Room to Roam

June 17, 2025

Outdoorsy types are in the right place to find their piece of property under a big sky.

Words by Megan Felling

ver dreamed of moving to the country? Getting away from it all—no neighbors in sight—stargazing on a clear night? By buying or building a home on acreage, you surround yourself with the tranquility of nature. Depending on your preferences, that might include densely wooded forests, streams, fields, rolling hills and more.

Acreages are ideal for various recreational pursuits, such as riding dirt bikes or ATVs, stabling horses, or hunting and fishing. Whether you want to actively ride horses or passively watch the vegetables grow, you’ll find plenty of land options in the area to suit your dreams.

You will need to consider several factors when searching for acreage property, which may differ from those involved when buying or building a home in the city or suburbs.

For starters, land costs typically decrease the farther away you go from the city. Comparable sales are sometimes difficult to find when buying land because of the various characteristics such as ponds, trees and proximity to blacktop, so it’s important to have an experienced buyer’s agent to help guide you through the search.

Dana Benjamin with ReeceNichols specializes in selling acreage and equestrian properties. She notes that a minimum of 10 acres is best if you want to have horses. But just because you own the land doesn’t mean you can put whatever you want on it.

“It is essential that a buyer be aware of zoning ordinances, which may determine land use,” she stresses. “There may be mandates ranging from what types of animals you can have on the land to the location of the driveway. To fully understand all the ordinances and guidelines involved in building a home in the country, checking with the county zoning commission is a good first step.”

One primary consideration when buying acreage is the location of available utilities. According to builder and developer Bruce Rieke of B.L. Rieke Custom Homes, bringing services to the property can be costly if not established nearby.

You can spread out and build a beautiful estate home on an acreage lot. At Bella Terra, the developer sets property owners up with gas and electric service, as well as high-speed fiber optic cable for broadband internet. Photos by Chris Meyer.

Bruce Rieke built this custom home on acreage near Ottawa, Kansas, as a fun weekend getaway for his client. The mountain lodge style of home has expansive windows that overlook the property, which the owners can enjoy in complete privacy. Photo by Tony Thompson.

20206 S. School Road—a picturesque 10-acre horse lover’s dream property in Raymore, Missouri. In addition to a four-bedroom home, the property boasts an indoor arena, outdoor arena, and a well-equipped seven-stall barn with a workshop, wash rack, tack room, hay storage, Nelson automatic waterers, four pastures, and six paddocks. Marketed by Dana Benjamin, ReeceNichols, 913.522.4277, benjaminteamkc.com.

“When building a custom home set back from the road, it can get expensive to extend utilities, and in addition, the farther the house is set back, the longer the driveway,” he notes. “Many cities require the driveway to be concrete or asphalt instead of gravel, so those costs can add up. But most people find it is worth it to have privacy.”

With a remote locale, you may find that your property is on septic instead of sewer—a new responsibility for many first-time property buyers—and gas may not be available, requiring propane instead. And don’t forget other utilities, like how you will power your home and accessory buildings.

“With so many people working from home these days, it’s important to see if high-speed internet is available,” Rieke adds.

Some large-acreage lot communities do some of the development work for you. For instance, in the Bella Terra neighborhood in Raymore, Missouri, developer Troy Bellah knew his clients would want to have gas available for their kitchens and outdoor entertaining areas, so he made sure it was accessible, says community agent Angie Ripley.

Just as varying guidelines exist for building homes, Rieke points out that different counties have policies for maximum allowable square footage for outbuildings.

Ripley notes that Bella Terra’s HOA requirements state that homes need to be at least 85 feet wide to maintain a stately and grand appearance, and barns and outbuildings are allowed behind the main house.

@danabenjaminteam

@blriekecustomhomes

@bellaterraneighborhood

If you are ready to build a custom home with enough land for your horses or just room to roam, check out this sampling of available acreage and equestrian property communities:

Bella Terra—located in Raymore, Missouri, near 291 and 58 Highways. The first phase, which includes over 20 lots of three to five acres each, is available for custom-designed estate homes with options for pool and pool houses, carriage houses, mother-in-law quarters, detached shops, horse barns, etc. Open to approved builders. Marketed by Angie Ripley, Engel & Volkers Kansas City, 816.665.4228, bellaterraneighborhood.com.

Blue Valley at Loch Lloyd—near 167th Street and Kenneth Road. Offering 23 two-plus-acre secluded, wooded lots in the desirable and acclaimed Blue Valley School District. Build your custom dream home with one of their award-winning builders. Loch Lloyd is a fully gated, country club community, offering residents peace of mind with 24-hour security and top-tier amenities. Loch Lloyd Real Estate, 816 331.9500, lochlloyd.com/real-estate.

The Estates of Shadow Woods—Stilwell, Kansas, near 188th and Nall. Four lots of eight to ten acres, each with high elevation, secluded with trees and rolling terrain, located in the Blue Valley School District. It’s an ideal property for someone wanting horses. You may bring your own approved builder. Marketed by Lynne Matile with ReeceNichols, 913.593.4030,
lynnematile.reecenichols.com.

The Estates at Staley—Conveniently located in Kansas City, Missouri, near NW 108th Street and 169 Hwy, with easy access to I-435 and KCI. Three treed lots are available, ranging from three to five acres each. Electric, gas and public water are available to the building site. Build your custom home with your approved builder. Outbuildings are welcome, subject to approval. Marketed by Candi Sweeney with ReeceNichols, 816.591.5590,
candi.reecenichols.com/theestatesatstaley.

7100 Lee’s Summit Road—A portion of the old Stephenson’s Orchard land has been divided into seven tracts, ranging from three acres to a 45-acre tract. Three seven-acre lots and one 19-acre lot are still available fronting Lee’s Summit Road. These wooded parcels are in Kansas City, Missouri, but lie in the highly acclaimed Lee’s Summit School District. Bring your own builder to create your custom country estate. Water, electric and gas utilities are accessible. Contact Phil LeVota for more information at 816.590.0028.

Stone Hill Manor—Located in Stilwell, Kansas, near 171st and Kenneth Road. Build your custom estate with Robert Montgomery Homes in this exclusive, four-lot neighborhood situated on a cul-de-sac across from the new Blue Valley at Loch Lloyd community. Two lots are available, one with 2.86 relatively flat acres and one with 2.4 acres, suited to a walkout basement. Natural gas is available for indoor/outdoor kitchens. Outbuildings are welcome, subject to approval. Marketed by Lynne Matile with ReeceNichols, 913.593.4030, stonehillmanorks.com.