# how to tell if property is good for self sufficient living????



## mamajuju1286 (Feb 9, 2013)

Ok so we are looking to buy property and either build or modify a home for self sufficient living. Ideally we would like to be off the grid. What should we look for when looking at property? We want to garden and have livestock. Of course we want a well also. All help is greatly appreciated!!! We are going to be buying in north/northeast Georgia.


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## norcalfarm (Feb 11, 2009)

Do you have any experience in gardening or working with livestock? Jumping straight to off-grid life might be a huge culture shock if you haven't lived like that before. I'm not trying to discourage you. 

I made the mistake of buying 11 acres of 20-30% rocky slope and tried to homestead that. I made it work but my garden never thrived, I was always behind the curve trying to prep the soil for the next years garden expansion. Everything that I did required terracing first: outbuildings, garden beds, etc. Having it to do over, flat ground would be my number one, along with good sun exposure, and a site that allows construction of a pond.


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## unregistered168043 (Sep 9, 2011)

You can do it. I came here with no experience, just researched and did it all. I raise chickens, sheep, grow corn, beans , potatoes and cut all my own heating fuel. I've built outbuildings repaired my tractor and all pretty much for the first time. I give you this advice;

Check the soil survey map for the property you are interested in, you can find them HERE; http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/HomePage.htm
Ideally you are looking for a sandy loam, I would stay away from too much clay, gravel, hard pan, etc. You want well draining soil.


Next get a soil sample and send it to your local cooperative extension. Tell them what you plan to do with the land and they will advise you. CHECK YOUR WATER. CHECK ZONING RESTRICTIONS. MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO WETLANDS ON YOUR PROPERTY.

Your homestead should be a mix of woods and pasture. You'll need pasture for livestock and gardens. Woods for heating fuel, building material, and hunting. Also having a good water source is important.

Good luck.


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## Gray Wolf (Jan 25, 2013)

Off-grid, the site needs good sun, plenty of wind, or a year-round stream. Then look at the rest.


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

You could be off grid on an acre of land in a city.


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Funny, my first stop would be to the local zoning/codes dept to see if'n there are any rules against me doing any of the things I'd be thinking of wanting to do. 
The "ideal" piece of ground ain't worth spit if there are codes/rules/laws that either deter, prevent, or make something cost prohibitive.


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

Zoning/codes would be my number one as well. An unincorporated territory is usually the best (assuming you don't feel the need for a close-by police department, emergency response etc).

Water would be my second. There are areas around here where people have to have their water delivered! probably not so in Georgia. But a creek/stream to augment a well would be great.

Our county has layered maps online where you can look at everything on a tax lot from creeks to soil types and elevation changes. Interestingly, we almost didn't buy our current place because our fields are hardpan, the previous owners had gardened in raised beds. Then we poked around some more and found old, old garden beds and fantastic soil hidden behind the pump house. We have since uncovered more great soil in strips for fruit trees.


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## Gray Wolf (Jan 25, 2013)

If you want to be "off grid" and define that as not using commercial power you have, in my opinion, pretty much four choices. If none of them work on a site you are looking at, then zoning and the rest don't matter because you won't be "off-grid" in the first place.

Solar won't work if you don't have decent exposure for most of the day all year.

Wind won't work if you don't have enough, and sites that appear windy often don't have enough velocity or steady enough winds all year to keep the batteries charged.

Micro hydro won't work without a year around stream. (But that is the ultimate solution if you can find property with one that fits the right criteria.)

Generators won't work unless you can handle the initial cost, fuel, noise and upkeep.

Most people who are off-grid, like we are, rely on a combination of a couple of the above depending on the season and site-specific conditions.

Then I'd figure out where potable and irrigation water is going to come from.

Then I'd find out if you can put in a septic tank and drainfield. Or hook to city sewers.

THEN, once I found a suitable off-grid site, I'd check into zoning, soil types, etc.

But then, that's just me.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

I'd agree with Gray Wolf, as I often recommend the same things to my Clients if they want to be off-grid! Determining the area is the most important first step, then finding the right properties in that area the next one, then qualifying the rest of your criteria and choose the property fitting it then clinches the several options you may find. 

