Good or Bad??

kaiser715

kaiser715

Doing hard time
Joined
Jun 1, 2006
Location
7, Pocket, NC
We've been looking at land around here, 5 to 25 acres more or less. There is one lot that we have some interest in. It's not on the market, but an aquaintance owns it, and I approached him about buying it. It is on a dead end rural road, most lots are around 5 acres, almost all houses are cleared and visible to the street. I had heard that this was a pretty private neighborhood, and they are very protective of their privacy and security.

Today, I went down to the end of the (public/state maintained) road, turned around, and rode back out. As I left, a car going out ahead of me pulled to the shoulder, and waved me down. I knew who it was from around town (they didn't know me) and I stopped to talk to them. First words out of her were "are you lost?" I told them who I was, and that I was looking at possibly purchasing the lot. Had a very friendly conversation about the neighbors, neighborhood, history of the property, etc.

I had been told that the residents there are pretty quick to call each other if strangers drive thru. Many of them are original residents from 70's and 80's. Guy with the lot had the SO called on him when he left his car by the road to walk his property.

So....is this level of caution extremely weird, and signals of problems in the future, or a good thing? I am about 50/50 on that right now.
 
Dead ends are quiet and most who live on a dead end know and watch out for their neighbors. I live on a dead end and I/neighbors notice strange cars/peeps driving too fast or s l o w and strangers. We don't get much traffic and everybody knows what every neighbor on our street drives. If a stranger roles down the rd. someones bound to keep an eye out. We also recognize a stranger when they walk down the road because it leads nowhere.
 
How old are the other residents? If original from the 70s, I'm guessing they aren't middle-aged anymore...
Reason I ask is that means eventually their houses/lots will be for sale - either they'll die off and it will be a family sale, or they'll go to a retirement home somewhere...

I know you aren't a young fella either, but just something to consider if you're concerned about turnover/change in teh near future. and that change could be either good or bad.
 
That change is already occurring....original residents are in 60's and 70's. Next door neighbor is mid to late 70s. Newer ones that I have been able to get info on look to be 40's to early 50's. We are early 50's.

(speaking very carefully here...) Most are in my ethnic group, some in another (english-speaking) ethnic group. That's the way it is everywhere now, anyway. Doesn't matter to me, as long as everybody gets along. Worse thing is the meth houses and white trash. None of that in this area.
 
Just did some people searching online....looks like about half the neighborhood is composed of remaining original owners/second wave owners that are mostly in their mid-60's, one upper 70's. The other half of the neighborhood, the newer move-ins, (couple in 2000-ish, rest in 2010-14) are late 30's thru mid 40's. A couple of them are mid 50's and mid-60's.

Seems to be overall younger than I was thinking, and half the neighborhood has changed from original owners, so that is good.
 
I say it's a good thing. I live at the end of my street very close to the turn around. Us and the neighbors keep a close eye on cars that drive by. Most are just people out cruising just seeing where the road goes.

Oh and be sure the street has street lamps/lights. Those usually deter the late night adventurous punks
 
I don't think it's bad. There is a point where it could be though. I live in a culdesac small neighborhood with 1 acre lots. Most of the homes are the opposite direction from me when you come in, so there are just 3 homes where I am. I have only been there a year and a half and my neighbors watch the place like a hawk. One neighbor is in their 70's and retired, the other in their 50's and work from home a lot. It's been nice to know what was going on when I am at work. There have been some problems with another neighbor lately that's nuts.
 
kaiser715 said:
We've been looking at land around here, 5 to 25 acres more or less. There is one lot that we have some interest in. It's not on the market, but an aquaintance owns it, and I approached him about buying it. It is on a dead end rural road, most lots are around 5 acres, almost all houses are cleared and visible to the street. I had heard that this was a pretty private neighborhood, and they are very protective of their privacy and security.

Today, I went down to the end of the (public/state maintained) road, turned around, and rode back out. As I left, a car going out ahead of me pulled to the shoulder, and waved me down. I knew who it was from around town (they didn't know me) and I stopped to talk to them. First words out of her were "are you lost?" I told them who I was, and that I was looking at possibly purchasing the lot. Had a very friendly conversation about the neighbors, neighborhood, history of the property, etc.

I had been told that the residents there are pretty quick to call each other if strangers drive thru. Many of them are original residents from 70's and 80's. Guy with the lot had the SO called on him when he left his car by the road to walk his property.

So....is this level of caution extremely weird, and signals of problems in the future, or a good thing? I am about 50/50 on that right now.
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I say good but Ill be the guy that comes up to you and wants to know why your here.If theres an HOA then it could be bad but I think I know your thoughts on HOA's.
 
1-tonmudder said:
I say good but Ill be the guy that comes up to you and wants to know why your here.If theres an HOA then it could be bad but I think I know your thoughts on HOA's.
Click to expand...

Definately don't want an HOA. Found several places we really liked, one 3 acres total, one at 12 acres, but both subject to very strict HOAs. The "really liked" couldn't overcome the rules.
 
My house is on a dead end. And (MOST) of the neighbors are very tight and watch each other. We all have each other's phone number, know where each works, status, when we're gone or home (for the most part), ect. I've been called on vacation a couple times asking if I had someone to watch my dogs, take out my recyclables, ect. Each person can take it as they will but I absolutely love it! I like to know my neighbors like that. Very comforting.

Although I knew all of them well for I'm outside a lot, my wife did not. After we got broke into, I took her around to meet everybody. Now she's in the loop and has joined into a Community website. Now I get the news of what pets have gotten away, who's mom died and needs some paid respect, who's going on vacation and what houses to watch / who has trash to grab on my way to the dump, ect.

We're even tighter than before... And I absolutely love it!!!
 
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It sounds like a good situation to me. Anyone looking to live on acreage wants privacy, so they probably won't mess with you because they don't want to be messed with either. It sounds like those folks like to keep their 'hood' safe. I give it two thumbs up.
 
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