Buying land

 You have your dreams and are ready to look for land. Now what? Lets lay out some steps that helped us...or would have helped us had we thought about it! 

Step 1

Figure out an area that you could realistically move and live. How close do you need to be to family, a job, your kids school. In our search I had a great time looking at places I wanted to live, but there's no way we could have actually taken the jump and moved to. We have close ties with family and my husband needed to get to work everyday. I found Zillow really helpful for finding land within the area we could move to. Zillow here is a link to sidetrack and search :) 

Hindsight, my husband is now about 20 minutes from work and has regretted not going just a little further out for more land. I, on the other hand, was willing to move further but am thankful he gets to spend more time at home instead of commuting. 

Step 2

What are your goals? Mine are to garden and have small livestock. Important for me was no HOA and county rules and regulations that made it easy to add fencing, a green house and whatever else came up. 

Check with your local town hall or simply search your codes for your area. Check for outbuilding restrictions, hooved animal limits, rooster laws and whatever else may apply to you. 

Step 3

Figure out what type of setup you are going to want and what resources you may need. I was thrilled when we found a place with a well and septic. Less monthly bills, right? I even made sure to check for a water hydrant/pump outside. We also have open areas AND lots of trees! I forgot about a few things..

First, trees. I wanted mature trees and our property is lined on both sides with beautiful evergreens. There are also some birch trees and maples spread throughout the yard. Unfortunately, most of the trees are coming to the end of their days and will have to be replaced soon. 

Remember that pump I made sure to locate? Its not that helpful for my farming needs. The back of the yard has been dedicated to gardening, animals and future endeavors. (picture above of the back of the yard) The pump isn't even close to that portion of the yard. My temporary solution is to put a large outdoor garbage can on the front of the mower, fill it at the pump, drive it to the back and bucket it out to water the garden and animals. I'm planning on something better coming soon this year! 

Step 4

Plan ahead and start where you are now. Every day is learning experience. Before moving, I started seeds, gardened and researched. Animals were not allowed, but I was doing everything I could to learn about what was hopefully to come. 

Also, I wished I would have been purchasing items I knew I would have needed a little at a time before moving. Things like lumber, more tools, feeders and waters. There's a likely chance you will need more yard tools and gardening products if you plan on expanding. Buying a little at a time will get you going sooner! 

I really hope some of this helps you. The best advice is to keep your dream alive and don't give up! It took us a long time to find a property and it was completely worth the wait. Comment with your best hindsight's and advice below!