Don't Buy Raw Land Without THESE 5 THINGS

[@BetterTogetherLife]

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[@s42682]

Do you still stay in Houston. I have a project going on researching drone usage on farms if you would like to collaborate let me know.

[@meccapklol]

7⁷

[@diviningrod2671]

Blasphemy! How could you not mention bubbler water?? And what hooka water ?? Where's your priorities?? Great video btw

[@chelseahartweg2938]

Major mistake we made with zoning- if you're looking nearby to a city, check for something called an "ETJ or Extra Territorial Jurisdiction". Basically it's allowable for cities to extend their zoning ordinance 1-3 miles beyond their actual borders- idea being that it helps them plan the city better by also controlling the borders. It's a load of bull poop, but it's legal, and most cities do it. I bought my forever home only to find out I was in the ETJ of the most uppity, cranky town in my area and my entire dream came screeching to a halt. All town laws, no town services, and no vote. It was a nightmare and we lost so much money selling that place and moving AGAIN and now we're in a rental while we try to find our new forever home. Learn from my mistakes, folks, because "county land" might have something else going on so double check!

[@angelamurphy9472]

Best tip ever! Thanks

[@crayfish7542]

Are Licensed Realtors ( Legally ) Required to Know this ! If SO they would be Legally Liable ! ( Because If they Are AND They HAVE; " Legal Insurance, " .i.e.> > Similar to Auto Insurance, That's where They pay a monthly insurance fee / Instead of running up a Payment to a Law firm !

[@dr123hall]

Even if, even though, even with all the extremely great advice!! … the careful zone sleuthing…a land owner can face BiasCommunityThugs!!! Yes, people may not like your loving Solar electricity because you’re not supporting their pirate buddies at the local Co-op!! Wait, you have access But that access may not be a straight to main road access, it may that a neighbor conveniently cattle blocks (accidentally), fence crashes, visits your groomed gravel on his megalithic a/c cab tractor, the “community” does a “welcome” train of loving church, etc enough to create gully washes! No wait, the locals can make life really untenable in many unbelievable ways!! You Are Still Buying Community (miles?) away from a single person! Lot of exclamation marks right? Your kids (bigggg factor) can be harassed by pig roast killing, corn cob Casey!

[@sandraadams7913]

Oh that sucks! Thank you for the warning. Never knew! Boy they hold all the cards! No fair.

[@mjschoensee93]

😱 OMG that is something I would do.

[@souljahroch2519]

3 things I recommend before perchase: 1. a good title attourney(no brokers!) for the title search, & all things legal(no title 'brokers'!!!) 2. A land survey to ensure that you get what you paid for, don't build your fence 2' on your neighbor's property, & that you don't move onto the wrong property( it happens). 3. I also recommend an environmental survey to ensure you're not moving onto a toxic waste dump✌

[@kellymiller3136]

A boundary survey NOT AN ILC. Which is not a survey. FYI!

[@souljahroch2519]

@@kellymiller3136 What are you talking about? And why are you shouting???

[@kellymiller3136]

@@souljahroch2519 I was not shouting I was wanting to state that way to many times municipalities allow ILC Improvement Location Certificate as a survey and it is nothing further from a boundary survey. One should not waste their money on an ILC. Just trying to be informative that’s all. Have a nice day. 😊

[@sherrimiller5258]

@@kellymiller3136 I use caps when I want to emphasize a word or phrase. I don’t think of it as shouting. 🙂

[@kellymiller3136]

@@sherrimiller5258 thanks 🙏

[@BlacknessWirefly]

Get a survey. No matter what. Make the seller pay if you want but get a survey. They tried to talk us out of one because there's a fence but we insisted. Turns out the fence is off 65ft on one side and almost 80 on the other.

[@BlacknessWirefly]

@@ShadyD365 both. On the south it's too far out and on the east it's too far in

[@annawofford559]

Good thing I didn't listen

[@TimeGallon]

I’ve been told this as well and I agree. However I’m buying some land with a home on it and it’s in one of the oldest cities in the area. The deed is incredibly old and the land had never been officially surveyed but neither has most of any of the land in the area. It’s property value assessment has it estimated at 10 acres. I spoke to a surveyor in the areas and he said he wouldn’t he surprised if it was 3-4 acres more or less than it’s estimated acreage just because the deed uses such ancient language. It would seem I absolutely need a survey but I’m not going to have one done and here’s why: 1. It’s expensive to survey the land. The seller won’t pay and I don’t know where this idea to “get the seller to pay for it” came from. Everyone keeps telling me that but not a single one had the seller of their land pay for their survey. Sellers almost never pay for the survey. It’s the duty of the buyer to do so as the seller doesn’t benefit at all from it other than the possibility of securing the sale. 2. I went to the county and they said “98% of the time in this area, a surveyor will just follow whatever existing fencline is there because the deed’s description won’t be a viable reference.” (The language used in my deed says “turn westward towards a stone then hence southward towards a hickory, then further south towards a double dogwood, etc.”) 3. The land is also completely unrestricted and the county told me it’s essentially the Wild West out there. Whatever land you want to use within reason, you can use as long as the neighbors don’t care and I’ve met the neighbors. They don’t care. 3. The neighbors to the right own 60 acres, the neighbors to the left own 20 acres of vacant land followed by 30+ acres to it’s left and directly behind it is 100+ acres. It’s all heavily wooded and hilly land. 4. There is an existing barbed wire fenceline that’s grown into the trees surrounding the 10 acres and since I didn’t see any “stones” or “double dogwoods” as the deed says, I’ll just have to take the county’s word for it when they say a surveyor would just follow the fenceline. 5. I’ve met the neighbors, the ones to the left are in their 90s and have lived there for generations. The ones to the right is a pastor of a local baptist church and I highly doubt either would take me to court if I had a survey done and found out I had a fence on part of their land. But I can easily see an argument against that optimism. Basically, I’m planning on cleaning the property up and if it’s a few acres bigger or smaller, it doesn’t make a difference to me. I can pay for a survey later if I really wanted to scratch that itch but it makes zero sense to pay for one now. If I paid for a survey and then determined it compromises my desire to buy the land, then I just wasted thousands of dollars for nothing (remember, the county told me that 98% of the time, if there’s a fenceline that’s what the surveyor goes by and there is an existing fenceline so it’s highly unlikely that the house was built on the neighbor’s land; which would be the only factor that would deter me from the property) And if I pay for the survey and it turns out the land is equal or greater than estimated, then great but I’ve still wasted thousands of dollars just to satisfy my curiosity.

