Thursday, December 17, 2009

Retreat-Ranch ,Just some thoughts on land.

I have been thinking, the biggest problem with getting land is the money. That's not exactly a news flash but . I wanted to talk about money and land. If a person doesn't have the money for an out-right purchase of land it doesn't mean they are left in the cold. The best option for a retreat is to own the land.Presumably as long as you pay the tax it is yours (by the way checking the tax rate before your purchase is a good thing to know). But, If you wait till you have the cash you may wait a long time and then it may be too late. Whats that saying 'progress waits for no man'. ? I dont know if that's it, it works well for the context so lets run with it. One of the biggest benefits of of a retreat lifestyle is living a frugal lifestyle, not only are you using less power because yours is homemade and also no power bill. You may have generator fuel Ours currently is only 20 bucks a month. Your consumption is apparent to you everyday. You have to check voltage often and avoid or omit using some electrical appliances. In town you just use whatever you want, and the bill is a surprise. To drain your batteries prematurely is an inconvenience, because you will then need to devote energy to restoring power. So you conserve for convenience. Same with shopping. Its a pain to drive to town to pickup items for dinner. Living in town you might do it daily. Not to mention the fuel. But out of town you shop ahead again for convenience. Your shopping ahead is saving money to buy in bulk or purchase larger amounts because it happens to be on sale. So now groceries are  cheaper  because you want the convenience of having more food on hand. Perhaps even less vehicle fuel than when you lived in town, maybe the occasional trip to town is less than daily trips in town. If you drive to town to work then the point is moot. But there is numerous ways to live cheaper from your retreat than in town. You are independent and in control of all your utilities. Your remote location is a buffer zone between you and the rest.

Lets say you stay in your place in town because you waited till you were in a position to pay cash. Then something big happens, your fellow city dwellers being patient reasonable ones, react to disaster by; riot theft and looting. You awake the morning of the riots, your living room has been struck by a stray Molotov cocktail. Your house is filled with smoke, your wife is streaking naked through the house screaming at the top of her lungs, your barely awake struggling to gather your BOB out of the closest its become entangled in the wire shoe rack fastened to the door. Eventually you have your bag and battle rifle. Both of you escape your house from the bedroom window. You get to the street to find your sport utility (or bug out vehicle) has been another victim of the riots and is now inoperable. You and your wife flee on foot, its still the barely light hours of dawn, as you round the corner of the next block you come face to face with a LEO Riot Team. Your wife in  relief screams out. The Riot Teem seeing a partial nude woman being held at the arm by a man with a rifle carrying a duffel bag reacts quickly, they perceived the encounter as a looter carrying a rifle with hostage, they gun you down.(oops!) Your wife in panic flees, its the last thing you see as you die on the sidewalk.

Now lets say you were set up on your retreat property you still have payments but you live there. You awaken from the rooster crow, You sit up in bed your wife is still sleeping (she always sleeps through the rooster crow) you get up to make the coffee. As your waiting for your percolator to perk you turn on the radio to learn the cities are engulfed in flames riots, and violence have erupted. Then your wife comes out to the kitchen (still naked) you offer her some coffee and sit to discuss the news of the collapse. You grin as you sip your coffee, thinking your glad not to be trapped in the city. Never to learn of your alternate fate of death on the side walk that same morning.

Financing from a bank is usually a problem, if you have the credit its something to look at, Most banks will not finance on vacant land. Some owners will carry a contract, this is the best option. If you find property for sale by owner, you could ask. Or better yet prepare an offer that includes terms. I once traded an old pick-up truck to a guy for a down payment, it was on an old house but the same idea. If you make a real offer they will at least look at it.Remember they want to sell the land, if they sell it to you on terms they make more money. You would have to pay the interest anyway.

2 comments:

  1. I think the ideal situation is of course paid off land. However unless you are going the junk acre route or are retiring/ otherwise have a wad of cash it isn't realistic. I don't think having a mortgage is the end of the world, especially if it is a reasonable one and your income is secure.

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  2. Well I agree, if a person must have a Mtg. I would rather be paying for a place in the country than in town.

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