Sounds like a nice place, but every HOA has it's nosey, compliance monitoring busybody, and I don't know how well I'd deal with that. I deliberately bought in an area without restrictive covenants or a homeowner's association. It's a beautiful area, very animal friendly, surrounded by lakes and ponds, everybody has acreage. I've got 3. Good thing I bought a few years back, because the same sort of thing is being marketed now as a "mini-estate" (LOL!) and is way, way more dear than it was when I purchased it. The pretty land within a decent commute has all but disappeared now. As a result, if there is any decline down here in NC, and I seriously doubt that there will be, I'll likely still be OK. I didn't buy it to get rich quick. I bought it for a home, and don't expect anything more than just the normal, rate-of-inflation type of appreciation.
Three acres? I am so jealous! We're out in Wake County, so we do have some critters, which was a real surprise to me after living in near downtown Greensboro! There is a community lake across the road, but I'd love to own my own!
I can just picture you riding your 3 acres; I'd be pretty full of myself!
And to get around the HOA, I joined! I figured if I was on the board, they can't slip anything by me! All I do is the clubhouse reservations, but I still have a say in decisions -- and I'm sure you know I say what I think.