# Choosing a location



## HoldenCaufield (Jul 27, 2014)

Hey everyone

I've been trying to tackle the first step in starting my dream homestead. But I have been finding it difficult to figure out where to start. 

I guess the first thing would be to figure out where I would plant myself. 

I am hoping there is the perfect place out there, but where? 
I'd like somewhere that is warm year round, I would really dread having to worry about snow. I plan on growing a garden (at least an acre), and in theory being 100% self sustainable for food. I'd also like a few milking goats. 
Ideally, the location would have very lienient building codes and low property taxes 
I like the idea of Tennessee or Kentucky but really don't know why. I have heard some good things of northern california, but for some reason it doesn't sit right with me. 
I'd like to purchase about 5 acres. What $ does that look like? Does price usually reflect the quality of theland? 

Does anyone know of an area that is good for a beginner to have a homestead? 
Privacy is key, and I don't mind the idea of being far from a city.
The most important things to me would be 
1 the ability to grow an abundance of food (for two people)
2 lienient building regulations as I will be building my home myself
3 privacy

Also the feeling of true land ownership as I own 'land' in Boston but it being a city and small backyard, it feels shared and clostrophobic. I like the idea of not seeing anyone else all week. 

I am only now beginning this process and am kind of lost on where to begin...

What do you recommend looking for when purchasing land to start a homestead? 
How long did it take you to find your perfect location/what was your expirence?
Is it unrealistic to buy land without seeing it firsthand, or is that common? 

Thanks for all the input
And for your time


- Holden


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

I think you need to really settle on your top needs/must haves first, then narrow down to those locations that meet the majority/most of them.

My wife and I took 20 years to decide! Obviously, we weren't in a big hurry.


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## TennBound (Feb 1, 2013)

We're headed to TN as soon as we can sell our place in FL. We bought in Eastern TN and are quite happy so far. Building codes are county specific but most are very lenient. The going rate for bare land seemed to be in the range of $10,000 per acre for useable land, but varies a lot - often for reasons I could not determine - specially if being sold "by owner".

I would strongly advise seeing the land in person.

Bob


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

This statement really stuck out:



> I'd like somewhere that is warm year round


That should make it very easy to decide which areas in the US you would want to consider. 

Choosing your top area is the most important step.

That is what we did, after doing our homework! Your criteria will help you quickly disqualify properties, narrowing your search down. Since I am a Realtor, just pulled up all the listings in the area we chose. Then, I narrowed my search down with stricter criteria. By the time I was done, one property really stood out and that is the one we bought.

Not only do I recommend you see the property first, but I highly recommend walking it! We did.

We live in a mild climate with very little snow in the Winter. We didn't want to live where there was a lot of rain, drought, or hot summers. 

As far as building codes go, it is highly unlikely you will find relaxed codes in the warmer more popular areas to live...


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

lorichristie said:


> This statement really stuck out:
> 
> I'd like somewhere that is warm year round



Yeah, I was going to comment on that, but without a definition of "warm"....

To my wife, warm is above 60F. To me warm is above 20F. 

Definitions, definitions....:bash:


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## Tacoma (Apr 3, 2013)

Possibly" water availability" should be in your top list of needs.
I am in north central Florida near Ocala National Forest, plenty of water and warm year round. I garden year round also. Most all my neighbors have goats or alpaca's, some have cows and horses. It takes time to get all the fencing in. I have 2.67 acres, with home, available for sale a mile from me. There is an ad & pictures listed on this forum if interested.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

tarbe said:


> Yeah, I was going to comment on that, but without a definition of "warm"....
> 
> To my wife, warm is above 60F. To me warm is above 20F.
> 
> Definitions, definitions....:bash:


LOL:hobbyhors Aw, yes, the other half...

While I would wear a jacket, DH would wear a tank top, so we aren't on the same temp page! While in the car, I bring a small blanket and also a jacket. That way, when he turns on the air conditioner, I am not cold! I could go on and one, but point made.

We chose the foothills of the Olympic Mountains due to fitting our mutual criteria very well. 25" of rain per year, excellent well water, and the list goes on. I also enjoy NOT suffering through humid hot summers!


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## Glade Runner (Aug 1, 2013)

Spend 35 bucks and buy Joel Skousens "Strategic Relocation" it should help you a lot.

http://www.joelskousen.com/strategic.html


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

lorichristie said:


> LOL:hobbyhors Aw, yes, the other half...
> 
> While I would wear a jacket, DH would wear a tank top, so we aren't on the same temp page! While in the car, I bring a small blanket and also a jacket. That way, when he turns on the air conditioner, I am not cold! I could go on and one, but point made.


