My girl and I just bought a 2-acre property with a 3-bed, 2-bath bungalow-style home back in April. We have a shed with power and a pellet stove for my wife - which we are converting into a little she-shed where she can paint and do her own thing in and eventually I'll clear some of the wooded area in the back and toss a nice garage on it if we plan to stay long term. Ideally, we wanted to move up north to New Hampshire/Vermont but until I'm done with my MBA, I don't think we'll toss a lot of cash into the home unless the market stays as out of control as it is now. The kitchen and bathrooms are remodeled but the rest of the home is still semi-rustic as most homes are in this area. It's a farming community so most of our neighbors have horses and hunting dogs and shit like that so I'm pretty at peace when I go home. However, I'd love to be in the middle of no where in a free state where I can go to Walmart with a fucking crossbow and shotgun on my back covered in RealTree with my two Aussies riding shotgun to go get some cereal or some shit. My in-laws have a vacation home in North Conway on the Saco River and in the summer, we basically go there every weekend. Get drunk, go swimming in the Saco which is right in the backyard [this is a river that is supplied by Mount Washington], and go hiking and shit.
But, I agree. Homeowning is amazing until you're caught with your pants down and need to invest a pretty penny in repairs or something like a roof - which mine will need soon.