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Title: Survival Strategy Advice Requested
Source:
Me
URL Source: [None]
Published: Feb 13, 2011
Author: Me
Post Date: 2011-02-13 14:55:09 by Critter
Keywords: survival, homesteading, farming, SHTF
Views: 1104
Comments: 40
I have a decision upcoming, and I'm finding it difficult to be objective about it. Currently I have 16 acres of unimproved land 1200 miles from here in southern Missouri. The reasons for buying there instead of here in NY were a) price, b) low taxes, c) warmer climate, d) no building codes or zoning laws in effect. My plan was to rent here in NY until ready to retire, all the while, building the homestead of my dreams as time and money allowed. I wanted to own everything free and clear come retirement. However, recent events here are making a move out of the city I am in, into the country nearby, a necessity. I have found two properties, one which I can easily afford, with a small ranch house and two acres of land. The other is the homestead of my dreams, already built, on 34 acres. The 2nd one is pricier, and I can just barely afford it now, and will be better able afford it in the next year or so. Business is very good and and getting better every day. The larger property has a three bedroom modular ranch with full basement, an extremely wide exterior entry to the basement, with heavy duty stairs, which makes moving heavy machinery in and out quite easy. excellent man cave. It has a detached steel garage/workshop, approximately 30X40. It has a ten stall steel stable building. 25 of the acres are cleared and electric fenced for horses. The rest is mostly cleared without fencing. There is very little standing timber on the land but it backs up to a heavily wooded hill/mountain. To survive in this area in a SHTF situation where commodities like oil and gas and propane are difficult to impossible to get, the place would need about 6 cords of firewood a season to heat. I would need 18 on 20 cords in reserve for long term survival. I will be getting older and of course, less able to cut and split firewood manually. If I get another 5 or 8 years of "normal" living before SHTF, then I can prepare it better for survival with solar heat, electric, wind power, set up to make bio diesel, etc. The cool thing about this property is that I can shoot almost 1/3 of a mile. That's what really excites me. lol I can come home and practice, practice, practice, in my own back yard. There's enough here to raise chickens, have horses, raise some dairy and beef. It's all set up and ready to go. The only thing that scares me is can I make it through the winters as an older gent in a pretty harsh climate. Temperatures can dip down to -20f at night and stay below zero for days or more. Poster Comment: I am soliciting advice from the objective thinkers here. Do I buy the small one and keep the dream homestead in southern MO alive, or go for the one that's close to my business, already built, and a sure thing? It's already built and survivable now. It's not ten years and 1200 miles away. What would you do? I should add that if things keep going as well as they are, I should be able to pay off the large NY property in about 10 years. Taxes as of now are $2600 a year. In MO, taxes on 16 acres are $25 a year.
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#2. To: Critter (#0)
My advice is to buy all that you can afford today. You can still afford the large NY property and keep the MO land? I hope. As more and more people wake up! and look for bug-out land, the more that MO land should appreciate.
I can afford the NY land and I can keep the MO land, but I won't be able to improve it.
My 2 cents is since you can and will prepare to shelter in place in your new freezer why keep your old dream alive. Appreciation on your 16 acre unimproved piece has either happened or is unlikely, cut the cord and use the $$$ to improve your odds where you intend to live. 1600 miles is a long way to drive and your chance of getting any recreational use out of the property are.... not so good. To compare buying power nationwide you might want to look here.
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#3. To: Lod (#2)
#25. To: Critter (#3)
I can afford the NY land and I can keep the MO land, but I won't be able to improve it.
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