for those who don’t need to sell their home in order to purchase another—this may be a good time to buy. In fact, an opportune time. Especially with the low interest rates. Some consider their money safer for now in real estate than in banking institutions.

Another timely offer not to be taken lightly is the 8% tax credit up to $8,000 for first-time buyers—those who haven’t owned a home within the last three years. This offer is for homes bought after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009. It does not need to be paid back if the new home is primary residence for at least three years. Something worth looking into.

Link about the tax credit:  http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/

Link to view possible first-time-buyer homes: http://www.morealestate.net/agencysites/c21ozarkrealty/listings.htm Notice listings 10072334, 10072345, 10072353, 10089104, 10095090, & 10089105

View our listings on LandSaleListings.com: http://www.landsalelistings.com/usa/missouri/agents/marjie-dempster/

Marjie Dempster
Managing Broker
Century 21 Ozark Real Estate
P.O. Box 307
Ava, MO 65608
800 605-6543
www.ozarkrealty.com