Iowa Recreational Land

Iowa has so many options for recreational land and the trend toward purchasing recreational land for hunting, fishing, ATV enthusiasts, and equestrian uses has become popular.

I keep a constant eye on the recreational properties that are available throughout Southern Iowa and Southwest Iowa. I also watch the properties available statewide and monitor them through channels available to me. As a deer and turkey hunter myself I have a lot of interest in these property listings for recreational land.

In college I studied Fish and Wildlife Biology which included land management and conservation. Having a Realtor with this knowledge on your side while buying or selling your receational land is to your benefit.

Certainly the perfect recreational landis not going to be the same for everybody and every use. If you are a deer hunter having the proper mix if forest, water, brush cover and open spaces in relation to food supplies is critical to good management. The CSR of the soil will be important if you intend to row crop the property or plant your own food plots on the property. If you are a turkey hunter are you selecting properties that are going to be good breeding grounds in the Spring, or are there going to be strut zones on the property?

Some important considerations when purchasing recreational land that are important and can be easily overlooked by others include all of the following.

• Does electrical service already extend to the property and if not how close is it. If it is more than 1 mile away you are looking at a very considerable cost to bring the electricity to the property. Will the electric company pay the cost, split it with you or charge the entire job to you?
• Is there a well and septic already on the property? If there are well and septic do they work and can they pass the inspection?
• Do you plan to put a cabin on the property? If so what is the zoning for the area and is a cabin allowed? If a cabin is allowed does the county have a minimum square footage requirement for residential structures?
• Are there easements on the property? Are they acceptable to you? Will they affect usage?
• Are there current leases on the property that will affect your ability to take title to the property? If there are leases this can cause a substantial problem for you. If they exist all leases would need to be reviewed.
• How do neighbors use their property and will it affect your intended use of the recreational property?
• Is the property eligible for government programs that may work to your benefit? There are many conservation programs and forest preserve programs.
• Are there erosion issues on the property and are there cost share funds available through USDA programs to fix the problems.
• Is there a pond on the property? Is the pond spring fed or filled by run off? If its run off does it collect run off from neighbors property? Does the neighbor have cattle in pasture that will contribute coliform bacteria to your pond?
• If the pond is stocked with fish is there a proper balance of fish? Is it a balanced ecosystem that can sustain itself?
• Is there potential income from the property? If you intend to use it soley for hunting can you cash rent tillable acres to a neighboring farmer? Is there timber that can be harvested. Iowa has an abundant supply of hardwoods including Black Walnut and Oak. Can you harvest hay or grass from the property for sale to local cattlemen?

Purchasing recreational property in Iowafor hunting or other uses is not a matter of just finding a property that looks good from the road, or that may have been the property where a trohpy deer was harvested 10 years ago. When I read ads for some recreational properties you will see mounted deer heads showing deer harvest on the property. There is more to it than that. I hope when you decide to purchase recreational land in Iowa you will give me a call. There is land available statewide. For those inquiries from out of state rest assured that I can find you the property that will fit your needs and budget.

Loess Hills Acreages and Farms | Southwest Iowa Homes | NP Dodge Real Estate

Jason Smith, Realtor - Sales Associate - NP Dodge Real Estate

Homes, Acreages, Farms, Land, Building Lots and Auctions

Cell Phone 402.250.1006 Email Jason@gowithjason.com

Offices in three Iowa locations. Council Bluffs, Glenwood and Missouri Valley, Iowa

1032 Woodbury Ave Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712.328.5008
201 S. Locust Glenwood, IA 51534 712.527.3164
421 East Erie Missouri Valley, IA 51555 712.642.3287