No way to know what 5 acres, 10 acres, 20 acres, 40 acres really feels like. And it's a totally different market out of the city -- $325K in town would never get you a house over 2000 sq ft. Probably not over 1750!

And it's hard to know what a 40-minute drive is like -- and what it's like when it's mostly interstate, or mostly country road, or whatever.

I'm still in favor of the buy-land plan. Get some good land now. Go out and play on the weekends. Take some time to save money so we can afford to build and live at the same time, and build something that really suits our needs.

But there is something appealing about having all the outbuildings there, the septic there, the electric, gas, and telephone there, without the hassle of arranging it ourselves . . .

To be continued!

Oh, and thanks for the many offers. It's tempting, but we are Midwesterners, and as far as I can see we will stay that way!

Shaun
www.homeschoolblogger.com/shaunms