Here, finding a property without wetlands was quite a challenge, but we did it! Also, wanted Fee Simple (owning the Bundle of Rights, including Mineral Rights), zoning to be Rural, and had to be within 5 minutes of the salt waterfront (we are seafood eaters!). 

From reading, looks like you got plenty of good advice already, can't add much to that.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

I see lots of folks on here that are looking for a way to grow a forest, quickly as they have no woods. Then there are the questions on how they can clear 10 acres of forest so they can have the pasture they need. If you wnt woods, buy wooded land. If you want fields, buy it that way. 
Be flexible. I was looking for 40 acres to build a cabin on and raise a few goats and a plow horse. I had saved enough to do that. But the land was brushy and nearly swamp. I ran across a 160 acre farm with barns, streams and a big brick home. I had the down payment, but had to finance the rest. The goats and cabin never happened. I&#8217;m glad I changed my plans.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

Got a chuckle out of your post, Haypoint, as you are so right about most Buyers. However, when we decided to look for property, I had to be flexible with the criteria, based on what was highest on the priority list. It had to have a shop, be more than 2.5 acres, and a little farmhouse would have been just great. We wanted Fee Simple (complete Bundle of Rights, including Mineral Rights), no Easements owned by other properties, our own well, our own septic, and we were hoping to find property that was mostly wooded (2nd growth, which was harder to find), no wetland, no creek, no pond, not flat (prone to flooding), and we didn't want to see our neighbors. 

We found a 6.68 acre property that fit everything above, except instead of a little farmhouse, it had a remodeled doublewide mobile with newer comp roof, double paned vinyl windows, and also newer appliances. Also, a bonus was my 144 sq foot office building code attached to our mobile home, and DH built an enclosed porch onto my office. Lastly, we got a double carport, too. While I would still rather have a little farmhouse, DH did build me two garden cabins. I can always finish off my favorite one and use it as a tiny summer house  Oh the trees?

Just clearing one acre, we netted $14,000 for the Cedar and $4,000 for one Maple tree. Len logged the area for our garden and orchard. The last truckload of Cedar and the recently sold Maple were to help us pay off some bills. We still have a lot of Cedars, some Hemlock, a few Fir, a number of old Maples, and lots of Alders. Most of the remaining trees are 2nd growth.

I am very happy here, but who knows what the future will bring?! Len wants to build a log home and get rid of our mobile...


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## quietintheland (Jan 10, 2013)

You should have a real good idea what you want to use the property for before looking. "Livestock" and "off the grid" are broad terms that mean different things to different people. And even if you found the perfect property, it might be in a less than desirable area. 

I would suggest making a ranked list of:

1. Communities/Areas that most appeal to you
2. Communities/Areas that least appeal to you
(Remember, with time and money you can probably change a much on a property you own, but you can't change your neighbors or the location of the property!)

3. Features you can't live without
4. Features you might be willing to compromise on
5. Features you absolutely don't want

The chances of you finding everything you want in a property is doubtful. But you don't want to buy a property and realize that you can only make lemonade because lemons are the only thing the property will produce. 

Too many folks shop by price and acreage alone. In my experience, that is a mistake. I have learned the hard way that it's better to have a smaller amount of usable land than a large amount of marginal land. What is usable land? Usable means what YOU want to use it for. Fifty acres of hillside woods in northern Maine might be unusable for someone wanting to grow a large organic garden, fruit trees, and have horse pasture. But it might be perfectly usable for someone wanting to start a maple syrup business. 

I hope you find what you are looking for.

QuietInTheLand


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## mjplatt (Feb 17, 2013)

Try to wait until you can pay for the property outright so you do not have a mortgage to worry about. That is one thing which will give you a great boost towards self-sufficiency.

With only taxes to pay each year,you can use that money for improving your homestead much more rapidly. I don't know of any homesteader that can make virtually everything he needs. You will be wanting farm equipment, fencing materials, etc. It will be a much more pleasant experience if you can have money at th ready to pay for the things you need going in. If you are buying raw land, you will find yourself spending a great deal of money in the beginning to get everything in place.


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