To buy inexpensive vacation property in NEPA (tax lien, eviction)

[Eyes]

The prices you quote will be difficult to find in a third world country

The Pocono area is no longer an inexpensive woodland
The area had been building into a place where people commute to the cities for work while the families can live comfortably.
Since 9/11 a huge shift in the population has occurred .. faster growth than the small towns and municipalities could keep up with.
Many businesses have also moved to or opened additional offices in the area.

You get what you pay for .. you might be able to buy a few weeks in a time share .. but as a condo or "community" would make you as part owner carry some fiscal responsibility for the general shared property. This means if the roof leaks .. everyone shares the cost.

Your best bet is to get a partner or two/three and share the cost of a resort home and HOA that it would have. To offset some costs .. rent out the additional weeks ... You will need a good lawyer to write fair documents and break the property as "shares". You will be best served with a community that offers property management as an amenity.

[ak74]

Originally Posted by Eyes

The prices you quote will be difficult to find in a third world country

The Pocono area is no longer an inexpensive woodland
The area had been building into a place where people commute to the cities for work while the families can live comfortably.
Since 9/11 a huge shift in the population has occurred .. faster growth than the small towns and municipalities could keep up with.
Many businesses have also moved to or opened additional offices in the area.

You get what you pay for .. you might be able to buy a few weeks in a time share .. but as a condo or "community" would make you as part owner carry some fiscal responsibility for the general shared property. This means if the roof leaks .. everyone shares the cost.

Your best bet is to get a partner or two/three and share the cost of a resort home and HOA that it would have. To offset some costs .. rent out the additional weeks ... You will need a good lawyer to write fair documents and break the property as "shares". You will be best served with a community that offers property management as an amenity.

Excellent idea! I never thought of it!

But honest, I already almost gave up on the whole plan. Thanks to the respected Forum members who explained that this kind of short term ownership for five years will be too expensive. To rent a spartan place for rest between trail skiings for two-three weeks a year will be much wiser. I am very used to military style field conditions and comfortable with them. I have funds but I think it is stupid to waste money on things that I do not really need and can easily live without.

I love this Forum and its people who share their wisdom, insight, expertise and knowleadge.

[mathjak107]

everyone who buys a lot gets the same id card in our development and shares the same amenities .... personally i cant see buying raw land period ....when i was ready for my house id buy.... to many issues like we spoke of in another thread buying land and then getting a builder to build later on.....

[mathjak107]

Originally Posted by ak74

BTW, what are unbuildable lots? Where did them come from originally? How come that anyone in his right mind would buy them from the developer! How come that some people happened to become "unbuildable lot" owners?

Any one knows any real particular story?

Or developer was selling them $1 apiece and people bought in hope of finding uninformed fools and to sel on Ebay for $5 000 as good ones?

Any ideas, companeros?

unbuildable lots are great to have if they are alongside your property.... it expands out your property at a cheap price and keeps your neighbor from putting up a tool shed next to your house or knocking down the trees and spoiling your forestry view.

[KarenRice]

An unbuildable lot is a lot that will not sustain a septic system or is a wetlands, or is for some reason or other, unable to be developed.

How did people end up with unbuildable lots?

1. On purpose, in order to become a member of the community and to have access to all amenities.

2. By accident because they chose not to have the property perc tested before they bought it or they bought it as a "terrific deal" on eBay or craigs list or at tax sales...

3. They were ripped off - told it was buildable and believed the seller....

Back in the day (70's and 80's mostly) when lots were selling like hotcakes and for exorbitant prices (25,000 or $30,000 per lot in some cases, maybe more---that now the seller would be lucky to sell for 8,000) because the speculators were saying GAMBLING IS COMING - PROPERTY WILL SKYROCKET!...... a lot of people had no idea that they should have their property "perc tested" - they came from urban / suburban situations where they were hooked up to city water and sewer and oops, they had ended up purchasing something they could never build on. It's a shame really.

But the old adage has always been true: CAVEAT EMPTOR, LET THE BUYER BEWARE. Never purchase something because someone tells you it's a great deal without having the advice of a real estate attorney, at the very least...

