Tips For Buying Land For Self Sufficient Homesteading
Posted on: 27 April 2016
If you dream of living off-grid and homesteading your own piece of land, finding the perfect piece of real estate is a must. The following tips can help you pick out land that will meet all of your needs, whether you are only planning to homestead as a hobby or to embrace the lifestyle full time.
Tip #1: Make sure you can access your land
Locked pieces of real estate can be a real problem, since you will have to have an easement granted by a neighboring land owner in order to reach your land. You will also need to hope that future owners will continue to honor the easement if your neighbors sell. It can be tempting to purchase locked land, because it is often relatively cheap compared to other lots. Unfortunately, it can cost you dearly in the future if the neighbors decide to charge you to access the land or if they refuse to allow the easement. It's well worth it to pay more upfront for more accessible real estate.
Tip #2: Know the water rights
Chances are you want to make sure there is accessible water on the land, either for a drilled well, a dug artisan well, or from a surface source, such as a stream or lake. Just because these features are on your land doesn't necessary mean that you can use them, though. When looking at land, verify the water rights in the area to make sure that you can purchase them outright or that they are already included with the land. It's also a good idea to have the water tested before you buy, just to verify that it is safe to drink and use for agriculture.
Tip #3: Consider your utility options
Off grid electricity isn't necessarily as easy as putting up some solar panels. Have the land surveyed by a solar tech to make sure there is sufficient sun exposure for panels to provide enough electricity. Alternatively, survey the land for alternate sources. For example, you may be shaded by a mountain, but it could be a breezy valley that allows you to use turbines to generate power. It's also a good idea to find land that at least has power access at the road. This means your initial building crews will have access to power for their tools, or that you can hook up to the grid easily in the future if it becomes necessary.
Remember these three tips when you are committed to buy real estate.
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