Extending the Kingdom

[wincrasher]

The lot next door to my house is vacant and of similar size to mine, about 1 acre.

I've been considering all summer of asking the owner, who is in our subdivision, if he'll sell it to me. I suspect he'll want $30-40k. If I purchased it, I'd just extend my lawn. Maybe someday, many years from now, I'd build a house on it, but I doubt it. Neighborhood restrictions are pretty tight - couldn't just build a garage on it, or a pool or a tennis court or anything like that - you can only build a house of a minimum size. All of the homes in my subdivision are ~3,000 sq ft+, $300-$400k. Our area is not "hot" right now, so I don't expect that the value would shoot up alot. We are a "good" area, so prices have remained solid thru all the turmoil these last few years.

The pluses are that I'd be in control as to who a neighbor would be. The cons - all that grass to cut! And you have to cut it - leaving it natural is against the rules. The taxes would be $650 a year and the HOA is $250 a year, but I'd get an extra vote.

But my sister pointed out to me that all my neighbors are great and someone who builds there could be the best neighbor I ever had.

So what should I do?

[disneysteve]

Is there some compelling reason why you feel you need an additional acre of lawn? If not, I'm not sure I see the benefit to spending 40K plus $900/year just to have more grass to mow.

[Beccagold]

It sounds like it would just cost you money & time. I'm not seeing any big benefit to it.

[wincrasher]

The benefit I'm weighing is not having another house up against my house - in all likelihood - currently houses are about 75 to 100 ft apart.

I may have a grass cutting addiction though.....are you over the line when you wax your tractor?

[Ima saver]

We are on two acres (all grass) and I love it. I also love not having neighbors real close. If it is a good subdivision, I would say, yes, buy it. My dh cuts our two acres once a week and it only takes 2-3 hours.

[Snodog]

Is there some compelling reason why you feel you need an additional acre of lawn? If not, I'm not sure I see the benefit to spending 40K plus $900/year just to have more grass to mow.

I agree with Steve. But if you want more privacy and like to mow then go for it. Definitely not something I would do though, in fact I'de like to sell some of our yard.

My dh cuts our two acres once a week and it only takes 2-3 hours.

[zakity]

What about putting in some gardens on it? You could have a huge wild flower garden, a huge veggie garden, a huge cutting garden (to have fresh flowers in the house all the time).