[@woodyahh2110]

You will need a survey if you get a loan to build anything You build something on what you think is on your property you’re neighbor dies or and the new owner gets a survey and low and behold what you built is in fact no on your property Someone gets hurt on your neighbors property and it turns out that someone was on your property That’s why you get a survey It’s called a stated survey it’s not as much as you think it is Good luck

[@crayfish7542]

0:36 # 1 ) The Correct Climate 2:28 # 2 ) The Slope 4:00 # 3 ) The Water 7:47 # 4 ) The Access 8:48 # 5 ) " An Agricultural Exemption " >>> ! 9:54 # 6 ) A " Hospital " ( Proximity to ) 10:15 # 7 ) The Correct Zoning

[@peterblair6489]

I bought that bit of swamp land they thought was for suckers. I now have a dry acre with a creek funning through. Very pleased. I reckon any land can be used, if you're creative and not set on some particular dream. The number ONE thing you should absolutely consider though, is access to shops. Those hidden gems in the Forrest might look nice, but the drive to get bread can be insane. Or, more important, a hamburger and beer on a Saturday night.

[@ungoyone]

I learned living semi-rural that there's no such thing as a convenience store or fast-food. That quick, down the street, burger turned in to a 1hr burger. 30min to get it, eat there, 30min back. And that local store is only open about 1 shift worth of hours so there was that, too.

[@peterblair6489]

@@ungoyone Yep. Lol Country time is different.

[@markjames8664]

Anyone buying in that situation should also check state and local environmental regulations to be sure you can make those changes.

[@arsenal4444]

@@markjames8664 it was like that when I bought it

[@Angelbach1995]

I lived in semi rural. Unfortunately the city grew up and now controls our county land. They voted to put in a 64 high density project in our area, even though no one who lives here wants it. Beware!

[@jamesfoley3018]

When you buy land make sure you check w/ the county that the person selling the land owns the land, check the zoning for use to see if there are restrictions on the property, and check with the county if the property taxes are paid /current. ( major problems for people who rush into buying land). Thank you for your advice.

[@bennym1956]

That's what title insurance is good for, realty agent ShOULD check also !

[@sarita5572]

We've been on our 5 acres for a little over a year. Moved into our shed December 2019. Lived off grid for a bit while finishing it out. What am adventure it's been. I can't wait to get it set up to be a working homestead.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

That’s amazing!

[@gregoryshockley5753]

Definitely going to try that

[@gregoryshockley5753]

Hardcore. Definitely challenging

[@sarita5572]

@@gregoryshockley5753 not gonna lie there were some tears shed lol but all worth it

[@gregoryshockley5753]

@@sarita5572 hardcore.live your amazing life

[@alwayssunny133]

I would also check on whether there is or was a chemical factory, farm, or mining plant nearby to make sure that there is no pollution runoff. This is easy to see on google maps. Soil contamination is a huge problem for farming and gardening.

[@sharonh.harris1924]

