I am a happy Dingus

Hello Mark
Sorry about your first choice not working out.
I live in Abingdon VA in the southwest corner of the state, if you need some newspapers or homes listing magazines from this area let me know and I'll send them right out.
 
Mark,

I just want things to work out for the best for you two.

Take care my brother.

-g
 
Mark

Some places in the west where there is little development still have relatively (not cheap, but) less expensive land and cost of living. They don't tend to be the most senic.

The major problem now is that there is an epidemic of Californication happening everywhere from New Mexico to the Pacific NW. All of the Rocky Mountain states put together have less than 1/3 of the population of CA. The Californicators are moving out in droves, bringing the plague of high real estate prices with them.

Places like Santa Fe, Jackson WY, and the whole state of Colorado are on their third wave, midwesterners in the '50s and '60s, Texans in the '80s and '90s and the CAites now. People who have to work for a living are mostly forced to commute, or low ball it somehow.

I am not trying to discourage you, but you can probably get a lot more bang for your real estate buck in the southeast US.
 
Mark,

I made the move here to the Pacific NW in July, 2004 from Maryland by way of Ohio (spent 2 years there before moving all the way here) and I'll never go back. I was born and raised in the Chespeake Bay but I can honestly say I've never seen a place more beautiful. The Blue Ridge range from WV to NC is absolutely gorgeous but there's just something different here.

I'm currently on an island accessible only by ferry (no bridges) which is really cool because it keeps off the riff raff except for the ones who live here. Crime is low, nature is high and there's a variety of climate but it is a hinderance like the recent windstorm that prevented us from leaving the island for more than a week when it sank our ferry dock (see a photo here: Bear Mountain)

We're moving to the mainland shortly but have property almost ready for a later move after my daughter finishes high school in 2008. We'll use the property for weekends and summer and build up the shop/forge first (so we can use it right now while we're building the home and renting one in town).

If you change your mind there's a lot of good people here to welcome you!
 
Sorry things didn't work out but glad you will still be in driving distance. We'll have to get together and do some forging again. Stay healthy.
Say Hi to Deb

Larry
 
Well....Looks like We'll be Easterner's for a while.

We are now owners of 32.5 acre parcel of land. The land is near Chatum Hill in the Rich Valley area of Smyth County Virginia. We're about 20 miles North of the small town of Saltville.

The land has two houses on it. One is in move-in condition and the other could be fixed up or leave it as is and be our shop/studio. There is a nice barn and another good size shed behind the main house. Only 4 acres is cleared and the balance is a nice mix of oaks and some huge 150' tall poplars. One side of the property has a pretty steep bank that runs 1000' along the North fork of the Holsten river.

We knelt down together and gave thanks for being able to find and buy this place. We may not live out the rest of our lives here...but man what a nice place to start.

Mark
 
Congrats Mark. I knew it would all work out for you. (When is the house warming Hammer-In?) :D
 
Glad you found a place Mark. We drove up through Saltville yesterday, we might have passed you somewhere along the way.
As Whit said when is the Hammer-In.
 
Thanks Guys,

We're looking forward to getting busy on fixin'up the place. Who know's a Fall hammer-in might be possible.
 
Congratulations, Mark! We are very happy for you and Deb! :)
 
Hello Mark

I am happy to hear that you have found something that is good for you.

I was going to send you a link to a real estate web site that my wife has just started using recently (www.zillow.com). It shows you a satellite picture with road names superimposed. You can see all the neighboring houses (if any) and where all the trees and bodies of water are. It also gives all kinds of information regarding surrounding properties, like prices price trends, lot size, number of bedrooms and bathrooms.

Take care.

Phil
 
Congrats Mark.
Twas looking forward to having another reason to travel to eastern WA but I'm still happy you found something that works for ya. Happy hammering!
 
Congrats on the Grandbaby Larry :)

Maybe we can figure out that black stuff then. Here's the jewel of the property. This is where I'll be living :D
 

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Thanks.

That will make a nice shop. What you going to do with all that room!
 
Spread out , far and wide. :D

Here's a view from the barn.
 

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Mark Williams said:
Spread out , far and wide. :D

Here's a view from the barn.
Click to expand...

Need someone to help with keeping the place up? I can sweep floors in your shop, anything to enjoy that view! You really hit a home run, Mark. Great find. Congratulations :thumbup: :) .

What are you gonna raise on there, other than knives?
 
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