Buying Your Own Piece of Prairie

You might not aspire to be a Prairie Wife, but that's okay.  Where ever you want to call home (mountain, ocean, desert) make the most of it, and try to be as self sufficient as possible. 

Around here, buying your piece of prairie isn't really hard.  After being a loan officer for three years, I definitely urge more people to look towards Owner Finance or Land Agents to purchase.  Traditional mortgage companies just aren't conducive to rural properties.  They don't "get it". 

Now most of my friends, and family do not want to live rurally, or live more simply, they are happy with their modern conveniences, and living in a huge metropolis.  That is not for me.  Several years ago God opened my eyes to the dangers of materialism, the looming economic problems (this was BEFORE the news reported anything), and in being prepared to take care of my family, with as little help (and interference) from the government as possible.  The solution to this was to downsize possessions and housing.

So, I started dreaming about what I wanted in a piece of land.  I urge anyone who wants to buy their prairie dream spot to make a list.  What is it you really want?  Be realistic.
My list looked like this:

At least 40-50 miles away from a major city (I'd prefer 100, but couldn't find it)
Close enough to PH job that he wouldn't be driving for days
Zoning
Existing house or build?
Open pasture land
Some trees (for shade and fuel)
Water feature (river access, pond, creek)
Existing well
Existing electricity (this was optional for me, but PH preferred electricity)
At least 10 acres, ideal would be 40 acres.

I started looking in November 2007, and found it in December 2007.  PH and I looked at lots of property and while the prices was right, we soon realized that additional cash outlays for water and electricity would make it impossible for us to live at these places for a LONG time. 

I looked online for rural, off grid, remote properties.  The ones I really liked were really remote, and PH gave me "the look".  He gives me this look a lot, I have no idea why??
I like to travel to all the little towns between the TEXAS Hill Country and the border, just to pick up their little town newspapers.  Some of the best stuff is found in these papers, AND on feed store bulletin boards.  You learn a lot at feed stores (but that is for another day).

I happened to stumble across an ad for rural property, low down, low monthly payments, best of all it was about an hour from town, but only 15 minutes from PH job.  I scored big!  I was so excited, I had to take the kids and go look right then.  I went by the land agent's office, and talked to him about my requirements, making sure he knew I didn't want a run around.  If he didn't have anything to meet my requirements to tell me at that time.  He had one, but was very relunctant to show it to me, as it was their hunting property.  He also had another with mostly trees. 

After looking at both, I really liked the first one.  It has a pond, and a dry creek bed, which FLOODS, when it rains.  Like bank to bank flooding.  It was fenced, it had an existing, WORKING well and pump, electricity, open pastures and some trees!  I was so excited!  PH and I looked at it together after work, and PH said "Let's get it."  It was so simple.  We paid more than the required down to get our payments low, which is a smart thing to do.  Put as much money towards your land as you can, don't be fooled into the "low down" scenario.  Low down, can mean higher monthly payments, and if you get in a bind it will be hard to come up with the monthly amount. 

During our current Depression, it is smart to have a place that can be afforded, so if you can pay cash and own it right out, that is best.  You can always live humbly (believe me we are) while working on the rest. 

So, remember the things to do when looking for land:

small town newspapers
feed stores
make a list of what is necessary and needful
what can you REALLY afford
how far away do you want to be (remember during hard times, you want to be as far from a major city as possible)
how hard do you want to work? (cleared land vs. lots of brush and scrub trees)
off grid vs. grid electricity
well vs. rain water collection vs. hauling water

Luckily, the state and county we live in are very easy.  No restrictions, no building code.  The only thing we found was that a septic tank MUST be installed, BUT you don't have to use it.  So, if you are a composting toilet kind of Prairie Gal, then get the septic tank (you can even do it yourself) and then get a composting toilet. 

While all this information can be found online, or in a variety of books, the one I rely on heavily is "The Encyclopedia of Country Living" by Carla Emery.  It's a wealth of knowledge.

The information I write on isn't intended to replace or duplicate what has already been done, but to showcase what I have learned, using the resources (like the book above), and what I have learned (good and bad) from following the advice.  I encourage any prospective homesteader to get out there and READ!  Then talk and solicit advice from other homesteaders and locals.  Temper your excitement, especially with the locals, or you'll get the "evil eye" and a reputation for being "one of those".