You had some great points! As your life changes, your needs will change. We started off building our first house on the family farm with about 100 acres and 4 houses. We all built our homes and lived in them as we built them. We paid for them as we went. It was wonderful when we were young and the kids were little (we didn't have any but niece and nephews). Builtin babysitters, worked together, kept things running. But then we began to age and the kids became teenagers no longer interested in the farm. Our parents were older and that left taking care of 100 acres and the animals and outbuildings to the 6 of us (3 girls and their husbands). So two of us decided to sell. We wanted to spend less time maintaining and working so hard. So we sold our homes. My husband and I actually moved 30 mins farther away from town, got a bigger house and a lot less land. Then 5 years later, we had an epiphany... my husband got very ill and was hospitalized for a week and I realized how isolated we had made ourselves by being so far out of town. I had to travel 40 mins home just to feed the dogs, take a shower and then head back another 40 mins to the hospital. And what if I needed help with him, all our family was 30 mins away. As soon as he got well, we put the house up for sale. This time we moved into town and close to the hospital. We lived happily there for 15 yrs but the city property taxes began to ratchet up dramatically due to new schools and a mega high school and our house was getting too big for us to maintain at our age. We are in our 60's and 3,000 sq ft was getting hard to keep up with. So it meant another life change. We are facing retirement and old age. We can't do a lot of yard work or maintenance so we downsized to 1800 sq ft far enough outside the city limits not to have to pay city property taxes and yet still close to the hospital, doctors, and all our shopping and errands. This last move was the hardest one we've ever made because of our age and my disability. We almost waited too late and then we would have been unable to move and stuck. But it still nearly killed us emotionally, physically, financially (due to all the moving expenses). I cannot stress enough that when you reach middle age, BEFORE you get too old, make sure you are where you want to live as you age. Because there comes a tipping point when moving becomes nearly impossible for an elderly person (emotionally and physically). I actually had a friend who did NOT move. She was just overwhelmed and thought her house was paid for so she didn't make any changes. But her home is 2 story and she's now on a fixed income, she's elderly and disabled. What does this mean? She's stuck in the city and, as I mentioned, the property taxes have risen dramatically. If she can't afford her property taxes, it doesn't matter that her mortgage is paid off, the city will take her home! She can't go up and down the stairs so she's living downstairs only but there isn't a full bath on the first floor. She can't afford the utilities on the whole house. She can't do yard work and can't afford to pay for yard work. She can't afford to maintain the house such as plumbing, electrical, new roof, etc. So her house is decaying around her and is about worthless in the market. Because the house and yard are in such bad shape she wouldn't make enough in a sale to purchase what she needs to live in and that's if she could sell it. Her only child lives in NY and does nothing to help her in any way. The end result is she thought she was set because they had paid their mortgage off and she had her home. But, as you can see, she didn't plan and she put off making any changes until now she can't. PLEASE, when you reach middle age, make sure you plan for your old age. You will not be able to mow, put up fencing, clean gutters, paint, go up and down stairs, get in and out of a tub, etc. So make the changes and adjustments BEFORE you can't and you are stuck. We'd made moves before when we were younger and it was hard but we managed well. But this last one was traumatic and I hope and pray we never have to move again. We didn't have children although we do have extended family who helped. We have a good income and were able to pay for help too. But it was just so traumatic, I can't stress it enough. If you're parents are having to do this, be kind and helpful to them because it's very, very hard to make dramatic changes at our age. We forget things, we feel overwhelmed, we are scared, we aren't physically able to do as much as we used to, we are dealing with emotions. Everything is supposed to go perfectly like set-up dominos (realtor, buyer, seller, bank, insurance, attorney, etc) and yet nothing goes right which throws off all the following dominos and our nerves can't take it. We aren't emotionally resilient like we used to be. BTW, our parents passed away and my youngest sister and her family still live on what's left of the farm (about 45 acres) with her house and our parent's house. They stayed because my parents refused to make the move. Now my sister is stuck out there trying to maintain it all and both of them are disabled. Due to the memories and the family farm, she just can't sell it but she can't maintain it either. Her son has absolutely no intention of living out there alone after his parents are gone so why hang onto it and watch it fall away? But, how do you let go of the place of so many happy memories?

[@10ashagirl]

Thank you for poring your heart out and telling us the truth..

[@amilliontubes123]

How sad it is for us to hang onto STUFF and THINGS Regardless of what stuff or things we may have... it reminds me of Ecclesiastes ~ nothing new under the sun I just pray that we as humans would treat each other as well or better than we treat our STUFF & THINGS

[@hardworkingamerican8847]

@@amilliontubes123 Ecclesiastes really hits home .

[@hardworkingamerican8847]

I am looking at land and have been for several years now . Since weed was made legal in California land has gone way up . Some places don't allow it so it's good to check that out . Sorry about your friend , can't she get a renter ?

[@dineojennifer8233]

Thanks for having taken the time to share this.

[@jarrodvsinclair]

Not sure if this is an issue near you, but wet season access is an issue in Colorado / Idaho. You need to inspect access roads and talk to the county about what roads wash out / streams over run every fall / spring. Very easy to buy a place that looks great only to discover you can't leave / get home for weeks / months of the year

[@harrymills2770]

If you're THAT far out, you better look at a fire map!!! Not only terrible air from all the smoke, but your beautiful homestead's in the path of a maelstrom...

[@jarrodvsinclair]

@@harrymills2770 you don't have to be that far. there are properties that are 75 minutes from silicon valley that fall into this category and every spring / fall people get stuck in their home or away form thier homes when it rains

[@dirtwhisperer658]

We are in the process of buying 3.5 acres. It's literally 200 yards from our main house which is in a subdivision (yeah I know). It already has a septic tank, county water and an electric pole because there was a mobile home there at one time. It has a pond! Also reasonably flat land with blacktop access and is in unrestricted county locale. We cannot wait to get over there and start a garden, build a workshop etc. Good video!

[@doloresreynolds8145]

How cool to have it so conveniently located to your current home for starting your adventure!

[@kevinadams9468]

When you said 'septic' I cringed. When you said pond on the same property, I almost puked. You might want to reconsider where that combination will put you down the road. Please check your land for contamination, check your pond as well. I am not saying septic is a horrible thing in some cases, but it causes a lot of potential issues. Do your homework so you don't flush your money down the septic drain.

[@Zack-lq9tb]

@@kevinadams9468 a lot of places are on septic

[@markjames8664]

@@kevinadams9468 a buyer should get an independent inspection of the septic system. It may be fine, or might not be.

