why is it so hard to find large lots/acreage in Lancaster Cty? (Philadelphia: for sale)

[hairmetal4ever]

OK, here's a question for you. May consider relocating to the Lancaster/York/Harrisburg area from Maryland.

Looking for a more exurban/country lifestyle.

I've done some quick real estate searches. Why is it so difficult to find any sort of acreage (either existing build or lots) in Lancaster County? A FARM county, and you can't find any lots over maybe an acre or so to speak of for sale. I'd really prefer 5+ acs vacant, buildable lots, and <$200k and there are some, but the prices are FAR higher than York County where cheaper acreage is all over.

[Jeanie Beanie]

Probably because the farm land has been in the same family for 300 years and it is NOT sold, just bequeathed to the sons. Farms get smaller with each generation and are quite valuable. In "English" societies, sons may want to do something other than farm, but in "Dutch" societies the boys do not sell out the family farm to develop 5-acre plots to outsiders. Simple. York County has fewer "Dutch" so the culture doesn't value the land so much.

[hairmetal4ever]

Interesting point. I never thought of it that way.

[ki0eh]

Also in the 717 it seems many of those type properties are auctioned, vs. listed with real estate agents. Lancaster Farming - Lancaster Farming

[Dequindre]

Look in Cumberland or Adams counties. They're more rural, so there are more country lots available (and not the massive tracts found in more heavily developed areas).

[ki0eh]

The Great Valley (Cumberland Valley/Lebanon Valley) has 2 sides. The side on the north/west tends to have shale bedrock instead of limestone. That means the soils are poorer but still good enough for most gentleman farmette purposes. The production agriculture types favor the south/east sides of the Valley.

(The geological situation gets a bit more complex in Franklin County or Berks County but this holds for Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon counties.)

So if you are on the north side (think north of Newville vs. south; North Middleton/Middlesex vs. South Middleton townships; Grantville vs. Palmyra; Jonestown vs. Quentin) you might be more likely to find an affordable farmette type place. It's still moe likely to be an auction scenario than realtor though.

[BPP1999]

Originally Posted by hairmetal4ever

OK, here's a question for you. May consider relocating to the Lancaster/York/Harrisburg area from Maryland.

Looking for a more exurban/country lifestyle.

I've done some quick real estate searches. Why is it so difficult to find any sort of acreage (either existing build or lots) in Lancaster County? A FARM county, and you can't find any lots over maybe an acre or so to speak of for sale. I'd really prefer 5+ acs vacant, buildable lots, and <$200k and there are some, but the prices are FAR higher than York County where cheaper acreage is all over.

Maybe because people want to live there and the price reflects that. Just because it's in a rural part of PA does not mean it's dirt cheap. Good schools, scenic, 1.5 hrs from Philadelphia, Baltimore, even closer to Hershey and Harrisburg. Lots of stuff to do for families and young kids.

[F.Jenco]

A lot of farmers have sold their development rights to the farmland preservation program. Once you do that there is no way you can subdivide it and sell anything but the whole farm,unless there was some land from it that wasn't included in the program. Most farms are way more than 5 acres. I think PA leads the country in farmland preservation.