10+ wooded acres within 30 min.-1 hr. of St. Louis? (Columbia: real estate, house)

[Mulberry6]

Hi ya'll!

I've been enjoying your posts, this is my first.

We will be relocating from middle GA to MO in the next month, and need to find a place to live within 1 hr. of St. Louis. We would prefer to be in the sticks, if there are any left, that close-in.

Want a place for the kids to play outside in the dirt, climb trees. Also want a big garden, and maybe even farm animals.

I'm tired of the burbs, but hubby's job will tie him in St. Louis Fri.-Mon.

We homeschool, so schools are not an issue.

Thanks!

[bls5555]

Originally Posted by Mulberry6

Hi ya'll!

I've been enjoying your posts, this is my first.

We will be relocating from middle GA to MO in the next month, and need to find a place to live within 1 hr. of St. Louis. We would prefer to be in the sticks, if there are any left, that close-in.

Want a place for the kids to play outside in the dirt, climb trees. Also want a big garden, and maybe even farm animals.

I'm tired of the burbs, but hubby's job will tie him in St. Louis Fri.-Mon.

We homeschool, so schools are not an issue.

Thanks!

If you look on the Illinois side, you will find plenty of wide open country within an hour drive to STL.

On the missouri side, it's going to be much tougher.

If you go to mapquest and head out 64 into Illinois from STL, you will see O'fallon and Fairview Heights. That is about a 15-20 min drive to STL.

You can kind of go from there. I live in Carlyle and it is about a 50 min to 1 hour drive to downtown and if you see it on the map (find O'Fallon and go straight east on the map till you see the lake), it is quite a ways out but doesn't take to long to get to STL.

[MoNative34]

The big factor is where in St. Louis the job is. If it's downtown, I'd choose IL.

[Inoxkeeper]

I would never live in IL...the taxes are higher, you can't own a gun to defend your family, gas is always more expensive, there is a standing traffic jam trying to get to St. Louis every morning and then back to IL at night.

Plus it's flat and boring...Missouri has it all over IL for scenery, hunting, floating, fishing, etc. Just ask all the folks from IL who come to MO everyday, they know we have it better or they wouldn't be coming.

10 wooded acres...I don't think that exists in IL...it's all corn fields.

[RickMG]

Actually Southern Illinois has a lot of rolling hills and wooded areas. I can think of a great area that might have what you're looking for, but, like mentioned earlier, it depends on where your husband is going to work. Look at the area off route 3 south of Columbia, Illinois. Maeystown is a small rural town (by town, I mean one short street) and the area around it is really nice.

By the way, gas is way more expensive.

[theFLwalrus]

You might try Ste. Genevieve County. Plenty of woods there and about 60 min away from downtown St. Louis. We lived there 14 years before moving to FL and the main roads were always pretty clear in the winter snows. Nice area to raise kids to appreciate mother nature.

[skeating]

You can go out Interstate 44 toward: Eureka, Pacific, St Clair, Union and find acreage. You can go out Highway 55 toward: Herculaneum, Festus, Crystal City and find acreage.
Go out Highway 30 toward: High Ridge, House Springs, Dittmer you will find acreage.
Next go out Highway 21 toward: Hillsboro, Desoto and you will find acreage.

Taxes are lower in: Union, St Clair, Herculaneum, Festus, Desoto, House Springs, Dittmer, Hillsboro, Desoto. These taxes will be about the lowest in the areas of St Louis with available acreage. They will be lower in taxes compared to Illinois.

Hope this helps.

[tcdain]

Originally Posted by Inoxkeeper

I would never live in IL...the taxes are higher, you can't own a gun to defend your family, gas is always more expensive, there is a standing traffic jam trying to get to St. Louis every morning and then back to IL at night....10 wooded acres...I don't think that exists in IL...it's all corn fields.

Since this is my first post I do not want to single anyone out ... but

The poster is actually correct. Our real estate taxes are higher. On the bright side we do not pay personal property taxes in Illinois which might balance it out or actually save you money depending on what you own.

The poster is not right about the gun laws. I own 4 guns which are all shotguns used for hunting....I am sure they will do a great job protecting my family if ever there is a need. I suppose he meant to say that our government in IL would like to take some guns away from us. Personally I don't think there is a need for anything except target and hunting guns but I would be surprised if any guns will be taken from us.

As far as the traffic goes...I guess it depends on where you have to drive in downtown St. Louis and at what time. I made the trip to and from Earth City (North/West of St. Louis) every day for 3 years and never had traffic.

There is plenty of "Styx" here in the Edwardsville area. Look specifically at Marine, Worden, and Bunker Hill.

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by tcdain

There is plenty of "Styx" here in the Edwardsville area. Look specifically at Marine, Worden, and Bunker Hill.

"Don't stop believing ..."

[MoNative34]

Originally Posted by aragx6

"Don't stop believing ..."

Uhhhh.... You're thinking Journey.