[@reesedaniel5835]

@@kevinadams9468 If nobody is using the "septic" then why on earth would it be a problem? He said the mobile home was not there anymore. And if you do have a "septic" (OH THE HORROR!!).....just add a spoon of active yeast granules to the toilets and flush every 3 months and the "septic" will never give you any problems. Some people....🤭🤨🙄

[@orowizard1369]

Another reason for the land to slope is, when I bought mine close to Dallas, I didn't realize it would be pretty much under water for 2 months in spring and another 2 months in fall during the main rainy seasons. And no, it is not a flood plain unless the water originates from a body of water like a stream or lake nearby. Really hard to keep grass and trees from drowning.

[@RobCalhounPGH]

Turn a "curse" into a blessing. Dig a pond and french drain and/or pump into it. Then use that deluge over the year to irrigate a lush food forest.

[@mikeydan]

this video actually helped me make my decision NOT to buy raw property... I think knowing personal limitations is key, and this helped me a great deal. My Plan B is to buy the ugliest, most decrepit house I can find on the nicest piece of land... in the nicest area I can... and know that it (should) already has access, electric, sewer-septic, water... and probably tear it down. so, thank you for this... it really helped!

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Not a bad plan at all Mike! If we had to do it all over again, I would do that as well. BUT add in there a property that has outbuildings like a workshop, barn, lean-to, etc

[@paulnovak1459]

I bought one of those property's... we will see what happens... 2 acres with non livable house. It is going to be my retirement project... also has a garage that hopefully can be repaired and a pole shed..

[@billybowman3891]

That’s my plan as well. I remodel high end coastal homes in San Diego county. I figure it’s all practice and experience for when I do mine. There are remote and semi affordable properties here but I would never build myself a dog house here due to the red tape.

[@missybelmont9830]

At least get solar panels.....

[@DJcra]

In san diego it's unaffordable. Even bare land its crazy

[@stevefranklin9920]

A title or deed search is a must! Quite a number of people have bought property only to find out that there is at least one lean against it.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Yes, we call that title insurance here in Texas.

[@ronb6182]

How about 15,000 worth of liens. My lawyer had to get the sherif out to make the seller pay off the liens. It wasn't a pleasant thing. I'm glad I wasn't there. 73

[@ronb6182]

​@@BetterTogetherLifethat's how you find out there are liens on the property. In Florida it's called abstract same as title insurance in my case in North Carolina. Use a bank if you don't have an attorney. They will protect their money they loan to you. I should have done my own title search. Me and my mom did one on our farm. We were trying to find the year the 150+ year old house we had. It got late and couldn't finish the title search the deeds were written in cursive. I think we stopped at 125 years old but I don't believe the house was that young. Back to NC . We found about 12,000 to 15,000 in liens, anywhere from the local newspaper, back taxes, medical and so forth. 73

[@TomOHern]

Make sure you have good neighbors!

[@hodoprime]

Might work for up to 10 years but people move in and out all the time. Cant control who your neighbors are unless you buy up the adjacent properties.

[@priestesslucy]

@@hodoprime that still doesn't ensure good neighbors, just keeps them further away lol

[@jaspersmith5748]

Or no neighbors

[@katierunnberg7997]

Oh my Lord, the slow-mo water bit was freaking funny! Great topic and awesome video, thanks!

[@brucefrizzell4221]

Good fencing around the property is very good . Fencing is very expensive , so saves bunches of money if it is there already .

[@marymarmande8446]

One important factor you must keep in mind is that if real estate contains mineral rights, simply buying the property doesn't make you the owner of them. Since mineral rights can be sold separately from the land itself, even if you own the land, someone else may hold ownership of what's below it ( oil natural gas etc.) My family ( many acers of land) sold a small portion of land, however mineral rights were kept in the family. This is very important to know prior to buying real estate!! Make sure to use an attorney & READ THE ENTIRE CONTRACT PRIOR TO SIGNING & ALSO GET A DIFFERENT ATTORNEY ( MAYBE OUT OF TOWN aka get a second opinion!! ❤ ✌ its hard for me to explain things 😢 so I pray that you all understand what I'm trying to say. If you are looking into buying land look!! Read the fine print( of course with an attorney) try to get the or make sure that the mineral rights are for YOU ONLY!! As for my family the land has been in my family since the civil war with so many heirs etc only a few small acres were ever sold / donated church, school etc. Hope this helps!! Oh 1 more thing oil & natural gas was found on our property at different times. So try to buy property that not only do you own the ground but you also own what's beneath the earth can be some major $$$ money ✌ out!!

[@BetterTogetherLife]

That would be awesome! Truth is, most new land owners will not be able to find parcels with mineral and gas (and sometimes not even with water) rights. It’s so great if that’s possible. But bc if what you said, rights being so valuable and usually found on generational land, most of those parcels sold off in pieces won’t contain the rights. . It’s not impossible, but just not common. So while we love that as a get, it’s not a deal breaker for most people. . Great advice though.👏

[@marymarmande8446]

@@BetterTogetherLife actually it is very possible to buy land and all if the mineral rights etc. There's a lot of land not explored. Nobody is going to sell oil nature has rights etc if it's already producing. BUT say someone dies and the people that person's children most times want to sell all of the land to divide the money. I wrote that above because its something to look out for yourself when buying land. Land is always for sale land and all rights that come with it ❤

[@Y_ruba_al]

i really appreciate your comment.....its very helpful because im currently looking for land

[@marymarmande8446]

@@Y_ruba_al 💕☮️ that's awesome!!

