Finally bought some land...

[BellR]

I'm originally from upstate NY, grew up in Fulton Co. Yesterday I picked up 20 acres of woods at a tax auction up there. It directly borders about 2500 acres of State Land, and has road frontage on a seasonal road that is a snowmobile trail in the winter.

Eventually, I'm going to sell it to hopefully make a profit, but what I'm wondering is if I should put a small cabin in or just clear a spot for the buyer to do it or pull in a camper. I'm not sure if the investment in the cabin would pay off, or if I would just be putting in a lot of work for not much difference in profit. What do you guys think? I would be doing all the labor myself and I can get the lumber fairly cheap from someone I know who owns a sawmill. My question is what would you pay for the land vs. the land with a nice, small, off grid cabin.
 

[The_Field_Ager]

If your plan is to sit on the land and simply wait for price appreciation, don't do anything. You can always drag in a movable shed for hunting if needs be.

[ATbuckhunter]

Well if your going to sell it a cabin should increase the price but it may not be worth it. I would bring a camper on it if i was you, although I would never sell any property I buy.

[BellR]

I got it for a fairly good deal, so I "should" be able to resell it for a profit without even waiting for appreciation.  I was sort of leaning to just clearing a site for a cabin/camper as it is not only less work, but also less investment and no chance of vandalism. 

[The_Field_Ager]

A new buyer may not agree with your choice of area cleared. Keep that in mind.

[BellR]

Good point.  There is a small clearing already at the road, maybe I'll just clean that up a little (mow, trim brush, ect) and leave it at that.

[G-Man]

Clear a spot, if you plan to resell

[growalot]

If all you want is a sale...do not do anything to improve it until just before the sale...you don't want to increase what they see on the tax roll.....Clearing a spot but also making some trails is good...though if noticed it will increase"traffic on the place. Is there a possibility of electric...such as at the road? doing something as simple as installing a pole...makes things look easier to a buyer whether you decide to run lines or not.

[GreeneHunter]

I would drag in a camper and enjoy it !

[catskillkid]

Keep it and enjoy it. 

[Two Track]

put in a couple of those tiny house that are constructed on trailers designed for off-grid use, put in a hand-pump well and you have yourself a camp.  The tiny houses could be removed easily if it need to be done.

[Four Season Whitetail's]

There is probably a reason you got a great deal. Hope for the best but at tax auctions there are always locals after it for one reason or another. I hope for your sake all is well but cheap land always comes at a cost one way or the other!

[BellR]

There is.  I don't believe that there is power, and it is on a seasonal road.  Combined, that basically means there is no chance of building a house.  However, that also makes it the perfect place to have a hunting camp... or at least I hope other people feel that way too when I try to sell.  We'll see. 

 

Worst case scenario I bought myself a future hunting camp. Best case scenario, I make some money.  Looking at some of the land for sale at Christmas & Associates, I'm actually considering pricing it fairly cheap for similar land. 

 

[Paula]

Congrats. Have fun no matter what your going to do ????

[ny hunter]

I agree weather you sell it or keep it, enjoy it and use now...

[DirtTime]

I'm originally from upstate NY, grew up in Fulton Co. Yesterday I picked up 20 acres of woods at a tax auction up there. It directly borders about 2500 acres of State Land, and has road frontage on a seasonal road that is a snowmobile trail in the winter.

 

 

If you don't mind me asking where is the land? If it borders one of the forests in the 2500 acre range that would be Lassellsville, or Peck Hill. Rockwood is much smaller and Shaker is twice that size. Apart from the small sporadic stamps here and there the rest is all the big ADK Park. I don't know that area like the back of my hand, but I am a bit familiar with it.

I would keep it and make a camp. Clear enough to drop in a 15x20 shed and there ya go. No need for power from a pole, use a generator. Get a wood stove installed and roasty toasty. You can also carry water.

 

If you really feel the need to sell it then I wouldn't do much. The next owner will be a hunter most likely and they will will be able to set things up they way they want.

[BellR]

Guessed right on your first try. Lasselsville. There are some nice deer up there, but I can hunt it any time I want without a camp there since my father lives 10 min away so I'm pretty set on selling it at the moment. On the plus side, if it doesn't sell for what I'm asking then I can always keep it.

[DirtTime]

Some nice deer in that whole area!

I doubt you will have a hard time selling it for a profit. Even with no power. I still wouldn't do to much, maybe clear the area for a driveway/parking area and let the next owner decide what to do. They may not even want to put a camp on the land. Just hunt it. So the less you do the more if that makes sense.