Property Spotlight: E Ivanhoe Dr in the Lake Ivanhoe Community

This week I want to show you one of my favorite little East Texas lots.

It's on E Ivanhoe Dr in Lake Ivanhoe Section 3, in Tyler County, Texas, near the town of Ivanhoe. It's actually two lots combined, Lots 18 and 19 in Block 10, for a total of 0.34 acres. That's about a third of an acre.

Here's what you're getting, the good and the not so good.

The price

$11,899 cash, or $249 down plus the $249 doc fee, then $206 a month for 84 months.

The full listing, photos and free property map are here: E Ivanhoe Dr in Lake Ivanhoe.

Utilities

This is one of the nicer parts of this lot. Electricity and water are both available to the lot. That saves you a lot of the guesswork you get on raw land.

You will need a septic system. There's no sewer listed here, so plan on that if you build. Before you buy, call the county and ask what they require for septic in that area. I talk about how septic works in Power, Water and Septic on Raw Land.

Propane is the gas source out there. If you want gas heat, a gas stove or a gas water heater, you'll be setting up a propane tank with a local supplier.

The POA and the lake

Lake Ivanhoe has a property owners association. The good news is the fee is tiny. It's $6 per lot per year. Since this is two lots, plan on that for each one.

The community park and the lake are private. They're for members in good standing. So if you keep your dues current, you get to enjoy them. That's a big part of why people like living in or visiting a lake community like this.

Current tax records show $0 a year in taxes on this property. I can't promise that stays the same forever, since the county sets the taxes, but that's what the records show today.

If you're new to how POAs work, my post on POA vs HOA explains the difference.

The woods

This is where I want to be really upfront.

The lot is thick with trees. Some people love that. It's private, it's shady and it feels like you're tucked away in the woods. But if you want to build or put anything on it, you'll need to do some clearing first.

How much clearing depends on what you want to do. A small cabin footprint and a driveway is a lot less work than clearing the whole thing. Get a few quotes from local folks who do land clearing before you set your budget.

What it's good for

Here's how I'd think about this lot.

• A weekend getaway spot. A wooded lot in a lake community with a private park and lake for members.
• A future build. Power and water are available, which makes building a lot simpler than on raw land out in the country.
• A long term hold. Low yearly costs make it easy to hang on to while you decide what to do.

What it's not good for

Full time RV living isn't allowed here. If your plan is to park a camper and live in it, this isn't the lot for you. You can read more about how RV rules work in Can You Live in an RV on Your Own Land?

And if you want acreage, room for animals or wide open views, you'll be happier with something in West Texas.

How buying it works

There's no application and no credit check. If you can afford the down payment, we finance you. The lot isn't locked in until we receive the down payment.

After that, we email you the documents to sign electronically and set up automatic monthly payments. It usually takes about two weeks, mostly because of county paperwork. Your first payment is due in 30 days. Once that first payment is in, you can start using the land. Just run any building plans by us first.

The deed stays with us until the balance is paid. Then we record it in your name with a warranty deed.

If you want to go see it, text me at (817) 631-1858. I'll send you the maps, GPS coordinates and directions.

Jarod