Building your dream homestead

[frustratedearthmother]

When we were looking I wanted fences! I hate building fences - but ended up fencing this place anyway. I also would love to have a water source..running water preferably. A nice mix of pasture and wooded and browse....some wildlife would be nice...maybe turkeys and/or deer in the vicinity. What to ask about...hmmm...taxes...mineral rights? Just few ideas...

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Find out what you're allowed to do with the land.
Are you limited on animals? Are you allowed to build? Can you have bees? Is it in a flood plain or a wetland area? And what are the taxes? Are you allowed things like solar panels?
We wanted chickens and rabbits, possibly fish. And we wanted a large garden, fruit and nut trees, grapes, and berry bushes. We also wanted a large shop. Eventually we want bees.
Our place isn't super big, but we're allowed all we wanted, we have a 2 1/2 stall shop, a large garden area, multiple fruit and nut trees, and grape vines. We have all I can keep up with right now.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Well you know, it sounds like BB's going to be feeding everyone a lot too! That counts

Water, that's important. A stream or pond ia a great thing to have. Like FEM said, a mixture of grass and browse is great to have to cover whatever animals you choose to keep.

I am spoiled living here. Water rightsr mineral rights ... I forget those are issues. Personally having to be on town water and sewer would be an issue for me. I want a septic and well.

 

[BarredBuff]

I doubt I will have to worry about water rights. We don't have many regulations. No zoning laws. Nothing.

I need enough acreage to pasture some cattle, goats, and a horse or two. Here that isn't an issue. We have lots of rain and hot weather--- so pasture is usually vigorous. Then, of course, an acre or two to devote to garden space, orchard, berries, and small grains. I need some wooded areas to gather firewood, and need enough area to attract and retain deer and turkeys.

I would want area to grow hay. Mainly, to grow my own to mulch my garden with and feed my animals overwinter. It would not have to be a lot of acreage for that. I don't want to overwinter very many. I would consider it a bonus really.

I would prefer raw land without buildings because I want to do my own designing and building. The home site would need to be well off the road, and in private. The land would have to be usable for a septic system. I'd also want to drill a well to use, and develop a spring. I'd want to be able to dig a full basement to utilize for storm shelter, and setup a sizable pantry and cellar area.

My goal is to save money and see what happens. I think 30 to 50 acres would be in my size range.

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

WTG BB!! If I were you, I would also be checking out local foreclosure home auctions. You can make a bigger purchase with lots less $$ that way. More $$ in your pocket to do whatever you want to do to the property then.

 

[baymule]

I'd look for an old home place. I love old barns and repairing one might be a lot cheaper than building a new one. An old fruit orchard would be awesome, as has already been mentioned. Wind rights are now being sold separately, that means that you could have a filed of wind turbines and they would not be yours.

 

[CrealCritter]

I had to got to the city but I finally got the house my wife always wanted... Now I just need to figure out where I'm gonna put it.

 

[Beekissed]

Nothing like the joy you receive either. I live a happy and joyful life because of the hope that I have in my heart. Some people probably scoff, but I have joy and ease that is better felt than told.

He takes care of us and loves us. Much than I could ever deserve!

Exactly!!! It's a deep, abiding, steady kind of joy that bubbles up like a spring and doesn't leave when hard times happen...it's still there, warming the heart in the middle of trouble. I don't believe the world can understand it, even when you tell about it, as their happiness/joy is usually pretty situational and is quickly forgotten when things get rough.

My mother and I were sitting around one day talking about the deep feeling of peace and ease and how it was hard to even understand, then my favorite set of verses popped into my mind....


Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.


...and I had to laugh! He describes it perfectly! It truly surpasses all our abilities to understand it.

 

[BarredBuff]

I'd say credit. #1!

You need a few lines that go a few years. Without good credit you'll pay twice as much for the same property.

So if you plan on buying a home place I'd say start a few lines right now. And diversify as the years pass. Look I to some sort of savings fund thing to put money in. Make that a bill that u pay weekly no matter what.

Takes more than money to buy a place. Try to get your score up to 700 at least. Get a credit card for a year then do a personal loan etc. Takes time. Be patient and keep paying the bills

I just bought a car to drive to work. My truck couldn't cut the fuel mileage. I thought about getting a credit card to use only for fuel. Then pay it off every month. Thoughts?

 

[Beekissed]

I just bought a car to drive to work. My truck couldn't cut the fuel mileage. I thought about getting a credit card to use only for fuel. Then pay it off every month. Thoughts?

You won't gain credit by paying it off every month...made that mistake on a few things and found out they don't consider it a good thing if you pay it off sooner. They want to see you making monthly payments on time and they also want to see someone earning interest off those payments.

At my bank they have a program where you can deposit 1K into an account, which they hold for collateral. Then they loan you 1K and you make monthly payments on it. When you are done, they refund you your 1K you placed with them...probably minus the interest, I don't know all the details. It would be easy to deposit that 1K loan into a savings and have those payments auto paid out of that account so you would never miss a payment and you'd always have the money to pay them.

Walmart used to have a card you could buy and use as a credit card too, to build credit. Not sure how that worked or if they still do it.