[@michaelriddick7116]

This is a great point. I recently saw a listing for a property at an amazing price, naturally I thought "Whats the catch?". Well, scrolling through the photos I found it. There was a natural gas pump with signage on the property. The price did NOT include mineral rights and there was a access easement for the equipment!

[@stevend8785]

Walk all of your property before buying. I inspected a property while it was overgrown and it had a lot of trash in spots that I didn't see. Rail road ties, fence posts, steel, chunks of concrete.... it has taken me 8 months and thousands of dollars to clean up and I'm still going at it. I would be reluctant to buy a former "working farm" again. I'd also look at your soils and such to make sure you can have a septic.

[@edwardhanson3664]

Good strong sober presentation. I've done it twice. The 2nd time wasn't as successful, mostly due to changes in the economy. My first raw land purchase had no water on it. We had it hauled in 1,000 gallons at a time from a community well. Did that for three years until the water main came through. I became very cognizant of my water use. I'm glad to see more about rain harvesting.

[@KJensenStudio]

This was great advice, especially the land-locked issue. I've so many properties listed like that! They can have an 'easement', where you have your own gravel driveway to your property, but it still goes through your neighbors land, and they allow you to use this, it's no guarantee they will continue to do so. Kinda deceptive advertising, so I'm glad you addressed this. Thanks!

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Absolutely it’s deceptive! That is why I would never buy land like this. Great comment!

[@dbacksfan67]

It depends if the easement is written into the deed of the other property.

[@KJensenStudio]

@@dbacksfan67 Very true! The properties I was referring to were misleading because the sellers had a hard time perhaps, selling the property without an easement. Buyer beware, yet again. I think any honest realtor (or owner seller) would make that known right away upon inquiry. I'd hope so.

[@edsmith4414]

@@dbacksfan67 It can be a separate document, but needs to be recorded the same as any deed. A deeded easement can still be a pain if the landowner it crosses want to be a horse's butt about it, but it does give you legal right of access. I have one to one corner of my property, but never used it.

[@kevinadams9468]

This is a common occurrence. Most law does, however, allow for access easements, even when you buy the property without one in place. However...would you really want to drive through your neighbor's land to get to your home, be surrounded by another's property? Don't even think about doing anything they don't like- like raising animals. It's a nightmare. RUN!

[@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14]

Wow, what a difference between TX and NC laws and taxes. Here, anything over 20 acres is automatically zoned for ag use. I can build without permits and even bury people as long as I don't charge for it. I also have it registered as timber land, except for two spots reserved for buildings, and I pay less than $100 a year for taxes on close to 50 acres. 30 on paper, but that's not my problem. I bought it as 30+- and definitely got the + end. Creek, springs, couple acres with a humus layer 30" thick, and sandy bottomlands. Paid less than $200 an acre for it. I'm happy.

[@josephwhite1919]

Wow that sounds great .. where are u located in NC

[@ronb6182]

​@@josephwhite1919not in Cherokee county. You cannot even build, wire a house unless to take a written test in Raleigh NC and you cannot sell the property for so many years. They don't want DIY building and selling property. You ought to read all the restrictions in that county. You cannot go dumpster diving for cans and other resalable items. 73

[@davidpetrusewicz8172]

My 5 things are they work great. For me 1 - maple trees to make maple syrup 2 - bees to pollination of plants get honey and candles, lip gloss 3 - water / lake or river on property to dam do a hydro turbine generator so you have power 24/7 day and night . 4 - grass field so you can cut grass to feed cow and hen and make hen food has 2 be big enough to make food carries you through the winters 2 5 - fruits trees and plants worms for good soil. Those are my 5 things I installed hydro turbine generator for customers and they run everything off the 1000 amp hydro turbine generator. I go back every 5 to 7 years to check the system. Other systems.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Awesome!!! So you wouldn’t buy land if it didn’t already have these 5 things on them? Seems like you can add 3 out of those 5.

[@davidpetrusewicz8172]

@@BetterTogetherLife if you have raw material that people can used food you and live stock water, snack treat, and electricity off grid you doing fine my friend. You have stuff people want and can eat. Barter is the worst thing that when SHTF But there not much of a life change for me.

[@emilye709]

@@davidpetrusewicz8172 what you said makes no sense at all. Can you try to say it again?

[@TheWabbit]

In the State of Michigan you can't modify a waterway as it's considered public property so no dams and no turbines allowed. Pretty much you need to get an expert in the area or spend a lot of time to research all state, county, city, town and unincorporated land usage laws along with zoning and other state specific regulations. My list got narrowed down to 4 states for what I wanted to do but then a work injury stopped the process. I was thinking even 100 years ago our great grandfather's would be shaking their heads at the restrictions we face that they didn't need to worry about.

[@rebeccalankford8573]

@@TheWabbit what 4 states were you considering?

[@77Sammy]

be sure that the land either has sewer or meets local septic feasibility. Even if the property has a septic system it might not meet current code and then you can not put in a new septic. ran into that issue myself.

[@kevinadams9468]

You can tell people this until you are blue in the face, but they don't listen. Septic is what you use when you DO NOT have a choice. If you have a choice, you don't have septic. I almost purchased an old church for conversion (no pun intended) - with no sanitary sewer hook-up. The village wanted to sell, but didn't want to allow septic, and the sewer connection price was outrageous. Guess who still owns the cute little church????