Some of those lots on eBay may very well be great deals - but then again...they may be a Pandora's Box. I remember my mom almost purchased a piece of property from the classified ads - 5 acres for only 1000. This was before I was even out of high school and I told her - there has to be something WRONG with it! Thankfully, she decided against it. I guess some people are just more gullible than others....I'm sure someone bought it and probably had some kind of nasty mess along with it....why would you sell 5 acres for 1,000 when the going rate for land was 5,000 or more per acre??? If it sounds too good to be true.....

Buying an unbuildable lot on PURPOSE is one thing - you know what you're getting into. But getting hoodwinked into one, by accident/ignorance/fraud...well that's another thing entirely. I feel bad for the folks who were misled....

[poconoproud]

Great post Karen.

[ak74]

Originally Posted by poconoproud

Great post Karen.

i agree.

[ak74]

Is Carbon a good Pocono area? Treskow, Beaver Meadows, Hazleton,Audenried,Kelayres.

Good country side area with good trails for skiing and alot of snow in winter time?

Any additional insider info on this area? I`ve never been there.

[roxxy38]

Originally Posted by KarenRice

An unbuildable lot is a lot that will not sustain a septic system or is a wetlands, or is for some reason or other, unable to be developed.

How did people end up with unbuildable lots?

1. On purpose, in order to become a member of the community and to have access to all amenities.

2. By accident because they chose not to have the property perc tested before they bought it or they bought it as a "terrific deal" on eBay or craigs list or at tax sales...

3. They were ripped off - told it was buildable and believed the seller....

Back in the day (70's and 80's mostly) when lots were selling like hotcakes and for exorbitant prices (25,000 or $30,000 per lot in some cases, maybe more---that now the seller would be lucky to sell for 8,000) because the speculators were saying GAMBLING IS COMING - PROPERTY WILL SKYROCKET!...... a lot of people had no idea that they should have their property "perc tested" - they came from urban / suburban situations where they were hooked up to city water and sewer and oops, they had ended up purchasing something they could never build on. It's a shame really.

But the old adage has always been true: CAVEAT EMPTOR, LET THE BUYER BEWARE. Never purchase something because someone tells you it's a great deal without having the advice of a real estate attorney, at the very least...

Some of those lots on eBay may very well be great deals - but then again...they may be a Pandora's Box. I remember my mom almost purchased a piece of property from the classified ads - 5 acres for only 1000. This was before I was even out of high school and I told her - there has to be something WRONG with it! Thankfully, she decided against it. I guess some people are just more gullible than others....I'm sure someone bought it and probably had some kind of nasty mess along with it....why would you sell 5 acres for 1,000 when the going rate for land was 5,000 or more per acre??? If it sounds too good to be true.....

Buying an unbuildable lot on PURPOSE is one thing - you know what you're getting into. But getting hoodwinked into one, by accident/ignorance/fraud...well that's another thing entirely. I feel bad for the folks who were misled....

How true your post is!!! I know where I live in the Hideout I spoke to many that bought their lot in the 80's and paid a fortune for them. 20,000-30,000. their homes were cheap though, $50,000. I guess they were under the impression that the land and homes would go up not down. The homes are worth more today but the property is worth a third of what they paid over 25 years ago. I also know some that bought lots here about 5-6 years ago and paid nothing for them because so many people lost land. One developer bought up over 50 lots but the idiot didnt realize what it would cost him in dues every year and wound up in foreclosure. He couldnt sell enough homes to cover himself. You have to be careful what you buy, especially land.

[BLUEDIAMOND64]

Unfortunately, I can not give Karen anymore rep points, but her posts are informative and she is always willing to help out.

BTW, anyone looking at property/houses should get an attorney. Case where a person was going to buy a house and they found a lien on the property dating back to the early 1970's. 2 Title companies had done the search, and no lien was found up until now.

Also, not to hijack the thread, many people buy unbuildable lots to access amenties in a favorable community at a much lower cost.