Every year Amy and I make a point to rent a log home and disconnect for a few days. We take this time to step away from emails, read a few books, admire the log home and the nature that surrounds it. Amy coordinated a getaway this year to coincide with my 30th birthday, and boy was I in for a surprise. Those who are close to me know that there are two topics that I'm passionate about (some may say obsessed with): Log Homes and Technology. Amy, being as brilliant as she is beautiful, put those two passions together and surprised me with one of the coolest gifts I've ever received - a drone! One thing that I've noticed over years of researching different log home styles and builders is the surprising small amount of high quality photos and footage that is readily available. Log and timber frame builders, architects, and buyers spend months and in some cases years designing and crafting the home of their dreams.…
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If you've found the perfect plot of land for your new home, don't sign the dotted line just yet. Undeveloped land can often times have hidden costs associated with getting utilities hooked up that may be outside of your budget. If you’ve never lived out in the country or had to purchase undeveloped property then this is an easy factor to overlook because most of us assume every property will have access to water/sewage, electricity and natural gas. However, many raw plots aren’t set up for these things yet. Electricity: Electricity tends to be the most expensive of the utilities to consider and, ideally, you will have a co-op or neighbors willing to share expenses. If this isn’t an option, then you may find yourself having to pay the total costs to set up poles which will add thousands to your land cost. The utility company will send out an engineer to get an exact quote for you if you find this option worth it. If…
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First things first, how do you even find undeveloped land? While some people may opt to build on developed land, log home buyers are far more likely to want a home that is in a bit more rural setting and finding raw land can be daunting as it becomes scarcer. Having a real estate agent to show you around is likely one of the best ways to get listings that will fit your needs and to get more information on the area. An agent, for example, can tell you more about easements on the property and highway improvements. You can get a head start on looking and possibly even forgo an agent all together by looking around yourself. You can do this by searching the local newspaper and, if you live in the area, simply drive around to find spots that interest you. Every piece of land is owned by somebody, but even if a tract doesn't have a "For Sale" sign on it, that…
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