[@Waterprincess89]

Hi, what kinds of attorneys handle these situations with septic? I am new to researching and wanting to buy land

[@reesedaniel5835]

@@kevinadams9468 I don't understand the aversion to septic tanks. It's just one less thing the govt controls and I actually prefer it on my rural property. Lived here 21 years and never had a problem with ours. Never had to have it emptied, nothing. You'd never know it was there. I do keep yeast granules in it every 3 months, it eats away the waste. This is what the Farmer's Almanac recommended for septic tanks and it works beautifully.

[@stacydaure2363]

Thank for the advice, very helpful to me because I’m in the process of buying a piece of raw property right now and you mentioned something I didn’t even consider. Thank you so much. Gods blessings on you and your family.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Yay, CONGRATS!!!!!!

[@pugsabi]

If you get land that was parceled out from a pasture, you might be able to switch the tax exemption from ag to wildlife. We bought 5 acres that was part of a cattle field and have a wildlife exemption on it that brings the property taxes down significantly as long as we put up some birdhouses and plant wildflowers. Check with your appraisal district to see what the rules are in your area.

[@tennesseeterri]

What state are you in? Thank you, this was very helpful. I hope my state may have this.

[@jackwright8726]

I Have sold Farms and Ranches for many years now. Having ag/wildlife is huge in saving money you can use elsewhere. Also the density of the Trees and terrain can matter. For instance you want to be able to get to various locations on your property and at the same time still have plenty of cover for wildlife and privacy.

[@Ariel-xz8lg]

Yep! Found out the hard way about the keeping animal thing. Was looking forward to keeping my flock of chickens. Here I can only have 12 or 1 goat, or 1 cow, or 1 horse etc.on 1 acre, not all at the same time. I moved from 1/2 acre with 24 chickens. So every place is different for sure.

[@harrymills2770]

It sounds like you just need more land, to do as you please.

[@azureflamehealing]

What kind of nosy Karen sits around peeking at other people’s lawns and counting their chickens? Sheesh.

[@azureflamehealing]

Personally, I say what you need is higher fences. Just my personal opinion….

[@Ariel-xz8lg]

@@azureflamehealing It wasn't people, it was zoning. The overlords- the ones that wait until the day before Thanksgiving when you have multiple cars in the driveway, and they decide to stop by that particular day (6 months after you move in) to check and measure all of your buildings to be sure you are being taxed at the highest possible rate. The point I was originally making to the conversation was to be sure and check zoning on whatever you wish to rent or buy so you don't get your hopes dashed like I did. Lesson learned.

[@Ariel-xz8lg]

@@azureflamehealing Fences have zoning regulations too. Yep, tried that too.

[@michaelhinojosa9665]

learning about HOAs and zoning laws opened up a whole new world of despair for me. great info, especially the agriculture exemption, would have never thought to look that up.

[@delwallender7210]

If public sewer isn't available , make sure the land is suitable for a successful perk test. If it doesn't pass the land can cost a lot more to make it habitable, or hauling your waist from a holding tank.

[@fatriantobong2097]

love this, straight to the point, not a lot of talking, compact full of information

[@Jeach16]

I've been looking for a property for a little while now (in Quebec, Canada). One thing which I've realised is that overall, properties are pretty expensive. When you do find something which seems "affordable", DO ask if it is a "wetland". And by wetland I don't mean (necessarily) visible water. But land which is constantly very moist (at times) to very wet (ie: you walk for 15 to 30 minutes to realise that your feet are completely wet and yet have NOT stepped in water). It could be part of the overall property or most of it. Most land owners will not necessarily reveal this fact unless it is really obvious. I've realised that if a deal seems to good (ie: cost per sq. ft) compared to other land at similar distance from your house, then there is usually a problem with it. And as I said, there are many, many variations of wetland, from visible water most seasons to really, really moist a few feet deep.

[@jtwood4925]

You also need to consider whether the algonquins think they got a claim to it. Trudeau will not have your back if they start to make demands.

[@northernfox6420]

Lots of Environmentally protected land and yes, lots that is very 'swampy' or muskeggy (my term).

[@johnprocidano8016]

That pond you have can be dug deeper to create a good catch for rain and run off. Then possibly you can connect a Ram Pump. That would pump water from the pond uphill to a storage tank, when in emergency assuredly come in handy.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Yup! We did it: 1/4 Acre Pond Build Timelapse - 2 Months In 11 Minutes kzbin.info/www/bejne/najTpWWFasihrqs

[@ronselliers6951]

If your buying rural land don't forget that the property has to pass a perk test before you can install a septic system. In middle Tennessee we had a rude awakening that you have to have 2 viable perk sites on your property and when bedrock is close to the surface that's a tall order.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Great point!! Thank you Ron.

[@emerislinmer]

The laws on that vary by location. Been watchin off grid with Doug and Stacy and seen their set up. Pretty interesting, no perc, no septic, they are just composting the waste, which would be an unpleasant job, but they sure saved a lot of money.

[@FinGeek4now]

As far as the climate and water concerns, I live in the high desert and while not all plant life is sustainable, there are many fruits and vegetables that do prefer this type of climate. It is not about needing the correct climate and water tables for your garden/farm and more about finding what is correct garden/farm for your climate and water table. Relating to this concern is also if you are going to live "off-grid" and not have access to your county's water supply. This is a solvable problem with either using a well OR, if you're in the same type of region that I am in, there are now atmospheric water generators that can supply your home's water needs.

