Hi. I just want to share what I've found helpful, in my last couple years of looking for a homestead for us ( it's a very long story as to why we're still renting right now ). Yes, Facebook marketplace can be helpful, as more people seem to be on that than craigslist nowadays. Helpful for "for sale by owner" properties, otherwise Realtor.com is the best place. It has the more up-to-date information, in my experience, compared to Zillow. I can't recall why, but I didn't find using Trulia or any others, worthwhile ( either Realtor. com was better or they were comparable and I just stuck with Realtor ). Zillow does have " for sale by owner option" and more forclosures or soon to be forclosures, so I do check that as well. The site's main drawback is that it does NOT update the add with " contingent or pending " or "sold" promptly, AT ALL. So, it's helpful to limit your search on it to a recent time limit ( such as 1 week or 1 month ) to weed out those no longer available, especially in this hot market, and check it regularly within that time frame, for new listings. The problem is that raw land sells much slower, land that's been listed for a year or more may still be available. But unless it's a for sale by owner, you'll find it on Realtor.com . On either, you can set up an "account " ( your email and a password ) and then "save search" and check the box for how immediately you want notifications of new listings which match that search, to your email. I search by county name, maximum price and my main other helpful requirements ( click minimum 1 bedroom but nothing for bathroom to find properties which have a dwelling of some kind but not necessarily a well, or just don't have plumbing - Amish properties and "up north" cabins will show up under this, though not all cabins have what is considered a bedroom, so I also check further into ads for land which seem higher priced than normal for that area, that's often a sign that it has some improvement on it. Or just land that has other reason which prompt me to read the ad ). You can save several searches, so I save 1 of these for the many counties I'm considering within my State. You may also want to save searches for the lower maximum price and no bedroom or bathroom requirement, to get alerts for just land, at a lower price point. For examples. Doing this is the most helpful. You'll also get emails for price reductions. If you "like" ( click the heart ) an individual property listing, which wouldn't qualify for one of your saved searches ( such as, it's a little above your max price ) , you'll get email of it's price being lowered. Always check under " property history" to find the property tax amount for recent years. They'll not always be in the ad or the data below it, but will always be in this spot unless not available at all ( property is recently parceled out ).
DO NOT use the provided links to contact the agent ! As you'll see the warning of, if you click on that, you'll be signing up to receive calls and texts from any realtor. You'll be inundated with solicitations. Instead, look over the ad to find the company and agent it's listed with, then go
online to find that company's website and find the agent's phone number there, or call the main office. Have the MLS number written down, or the property's address, to tell them which one you're wanting to talk about.
Lastly, hiring your own agent to help you look can be helpful, as they will have the most immediate access to new listings which are listed with their company. But there are so many companies, unless you're looking in only 1 smaller area and that company is popular in that area, that isn't very likely to happen right now, with so little on the market ( comparably ) and although the seller often pays for your agent too, not all sellers will OR this cost will be reflected in the price you pay, anyways. Always get a title search done of course, either way. We haven't found home inspectors to be very thorough, so we don't bother with them anymore, as my husband knows a lot and now has learned even more.
Currently, there's even less new coming along, per usual in winter/during the school year, but there are some good options for under 105k in Wisconsin, on between 1 and 11 acres and near some jobs. A few, on 4 acres or less, for under 90k. Raw land for little more than 1k an acre in some areas, too ( 24 acres for sale for 26,000 just south of Ashland. Very few jobs up there, but if you don't need much of one, or can work online... ). Lots of low priced land - some with decent homes on them - in central WI and to the north all the way up to the NE border. We just want to stay near the little bit of friends and family we have in the northern Dunn county area, or we'd go for one of those.
Not that you're wanting to buy in Wisconsin, but I thought I'd add that for anyone who is.
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