You have a long-lost sister in my wife!


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## MOSSYNUT (Aug 8, 2014)

If you want warm all year then by all means come on down to Florida we got all you can handle. I can't wait to go up North and find a few acres. Where Tacoma is at around Ocala is some very pretty country.


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## FarmFamily (Feb 12, 2014)

This kind of decision can be very overwhelming. Ask me how I know.  We are actually relocating to an area we never dreamed of. God has a funny sense of humor. We will be selling our homestead which would be great for a beginner. Not too big to be overwhelming for someone just starting out but big enough to supply your needs. Esp for two. 

We are located in a small quiet community in the country called Holly Grove. The nearest "town" would be Segno but it's nothing more than a single stop sign, a church and volunteer fire dept. We do have 2 towns within 30 minutes that have everything you'll need and another small town about 10 minutes away that has a very desired small country school, post office, cafe, and bake shop. The closest big city would be Houston which is 1 1/2 hrs away. We're near/surrounded by national forest which is great and this is truly a peaceful place to live and homestead. Our place consists of...

a 3 bed 2 bath brick and vinyl house on 2 1/2 acres 
attached garage
24X24 barn/shop on a slab with 3 attached stalls
a pasture currently used for dairy goats
3 more stalls with 2 smaller pens (again, used for goats)
2nd small open barn currently housing our rabbits
mature and young fruit trees - pear, apple, peach, plum, fig, blueberry, papaya
lots of wild berries/fruit on and around our property - blackberry/dewberry, mayhaw, grape
numerous pecan trees - native and paper shell
several garden areas that will provide all you need
4 raised beds planted mostly in herbs
a good well
numerous shade trees, flowering trees and bushes - oak, red bud, azalea, gardenia, wisteria, dogwood, crepe myrtle, althea, roses, lillies, bluebonnets, wildflowers....
lots of yaupon for making your own tea
the property is completely fenced and surrounded by woods
LOTS of wildlife in the area and there are MANY birds to enjoy from the front porch rocker. 

There are no restrictions for building out here. Texas is a good state to live in and of course our winters are mild. Little to no snow. 

We've been told we have our own little piece of Heaven. We're hoping someone will buy this place and enjoy it like we have and pick up where we have left off. We are touching things up a bit before we list it. Painting, new carpet... We plan to list it at $124,000. You can learn more about our homestead on our blog (which has been sorely neglected lately) at http://homesteadfarmer.blogspot.com/ 

Happy hunting!  ~Jennifer


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## ddgresham1 (Aug 5, 2014)

Don't come to TN. It's terrible here. There are hillbillies and lasers and ninjas and stuff...it's terrible.


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## MOSSYNUT (Aug 8, 2014)

ddgresham1 said:


> Don't come to TN. It's terrible here. There are hillbillies and lasers and ninjas and stuff...it's terrible.


:rotfl:
I've been looking there and haven't seen any of that maybe I should dig a lil deeper.


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## ddgresham1 (Aug 5, 2014)

tee hee


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

Sequim was selected as the top place to retire... The reason we bought a property here, was so we didn't ever have to move again. Here is the article:

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/ar...2-this-time-by

We can grow our own food, raise critters, etc... Our preferred area was in the foothills of the Olympics and we get 25" of rain per year (as compared to the Sequim Valley area with 15" to 17" per year). We are minutes from the saltwaterfront, freshwater rivers, agricultural areas, plenty of hiking/biking options, and it doesn't get below 20F here.

Only really nice HTer's should consider moving here :whistlin:


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## Batt (Sep 8, 2006)

I don't know about the warm part, though it is quite warm today, and the winters are not too bad. Everything else just fits in with your requirements. Because of medical problems, We need to sell our place to move closer to family. Check my tagline.


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## Shane57 (Aug 19, 2014)

Just purchased a place in the Cumberland mountains in north central tn. Temp varies from 40 to 90. A few inches of snow and the occasional ice storm. I am leaving Wisconsin's 100 inches of snow and -40 last year. I am developing arthritis thanks to these killer winters.