[@allcreaturesgreatandsmall5956]

Privacy is a big one for me. I live in a neighborhood and back up to a wooded area. Its great. I feel like I live in the forest.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Oh YES!!! Privacy is huge for us also. Which is why we love the forest!

[@reesedaniel5835]

Same here. And it WAS great until my good neighbors up the hill moved out and trashy people moved in with their hideous hoards of garbage and junk and numerous vehicles parked in the yard and dogs and swingsets and intek pools, etc etc. I DESPISE HOARDERS!! WHY IS THIS NOT ILLEGAL??

[@johnyracercat]

I bought and sold a 22 acre parcel years ago. Learned a lot from the experience. Utility easement was in the way. Creek meant I needed a bridge. Long and narrow land not as good. No mineral rights, so they put a well in the back corner. Ticks. Flooded in the front. Hard to sell. I bought it so cheap, that I made 15k+ though and Learned from it.

[@brucewilliams2106]

Data ARE Amazing

[@kevinadams9468]

Glad it worked out for you.

[@samirsha6762]

How much for an acre

[@reesedaniel5835]

I feel sorry for the poor sap that bought it from you.

[@AndrewEllisAndymanout]

Great little checklist. Saved to my homestead playlist.

[@GypsyBrokenwings]

I looked for land without building restrictions. Coming from Wa state that one is huge, as everyone had their hand out for $ and could stop you from building at any time. I'm in Jackson Co, AL now and it's so nice to not have to worry about someone telling me what I can and can't do. If you have trees on the property and are going to want logging done to clear a spot, check to see if the loggers even want those trees. Coming from an area of pines and cedars I didn't think of that one. I found out here they really don't want your pine trees, just hard woods!

[@antoninoarato8633]

You're in alabama?

[@jamesbahn4518]

So good for me Thanks for your wonderful comments. 1 or 2 years around I need buy Texas Lands...

[@timothykeith1367]

The Ad exemption usually requires proof of productive use. In some areas you can get the Ad exemption with 10 acres, in other counties they may require more land. If you are raising livestock, X amount of the property needs to be fenced etc. If you had a greenhouse you might be able to gain the ag exemption with less than 10 acres. Check with the county before buying land to have a better idea.

[@kevinadams9468]

Not usually, *always if it is legitimate. Even a beekeeper has to show records. (Beekeeping is what a lot of people try to cheat the system.)

[@cowboyprepper]

Good to have yall I'm in the Moody area just south of Waco

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Super awesome!!!!!

[@MrBugman3009]

One thing I came across while lookng for land is a perc test. I'm not entirely sure what that is, but it has to do with putting in a septic tank. IF the land faills the perc test then you CANT put in a septic system. Also, whether you can build ANYTHING on the land. I ran across that in Washington state. same with the perc test. Some areas are listed and flood zones and they WONT allow you to put ANY permanent buikdings on it. So, a GOO0D idea would be to hire someone that KNOWS all these issues to advise you before buying the property. If someone is selling land, there is a REASON WHY they are selling it. Ad it may be because you CANT build on it, or CANT put in a well or septic system. In other words, the land is practicaly useless.

[@ronb6182]

The real estate told me to get a septic tank permit before she would let me buy the property. I did my own first the got a permit my hole was deeper than the one the health department did so I didn't worry. The permit was 600 Dollars for a three bedroom house. They allow extra drain field Incase the first one fails in time. You don't plant trees in the septic area. This was Cherokee county in NC. 73

[@garybraches9936]

Make sure you can pass a perk test so that you can install a leech field for sewage. Check to see that the land is free of encumbrances, that the mineral rights haven't been sold or rights to access features on the property haven't been assigned. I was ready to close a deal on a piece of property but while researching the title I discovered that the natural gas rights were sold to an oil company on a 100 year lease and a neighboring farmer owned access rights to the spring.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Well did you find a property that has the mineral rights? Here in Texas those rights have all been sold off.

[@abbymartin554]

Hi Gary Braches, our land failed the perc test, unfortunately. Our county said no. We're not sure what to do now.

[@abbymartin554]

@@BetterTogetherLife Hi Beau--your videos are informative, inspiring, and refreshing! Our land failed the perc test. The private soil tester who came out awhile back had passed it but our county failed it. They disagreed on the "gray mottling" soil test results. Any insight on what we should do now?

[@garybraches9936]

@@abbymartin554 in our case, we failed our initial perc test but tried in various places on the property until we found a place where it did pass. I realize that this may translate into a change in your building plans but you have to roll with the punches. The only other alternative given to us was an expensive and unsightly one and that was to create a raised leech field. This would require us to purchase and have delivered truckloads of gravel sand and soil to create a suitable bed to create the leech field. Make friends with the clerk at Town Hall and ask if anyone else in the area had this problem and if so, how was it resolved and which services did they use.

[@antoninoarato8633]

I guess this comes up on the title search I would have to read the title search or the lawyer has to

[@eddiedelzer8823]

Two storage tanks, now add atmospheric water generators and make your own water out of the air. You can buy units that make 5 to 8, 30 to 100 or even 500 gallons a day right out of the air.

