I have received the seller's counter-offer. Gonna counter it with one of my own. While I was awaiting it, I found a parcel for 8.6 acres of gently rolling land with TWO wells and electricity on site, listed for the exact amount I have offered for this one and which I will use as comparison (justification) in my counter-counter offer. Seller wants me to pay for the well & pump inspection - the last inspection appears to have been in 1994, when the well was dug, gleaning a 5 gpm flow-rate. He also wants to retrieve the concrete bench installed by the waterfall spot. (Uh, sure, but why hasn't somebody picked that up in the past couple of years? Odd.) I will also ask the seller to remove the discarded RV sewer reservoir. I don't wanna have to truck that thing away. The comparison parcel is in Amador county, too far for me- to want to consider for myself. I just want to remark about the fact it has almost all usuable space, unlike the terrain of the property I AM considering. Seems to be a pretty fair price for more usable land and two wells. 
The cabin support piers need reinforcement as there is evidence of slipping, the attached deck needs some railing work, one panel of the wrought iron fence is GONE (taken out by a fallen tree which has more falling to do .....), the good shed has a hole in one wall so critters have been using it for shelter and a latrine (will need repair and cleaning to get rid of the urine), plus the second drive gate is smack-dab along the edge of the roadway - it would have to be re-engineered to make it safe to use for access to the flat spot where the cabin is located (passing vehicles could take you out while you stop, get out of the car and open the gate). All that's gonna cost some bucks. So let's dicker on the price a little bit more. Oh, and don't forget to take yer concrete bench. 
The cabin support piers need reinforcement as there is evidence of slipping, the attached deck needs some railing work, one panel of the wrought iron fence is GONE (taken out by a fallen tree which has more falling to do .....), the good shed has a hole in one wall so critters have been using it for shelter and a latrine (will need repair and cleaning to get rid of the urine), plus the second drive gate is smack-dab along the edge of the roadway - it would have to be re-engineered to make it safe to use for access to the flat spot where the cabin is located (passing vehicles could take you out while you stop, get out of the car and open the gate). All that's gonna cost some bucks. So let's dicker on the price a little bit more. Oh, and don't forget to take yer concrete bench. 