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## Goats Galore (Aug 28, 2012)

After 29 homes (yep, military moves), I am convinced there is not a perfect place...too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry, too expensive, too crowded, etc. Pare your wish list down to the top 5, then take a road trip (gas has fallen a little in price) to look at possibilities that meet at least 3 of the 5. We landed in the Texas Hill Country, but land is getting more expensive here as new people move in to cut their taxes and find jobs. I do have a large fan in the barn to cool the goats at 100+ degrees today. Good Luck! I am certain that you will find HAPPINESS.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

Goats Galore said:


> After 29 homes (yep, military moves), I am convinced there is not a perfect place...too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry, too expensive, too crowded, etc. Pare your wish list down to the top 5, then take a road trip (gas has fallen a little in price) to look at possibilities that meet at least 3 of the 5. We landed in the Texas Hill Country, but land is getting more expensive here as new people move in to cut their taxes and find jobs. I do have a large fan in the barn to cool the goats at 100+ degrees today. Good Luck! I am certain that you will find HAPPINESS.


I'd say price is the #1 reason, folks opt to live in areas with harsh weather or put up with other issues. 

We could have bought a lot more land in other parts of the country, but that was the only sacrifice we made. Today was in the 70s, so our summers are warm, but very rarely hot. Our winters are mild, as this is maritime weather. Our water is great, so worth the extra cost, too. We live in the foothills of the Olympics, so certainly aren't crowded (Sequim has only 6,000). There is no rush hour, so traffic isn't a problem. The only issue is getting onto the highway, but that is being resolved (the main road is being re-routed to resolve that issue). We have access to rivers, lakes, the Strait of Juan De Fuca, beaches, trails, mountains... I moved around a lot, too, so knew exactly what *MY *top criteria was.

So, that is bold and underlined, because it is only my opinion of as perfect as I consider it to be. Others want colder Winters, hotter Summers, and different topography/scenery/property. But I do think the COST is the one reason folks will drop some of their important criteria. I see that with Clients frequently. They find the perfect home or property, but will walk away over $5K or $10K :smack Saving money is great, but I plan on staying here permanently, really enjoy this area immensely!


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

ChristieAcres said:


> I'd say price is the #1 reason, folks opt to live in areas with harsh weather or put up with other issues.
> 
> But I do think the COST is the one reason folks will drop some of their important criteria. I see that with Clients frequently. They find the perfect home or property, but will walk away over $5K or $10K :smack Saving money is great, but I plan on staying here permanently, really enjoy this area immensely!


I think that tends to be more parcel specific than area.

For instance there are people that want to live in Death valley (hot cheep) and Miami (hot expensive), there are also people that want to live in Alaska (cold expensive and North Dakota Cold cheep)
People pick areas for lots of reasons, Personally I think the Garden of Eden might be between the mountains and the sea between Cali and Prince George.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

> I think that tends to be more parcel specific than area.


You could be right, but that is very subjective based on the individual. When we put "area" at the top of our list? We found what we considered to be the perfect spot to live for the rest of our lives, based on our own criteria (of course). If we put "parcel" first, we wouldn't be living on this property. Why? COST! For us, that was the only limiting factor, which I have found to be true for at least 90% of the Buyers I work with. Now, if cost was no issue? I would still be living in this area, just on a different property. That other property would be at least 10 acres or more. There are other properties that also fit all of our criteria, in this area, but were bigger and more expensive. So, we made a choice. Buy what was in our price range, the best property we found, and build our home out of pocket OR spend too much and live in a mobile home. Not knocking those, but DH's dream was to build another log home, our retirement home. That was our top priority, not a bigger property size. 

Yes, it is really interesting where folks will choose to live, spend a lot to move there, and some really are happy (high humidity, very low humidity, hot summers, droughts, harsh winters with lots of snow...). "Harsh" weather is subjectively considered by the folks themselves. I know some who just love hot dry summers, but I don't. Also, there are plenty who really enjoy a lot of snow in the Winter.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

LOL you are so right.
Where is the online area picker?
I want Sharp seasonal changes . A big snow on Dec 1 and 24th. I like winter as long as its frozen and with snow, so no fighting melted mud , give me Dec ,Jan,Feb,with snow then it can have a week of March to thaw a good sharp crisp spring in Mar, Apl, you know, lots of light showers and temps 40 to 60 but by the middle of may I want it to be summer. Not a hot summer mind you maybe a week where it hits 90 for a few hours each day to remind me to be grateful that its never over 80 or under 50 the rest of the time . BIG once a week thunderstorms with a inch of rain each .That can run out to about the end of august when I want it dry and colorfull till winter!
And Can I get a beach too?


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