Could a cabin on 20 acres be the quiet rural base you’ve been picturing without a huge price tag? This one sits near Antwerp in northern New York, with a finished 14 by 36 foot building, a covered porch, a small barn and land that mixes open field with woods, rock and water. The asking price is $84,900.
Here’s the honest version up front. It’s a finished, ready-to-use building on mixed acreage, and the land does most of the work. It isn’t a fully documented home with a floor plan, utility details or a list of inside features, so those are the questions to bring to the seller.
The Numbers Behind This Property
- Asking price: $84,900, as NY Outdoor Realty lists it.
- Land: 20 acres, private and on a dead-end road.
- Building: A finished 14 by 36 foot recreational building with a covered porch.
- Location: Antwerp, Jefferson County, New York.
- Annual taxes: About $1,152, according to the seller.
- Electricity: A grid line runs to the road, and the seller says the distance to the cabin is within the standard 200 feet.
A Quick Look at This Cabin on 20 Acres
NY Outdoor Realty describes this as a recreational building rather than a full house, and that framing matters. Think weekend stays, hunting trips or a first step onto rural land. The seller says you can use the building right away, so you won’t be waiting on a build before you can enjoy the land.
I like that the location is more than a dot on a map. The seller gives a handful of distances, and they show how close you are to useful places while still feeling far out. U.S. Route 11 is about four miles away. The Indian River Lakes and Wildlife Area is about eight miles off. Fort Drum’s main gate is about 20 miles, and Watertown is about 25 miles, along with the St. Lawrence River and Thousand Islands area and Interstate 81. Lake Ontario near Chaumont Bay and Sackets Harbor is about 36 miles.
Those numbers are useful, but check them yourself. Distances like these are rough, and they don’t tell you how the drive feels in winter on a rural road. Ask about road maintenance too, since you’d be living at the end of a dead-end road.
What Comes With the Cabin and Barn
- Finished building: The 14 by 36 foot structure is described as finished, which skips the early build stage. Ask exactly what that finish includes, inside and out.
- Covered porch: A porch gives you sheltered outdoor space for coffee, conversation or watching the seasons change.
- Utility barn: The seller describes it as small and functional, good for tools, equipment and small projects. Don’t assume it fits large machinery until you measure it.
- Old poultry coop parts: The big coop has been taken down, but some pieces remain. They could give you a head start if you want chickens, though you’ll need to check what’s still usable.
- Power access: A grid line at the road may make hooking up simpler than running power from far away. Get an electrician’s quote before you assume the job is easy.
How the 14 by 36 Building Could Work
The listing doesn’t describe the rooms inside, so I can’t tell you how many there are or where the doors and windows sit. What I can say is that 14 by 36 feet works out to 504 square feet on paper. That’s a compact footprint, and how well it works depends on how the inside is divided.
The covered porch adds a second living space in good weather. Porches on small buildings often become the favorite room, because they stretch the footprint without adding much to the build. The key question is how the porch connects to the main door, and whether it’s wide enough for a table and a couple of chairs.
Here’s what I’d check on a floor plan or during a walkthrough:
- How many rooms the 504 square feet is divided into, and where the walls fall.
- Where the doors and windows are, and whether each room gets daylight.
- Whether the porch door lines up with the main entry.
- Where a bathroom and water source would go, if the building has them.
Ways to Use a Cabin on 20 Acres
These are my own ideas, not the seller’s. Each one fits the land as described, but none is a promise about what the property can legally support, so check local zoning before you plan around any of them.
1. A Weekend Hunting Base
The mix of woods, field and wet ground gives you several kinds of cover to work with. The building can serve as a place to store gear, warm up and stay over during a season. Before you count on it, confirm hunting rules and any access questions with the seller and the state.
2. A Small Homestead Start
About five acres of plowed field could suit a garden, grazing or hay, as the seller suggests. The barn gives you a spot for tools, and the old coop parts hint at poultry. Start small, though. Test the soil, check drainage and ask about how the field has been used before you commit to a plan.
3. A Quiet Place to Get Away
If you mostly want quiet, the dead-end road and wooded section are the draw. A porch, a few walks through the grove and a simple building can make a good spot for a long weekend. I’d keep expectations simple. This is about being outdoors, not a fully equipped vacation home.
The Mix of Land and Water Sets It Apart
NY Outdoor Realty breaks the 20 acres into parts. About five acres are plowed field. Three acres are a mix of field and rock. Three acres are a secluded grove with rock, and about 5.5 acres are wood and rock outcrop. A 3.5-acre beaver flow sits toward the back. That variety is the real draw, because each part suits a different use.
The beaver flow adds wildlife and water, which is a plus for birdwatching and anyone who likes being near nature. It also means some ground may be wet or hard to build on. Rock can make digging and driveways costly. Walk the land in both wet and cold weather before you decide.
The power line at the road is the other practical plus. The seller says the distance from the road is within the standard 200 feet, which is a reasonable starting point. Still, get a quote from a local electrician, because the cost depends on the route, the service size and what the building needs.
What the $84,900 Price Leaves Out
The asking price is $84,900, and NY Outdoor Realty lists it as the price for this property. Annual taxes are about $1,152, according to the seller. Taxes change, so confirm the current amount with the town or county assessor before you make an offer.
The price doesn’t cover everything you’ll need. Plan for these costs separately, and confirm each one with the seller or a local professional:
- Closing costs, title work and a survey of the 20 acres.
- Electrical hookup from the road to the building.
- Water and septic, if the building needs them and they aren’t already in place.
- Heating, insulation and any finishing the interior still needs.
- Barn repairs, fencing or site work for the uses you have in mind.
- Permits and zoning checks for any changes you plan to make.
Prices and conditions change, so treat this list as a checklist rather than a budget. Ask the seller for current pricing and whatever details they have on the building.
Who a Cabin on 20 Acres Suits
This property fits people who want land first and a simple building second. Good matches include:
- Hunters or hikers who want private ground close to a wildlife area.
- Small-scale homesteaders willing to start with field work and a barn.
- Buyers who like rural quiet and are comfortable with a dead-end road.
- People who can handle a project, such as hooking up power or sorting out water.
It’s a poor fit if you need a finished home with full utilities, a clear floor plan and little work. Look elsewhere if you want to move in and forget about upkeep, or if winter road access matters a lot to your daily life. Before anything else, ask what the building is finished with and how it’s heated and supplied with water. Those answers will tell you more than the price does. I hope you get out and see it for yourself, and I hope it becomes the quiet start you’ve been looking for.
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Source: NY Outdoor Realty