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[Bill Jones <billj AT harborside.com>]

I'm trying to buy a 2-5 acre parcel in Oregon's banana belt where we can 
take the sheep for the winter when we're retired.  I guess I'm naive 
about "the way things are".  I wish someone could explain these 
paradoxes to me.  Thanks in advance.  I feel really stupid asking these 
things of a realtor.  Should I find a realtor other than the seller's?  
At what point do I become obligated to follow through with a particular 
realtor?

1.  "You can't build on the land if it doesn't have water."  I see how 
this fits in with the world of home loans.  But I'm paying cash.  And 
enough rain falls there that we can easily manage with a small cistern, 
just for the winter months.

2.  "You can't stay on the land unless it has a government-approved home 
on it."  I'm not sure about this one.  But I'm pretty sure they've found 
a way to keep the riff-raff away.  What if my RV is really nice?

3.  "You can't keep animals there unless you stay there with them."  
Once again, don't know.  Either way, it would AYOR to leave them alone.

4.  "You have to 'develop' the water source before you know if there is 
any, because you can't use the creek water."  Should I expect the 
seller's realtor to disclose details about water, the geological report, 
and access?  If I have to dig, even though I don't want to, then do I 
only find out after I'm screwed whether I can build?

I'm happy to build a 12' x 10' solarium with a cook stove, but I'm not 
sure if this would buy me the privilege of staying on my own land.

So what I don't appreciate overall is, I started out with only the 
simplest demands, since I already own a summer farm, yet I end up having 
to build a McMansion whether I want to or not?  Should we just ignore it 
all and go park the RV there and enjoy a balmy winter?

Bill
S. Oregon coast