P-J has a good point real estate is all about location, so you might try looking for an ideal pond location as opposed to a great home location. Bottom land, low lying land that accumulates water during the rainy season,land that gullys and washes. What you save on land cost can convert into improvements. Dams, spillways, house pads etc. Rememeber you can lead water to a pond but you can't lead a pond to water.

1/4 & 3/4 acre ponds. A thousand miles from no where and there is no place I want to be...
Dwight Yoakam