Finding the land

I decided that I still wanted 40 acres with trees and water if I could get it, and no too far from a town (just in case). I didn’t want all flat land, but I did want 4 seasons after living in Phoenix for years and Escondido for even more years I really wanted 4 seasons, 40 inches of rain was about right and no heavy snow, and owner financing.

Finding a lot of listings that fit that criteria I stated calling the different offices and found that most of the listings were sold but that they would send the flyers of the current listing, I ended up with stacks of these flyers, after work I would thumb through these a dream about what the homestead would be like.

That’s how I met Nelson Tyler in the Ozarks, I called about 30 acres of land for $10,000 with owner financing and talked to a fella named George and learned that it was available. OK I’m sold, somehow I felt like this was the right place. Told George that I wanted to buy it, he said ok when you going to come back it see it? I’ll come back on my vacation. He said ok we’ll see you when you get here, it felt like he ending the call. Wait a minute I want to buy it now. He couldn’t understand that I wanted to buy land without looking at it first and told me that he would have to talk to Nelson Tyler (the broker) about that. It felt like a long time before Nelson called me back and when he did he said he didn’t know it he could do that. WHAT someone that wouldn’t take my money! What kind of people am I dealing with? After a few days and conversations I got my answer NO, he wasn’t comfortable selling something sight unseen. Well that threw me for a loop, ok more vacation and a drive to Missouri with NO detours. I called he’s office to let them know that I was coming and when I would be there, by chance I was talking to Nelson’s wife, one of the nicest ladies I had ever talked to on the phone. She mentioned that they owned a piece of land that they had not put on the market yet (Nelson’s 40) that I might be interested in and they would show it to me if I wanted. Well I’m going to be there anyway I guess I could take a look.

After an exhausting drive from California (80 and sometimes plus mph) we pulled into Willow Springs MO, it was like pulling into Mayberry USA what a shock compared to Phoenix or even Escondido. But somehow I felt at home there was peace that came over me that this is right. There we met Nelson Tyler face to face, he took us to see Nelson’s 40, on the way to the parcel we leave town on the state highway and we’re going 40 mph. then a tractor pulls out from a side road and we slow to 25 mph, there is no traffic coming but stay behind this tractor going 25 mph. Finally the tractor pulls off and we are still going 25 mph, ON A STATE HIGHWAY Nancy and I looked at each other, REALLY!

Nelson’s 40 is actually 37 plus acres with rolling hills mostly wooded (30 or so acres) with a small pond, mostly red oaks, with a few pine, cedar, dogwood, and maybe more I’m not a tree expert I lived in the desert most of my life. It was perfect for our homestead and both knew it.

Nelson took us back to the office and handed us off to another salesman to show us several other parcels, all of which would work for our plans, but we already knew we were wasting everyone’s time.