We had a "thread" on the PVRC reflector recently when a ham in North Carolina
decried the unavailability of QTHs without restrictive covenants. This was
during his new QTH search in North Carolina. I commented that they were pretty
easy to find in Maryland. He refused to believe it. I was thinking, "Have I
been living in a bubble all my life?" Every time I've gone driving in the
country looking for a new QTH I have been able to find for sale signs on
acreage. The ones I have checked out, at least, never had any covenants
associated with them. I have bought and sold a number of country properties of
between two and 27 acres and they never had any covenants. Granted, none of
them were part of any development of any kind -- let's say a 200-acre farm
being broken up into farmettes or large lots. They were all single parcels,
stand-alone.
I was later told the NC ham was only looking at golf course country club
communities and million-dollar homes. Maybe that explains it.
In any case, I was pleased and somewhat surprised to find that in suburban
Washington, D.C. (I can drive to the U.S. Capitol Building in as little as 20
minutes, which amazed even me when I did it) acreage is still available at
reasonable prices. Mine is 14-1/4 acres. A friend, AI3M, also sold a 10-acre
rural property within the last year, near here, for a very reasonable price.
These sorts of properties are generally without covenants and restrictions,
even in this very suburban area -- suburban at least in that it is close to big
cities. The counties have restrictions to greater or lesser extent, varying
county to county, but are generally relatively workable for hams who want to
put up even tall towers.
73 - Rich, KE3Q
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