TN land, wide question (for sale, real estate, homes)

[salo]

Hi folks!
After researching a TN forum I could not find the related topics, so decided to start a new one. If you know the place of discusssion of the previous topics I didn't notice, I will be gratefull for redirecting me to them .
Here is my situation. We are young couple, living in NJ and never have being in TN. After researching the info about this state we decided to look for a land, where we plan to move, build a green (cob) home and live. We like the climate, milder than in NJ, beautiful nature, quiet places.
Here is what we are looking for. We didn't pick the place yet, but our priorities in searching include:
*rural quite place
*wooded piece (leafy trees, NOT coniferous!) with some creeck or pond or river or spring
*size 8-30 acres depending on how good deal is it
*it shouldn't be steep
*there is NO NEED for amenities such as water, electric, phone, sewage, nearby school, supermarkets, etc.
*we want the land to be undeveloped, and no previous farm existed on a lot (we plan to have our own small farm, so the land shouldn't be exhausted)

Since, our goal is self-sufficiency, and want to be free from society regular needs (like new clothes, households needs, food) we are not planning work full time. Hence, we can't afford expensive land, like $15 per acre. We plan to spent no more then $60,000 for the whole piece.
It supposed to be a start of an eco-village, so the land should be located in a most forgotten, hard to reach, and wild place . Desirably, we want it to be beautiful - close to mountains, views with grassed area.

If somebody could gives us an advice, opinion on - what part of TN (or maybe surrounding states?) we should look for - we would appreciate it a lot . Currently, because NJ where we live, is not so close to TN, we can look up only at internet sales of land on varius web sites, plan to choose a few parcels and take a look some day, in a month or two. If you know some other sources of looking up for a TN land, please, let us know.
Thank you very much to all!

[jguillot]

I don't live in Tennessee yet, but my research has shown that much of what you are looking for can likely be found in some of the northern counties of Tennessee, near the Tennessee/Kentucky border (possibly Macon, Clay, Pickett, or Scott Counties). Since those counties are not near the more populated areas, property there tends to be much less expensive. Good luck in finding that special place.

[2mares]

[SIZE=3]Go ahead and scratch Middle TN off your list.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]You are not going to find beautiful level wooded land with creeks and springs (if it has a pond it has previously been farm land) close to mountains with views of grassy meadows for $15/per acre or $1500/acre probably not $15000/per acre. And forget riverfront property.[/SIZE]
The areas you described have already been purchased by big developers. Kentucky would be more suited to your needs. Good luck, your going to need it.
You should be able to search all listed property in TN via internet.

[jabogitlu]

Surely $15 an acre was a typo??? If not, maybe they should be looking on another continent!

Yeah, in Tennessee your best bet is the northern counties around Hancock, Claiborne, Fentress, Pickett, Scott, Campbell. Or Johnson County in the NE corner.

[salo]

Sorry for mistake, when i mentioned high price I ment 15,000/acre.
I thank you guys for your advices and will follow your directions and look up northern part of tennessee as well as some place in kentuky.

[crazykimmie]

Originally Posted by salo

Sorry for mistake, when i mentioned high price I ment 15,000/acre.
I thank you guys for your advices and will follow your directions and look up northern part of tennessee as well as some place in kentuky.

I was just up in Grainger county, Hawkins county......You can find land cheaper than $15,000 and acre!!! If everything in your thread is really what you want, rural is there!!! But you need to take a trip and explore because what you see on the internet is not what you always see when you get there! Also get more than one realtor but not in the same counties they all know each other. And they will tell each other that they are working with you. The cheaper the steeper... There is some beautiful property up there but you defiantly need to take a trip or 2 to really look at what’s available. From what I saw in the NE TN you will most likely find what you need for the price you want to pay. Most what we saw had some rolling, spring fed ponds, along with steep on the property also. Go look!!! Make the time and be careful of acting to much like city folk or you will get taken for a ride…be smart!!

[bbkaren]

Oh, and those Grainger County tomatoes....right Hik?

[knoxgarden]

Make contact with The Farm in Tennessee. They offer courses, info and possible help in how to do what you want to do.
Ecovillage Training Center/Courses
And check out SARE
Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
There may be grants available for what you want to do.
Check with the TN agricultural Extension and the state ag offices. Tennessee is very actively promoting small farms, boutique crops, farmer's markets, etc. They got the money to do it from the multi-billion dollar Tobacco buyout lawsuit.
You'll find even more of that in Kentucky and North Carolina. Do some serious research and you might find people waving money at you to come and do what you want to do.

[Eat]

I believe you are being quite unrealistic. You want land that isn't steep, which has not been farmed, but you also want grassy views. If it hasn't been farmed, it will be timbered, and it will fetch a premium price.

The cheapest land I have seen has been around $3,000 an acre. Usually though, land that cheap has certain issues.

[younglisa7]

Try searching Country Homes, Ranches & Farm Land for Sale - United Country Rural Real Estate. They usually have really good pictures with their listings. You can search for land by state and price.

Lisa