Corvallis/Albany Area- buying land? (Lebanon, Jefferson: how much, houses, heat pump)

[abelcas]

We are looking at moving to the Corvallis area and want to get 10 acres to have a home, some land for horses, maybe a a mini farm. We've heard that there may be some restrictions with zoning, etc, also wondering about raw land prices- will it be prohibitive? We'd need to be within a 20 minute drive to either Corvallis or Albany for work. Anyone have some info on our likelihood of being able to find something reasonable- is it even available, first, and second, what kind of money do ten acre parcels go for in the area?
Thanks!

[DavePautsch]

abelcas,
Greetings from the mid-Willamette valley!

My recommendation is for you to look in the Lebanon, Scio, Jefferson areas.
the closer to Corvallis and Benton County you get, the more expensive the cost of land.

What you are looking for is available (depending on what you want in a home)...in Scio from mid-300's to 600K (on the market right now). Scio/Crabtree is 11 miles to Albany, maybe 22-25 to Corvallis.

There is also small-acreage available in the Lebanon area, as well as between Lebanon and Albany along Highway 20.

As far as zoning, the one wrinkle is the Measure 37 claims that may be pending in a few cases...otherwise, Oregon is very protective of it's EFU and RR property.

Bare land in those sizes is a bit of a challenge (again, because Measure 37).

I'm happy to help with any other questions; you can contact me privately for more detailed info.

Dave

[MajorHart]

Originally Posted by DavePautsch

abelcas,
Greetings from the mid-Willamette valley!

My recommendation is for you to look in the Lebanon, Scio, Jefferson areas.
the closer to Corvallis and Benton County you get, the more expensive the cost of land.

What you are looking for is available (depending on what you want in a home)...in Scio from mid-300's to 600K (on the market right now). Scio/Crabtree is 11 miles to Albany, maybe 22-25 to Corvallis.

There is also small-acreage available in the Lebanon area, as well as between Lebanon and Albany along Highway 20.

As far as zoning, the one wrinkle is the Measure 37 claims that may be pending in a few cases...otherwise, Oregon is very protective of it's EFU and RR property.

Bare land in those sizes is a bit of a challenge (again, because Measure 37).

I'm happy to help with any other questions; you can contact me privately for more detailed info.

Dave

Some one mentioned fog in the winter - how bad? How much rain a year - do swamp coolers work in the summers?

Thanks

[johnlsteele]

Originally Posted by abelcas

We are looking at moving to the Corvallis area and want to get 10 acres to have a home, some land for horses, maybe a a mini farm. We've heard that there may be some restrictions with zoning, etc, also wondering about raw land prices- will it be prohibitive? We'd need to be within a 20 minute drive to either Corvallis or Albany for work. Anyone have some info on our likelihood of being able to find something reasonable- is it even available, first, and second, what kind of money do ten acre parcels go for in the area?
Thanks!

I just visited a friend who is finishing a beautiful home on Hwy 34, very close to Corvallis. He will be done in a month. Even though he does not have enough land you are looking for, right behind the home is a huge field that has been their for a while. You might be able to use or buy it. The home is big, and it has plum, apple,fig trees, and grapes. It is just enough away from the center of Corvallis to make you feel like your in the country. You may email me at johnlsteele@juno.com Thanks

[johnlsteele]

Originally Posted by abelcas

We are looking at moving to the Corvallis area and want to get 10 acres to have a home, some land for horses, maybe a a mini farm. We've heard that there may be some restrictions with zoning, etc, also wondering about raw land prices- will it be prohibitive? We'd need to be within a 20 minute drive to either Corvallis or Albany for work. Anyone have some info on our likelihood of being able to find something reasonable- is it even available, first, and second, what kind of money do ten acre parcels go for in the area?
Thanks!

I am the one who mentioned the home with the huge field nearby. I should also mention that the home is 3 miles from Corvallis, and 6 miles from Albany. Also 5 minutes away from the home is a man who has a 15-20 acre property, especially designed for horses. He is looking for someone who wants to keep their horses on his acreage. Thanks johnlsteele@juno.com

[johnlsteele]

I am the one who mentioned the home with the huge field nearby. I should also mention that the home is 3 miles from Corvallis, and 6 miles from Albany. Also 5 minutes away from the home is a man who has a 15-20 acre property, especially designed for horses. He is looking for someone who wants to keep their horses on his acreage. Thanks johnlsteele@juno.com

[NightBazaar]

Originally Posted by MajorHart

Some one mentioned fog in the winter - how bad? How much rain a year - do swamp coolers work in the summers?

Thanks

There are times when it can get quite foggy in the early morning, but usually burns off by noon or so. It can rain more frequently from around Nov to Mar (give or take a month on either side). During the rainy season, we can get what seem like long stretches of rainfall for a week or two without much of a break, although it can be mixed with drizzle, light sprinkles and/or rain. It's pretty typical for most of the western side of the Pacific Northwest.

I would think the effectiveness of swamp coolers would depend on the size of the house and how much shading or sun exposure the house has. In smaller houses, a swampy can leave you feeling pretty sticky. But they are cheaper to run than an air-conditioner. Heat pumps seem to be popular in newer homes.

Where are you from?