I used to feel that way. Was trying to buy land about 6-9 years ago. Market was down, and I had a stable income unlike many who were forced to sell their dreams. I was READY! 3 years in a row, a major system in my house failed, and my blood, sweat and tears of a down payment went to a costly repair. Lost out on 3 really great parcels that I was actively chasing. Took a year off from the search...it was breaking my heart. Spent my "land" money on building the wife's dream bathroom and some other light remodels of my house. Fast forward to Feb 2016. My wife was casually searching a listing site, and found 40 acres for a steal in Northern MN. We were going to the area to visit relatives, and dropped in to give it a look. Just shot a compass line due N and started walking from the access point. Halfway through, I had decided we WOULD buy this parcel. Something to be said for an "up" market, a cash-out refi easily netted the money needed to cover the full price and zero out a credit card or 2 at a really low interest rate. With the cost savings over the life of the loan, it was like they were paying me to buy land. The parcel is a blank slate, but well timbered. Like anything worth doing, time and hard work are needed to get it where it needs to be. Built a 12x16 off grid cabin onsite. Have since added an open air generator/pump shower, sand point hand pump well, privy/tool shed, and a Finnish sauna build is in progress. We have shot some deer on the property, but it's a work in progress. Coupled with some harsh winters, hunting is difficult. We've still been filling the freezer mostly from nearby paper company land. Besides just the hunting, it's our getaway. OUR place that WE built with our own two hands. It's a base to visit family in the area, explore fishing and other hunting opportunities, or simply unplug from the rest of the world. Worth every drop of sweat and counting. My advice would be to look at land prices around your state. Almost every state has remote/economically depressed areas with low land prices. Concentrate on an area that has low prices, the property taxes usually follow. A healthy dose of swamps or public land nearby will keep a lid on development. Be willing to look at outside the box properties that need some work. Poor access, brushlands, auctions, etc. Don't be afraid to go off-grid. The price of setting an electric meter and wiring for power will buy a lot of generator fuel. We really don't miss the electricity. The only time we fire the genny is for showers or power tools. You'll get there, just do your research and close with a realtor. It's worth the extra couple hundred to make sure the ts are crossed and the i's dotted clear title-wise.