Land Under $5,000

If your budget is below $5,000, you can still find land in the United States, but you should understand what that price point usually means. You are most likely looking at raw, unimproved property in a rural county with limited services, no utilities at the boundary, and possibly no paved road frontage. Much of the inventory at this level is found in the rural Deep South, the Ozarks of Arkansas and Missouri, the high desert of New Mexico and Arizona, and parts of rural Appalachia where land values have remained relatively low. That does not automatically make the property a poor investment. If you buy a low-cost unimproved lot in a rural county that later receives infrastructure investment or population growth, your property may appreciate over a 10 to 15 year holding period. The important part is knowing what you are buying. You should verify legal access because some inexpensive rural parcels rely on paper roads that are not maintained or passable. Check zoning to make sure your intended use is allowed. Confirm that the parcel is large enough for county septic requirements if you plan to build. Review FEMA flood mapping, and verify that the property taxes are current because title issues or delinquent taxes can sometimes contribute to a very low asking price.