To be honest, there's a lot that you can do. Cabins are cheap - and if you can find one with property that abuts a national forest or game land, it's almost as if you've "bought 5000 acres for the price of 1." It only takes 10K or so to start a deer camp tradition - that's something that defines you, I think. Since you have no heirs, it seems that your deer camp would be something that YOU could start, with YOUR friends, and enjoyit with them- in a group enterprise - and leave itto go down the line, and stay within the chain of title of your closest friends. Something that will live on long after you're gone.

If you live out in the boons, 1/2 Mil will generally buy you an awfully nice piece of heaven. You don't need an extravagant home, since there's just the 2 (3 counting the dog) of you. As in anything else, the best solution is usually in the middle-ground.

Considerations: You've gotta consider your wife, since most men predecease their wives. If something would happen, you wouldn't want to leave her with a house that she couldn't manage, in a location that is unsuitable for a lone widow, or with a property that she doesn't enjoy.

I know some of this sounds a little morbid - but when you're planning long-term, you have to thing long-term.

Also, since your real property will likely be yourpersonal savings account and biggest asset - you shouldapproach it with that in mind, and key onfeatures that are likely to provide the highest return on your initial investment. I.E. - try to get a property with natural gas rights. Look at the timber potential. Isitzoned right? If you need to "cash out" a few thousand $$, will you easily be able to subdivide a chunk tosell to a home builderand get good value for it.

Think about your will. Who will you be leaving your assets behind to? What do you want to leave THEM, if something should happen to you.

Just things to think about.

Can't I just spend it all on booze and wild women[8D]

Big land, small house and huge pole barn.

i would think that having land and a investment for there future would be better then a big costly house that will loss value over time.

i like your thinking but a big house with granite counter tops and hardwood floors may not be the best thing for the kids.

I know when i was a kid i would have gave anything to have alot of land to play on

I would build a modest house and put more money into buying up some land.

to quote tony soprano buy land god ant making any more of it

Investing is a good thing but there is no better investment then land you do not pay taxes on it risk losing it because a dumb investment

We will be spending ours on enough house to live in the way we want andenough land to work (hunt, farm, privacy)the way we want.

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[blockquote]Atlasman,

I'm trying to do the same thing on half the budget. We pretty much decided on 45 acres and we are going to build our dream "cabin/house" so we can hunt right out the back door. But I'm also that guy thats 3 years out of College.[/blockquote]

sounds good to me i see no point in buying land and then buying a house somewhere else

more taxs more insurance
I also do no think you need hundreds of acres to have a good place to hunt

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Where??.........man, I just looked at a few houses that were $400,000 range and they only had 5-9 acres of land. Nice houses for sure with a view that would knock your socks off but hardly any land. I then started asking about land and got prices ranging from $2,000-$10,000 per acre........people around here are starting to move into the secluded areas........these people have money and the farmers know it. To aquire cheap land $1,000/acre I would have to get out in the sticks which we really don't want..........private yes, boondocks, no.