[@warlockcommandcenter]

Great video, 11 months ago we purchased a home in Tennessee on a river, paved road, and outside the city limits that important because the cities here set building codes requirements. Some opt out of codes. I was a house designer for 7 year so to me this a red flag but my research told me it not a problem. Some property’s here are “started development” and have an existing structure. Maybe a barn that has started to be a conversation to a house. No matter what the owner says it still just an old barn. So don’t pay more the the going rate per acre based on contours, wells and electric service. Ponds are nice but for fishing but may not be good for drinking. Things like rivers add a lot to land value so if the house is worth $100 per sqft but your lots worth $65k it can be a real steal.

[@Buildingenjoyment]

Good list. I always recommend getting a lawn chair and to spend a day on the land your going to buy. In an eight our day sitting on a piece of land weird things may or may not appear. Pick a sunny day.

[@rmw090]

That’s an interesting one. What do you look for

[@Buildingenjoyment]

@@rmw090 noises, smells , animal life, crazy neighbours, sun movement, winds……

[@mywildholm]

We just subscribed! We bought an island in the Canadian wilderness. We are in an exciting stage - dream of a lifetime really but we have so much to learn from other people who have experience and are willing to share! Thank you!

[@jvin248]

Does the land near the building site pass a 'perk test' such that you can install a septic system.

[@maxhunter3574]

Or if not, can you do a direct discharge system or similar??

[@dp7933]

"We're at the top of the watershed". I'd put that close to number one. It astounds me how many people try to live in a flood plain. I only have a quarter acre, but drains into two different creeks. A few years ago, the state had about a full month of rain that devastated nearly everything, but my house was never in any danger of flooding because of the watershed.

[@veritasvalere88]

In Spain and Greece in southern Europe this is customary and automatic to save the rainwater into clay or tiled Cisterns And system

[@dukeman7595]

Get property with no interference from govt.; that means no building permits, no restrictions whatsoever.

[@FloridaGirl-]

Thats hard to find

[@ArtexHardstyle02]

Does that even exist anymore. Govt controls practically everything. And if they don't, they do whatever they can to get control.

[@laurakelso9652]

@@ArtexHardstyle02 Exactly! United Nations Agenda 21 is to push all people out of rural areas , amongst many other horrific plans. Watch Rosa Koire (who has recently and suddenly passed away)! She also wrote a book, "Behind the Green Mask". She use to work for the govt. and became an activist to warn people of all agendas in place!!

[@nathanpearson4600]

Few years ago The Ozarks in MO only thing you needed permit for was septic. Not sure if it's still the same. I wanted to build with cob.

[@dukeman7595]

@@nathanpearson4600 Where I'm at we don't need permits for anything. Just build what you want including septic, most use oxidation lagoons..

[@macmcleod1188]

Also confirm you can legally catch rain water. It's illegal in some places.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Yea Mac, that is just the craziest thing to me!

[@timt4064]

Slope good point of direction. When I think slope, I am always thinking severity of slope. Thanks for the tip!

[@omni_asian5519]

I have been searching slot of homesteading,for many years. I look for a lot of don'ts being I search for fails so if I get to the point of ability to become I have an idea of what not to do. Thanks for good info in this video...

[@EmilyGloeggler7984]

The bonus one is a must - especially if one is injured or has chronic health problems.

[@CostlyFiddle]

Just to elaborate more on #3, concerning rainwater collection. You also need to make sure that you have the legal rights to collect rainwater. Some places restrict your ability to collect rainwater as it is a scarse resource.

[@svenwalton1332]

Washington State (the gestapo state) has legislation claiming that you can't dig a well on your own property at will and they own the rain water... they control all the water = they can control you...guns are next.

[@dr123hall]

“Scarce resources” for rain on your property seem ridiculous tag and prime legal challenge, ownership of land precludes neighbors drones hovering over your head - right?! I would first introduce the sky to heaven and Only Later, compromise (reasonable is so tenuous), this legal concept is encoded in the Latin phrase Cuius est solum, eius est usque ad coelum et ad inferos ("Whoever owns the soil, it is theirs up to Heaven and down to Hell."), next, I would challenge the board, or legislation signers, are they landowners who designed this capricious and arbitrary “scarce” nomenclature? Get Real, Dude!

[@Sukotto82]

This is true I heard someone having this issue. Not sure if the excuse was the same but the bottom line was they were not allowed to collect and use rain water. For where they are it's not like rain is rare or water for that matter plenty of rivers lakes and ponds around the area but still not allowed to collect and use rain water. It's probably a plot to force them to pay for city water if I was to guess but I think it's stupid to tell people they can't collect rain water use rain water.

[@CostlyFiddle]

@@dr123hall oh I in no way agree with these laws...I'm very anti-"tell me what I can't do on my land". Same with HOAs, they are a scam to exert control over MY land same as restricting collection of rain. Thanks for the replies, love reading em!

[@zazaaziella16]

@@Sukotto82 In Leftists States. I have heard of this in Oregan..

[@marcielynn4886]

Off the grid here in Hawaii. #1) check. #2) slope is fine. #3) water, have a catchment for rainwater from the roof, 1200 gal. Never run out. #4) Access is easy with my Landcruiser on my driveway. #5) bought ag property that they changed to residrntial. Have chickens, goats, Talapia and sometimes pigs. I tend to eat the pigs.

[@patrickgrengs7594]

Thanks for producing this video. These are certainly good considerations when buying land. As an individual that has researched and purchased land over the last 15 years, I offer a few more for your consideration: 1. Is there a POA (Property Owners Association) related to the land? Much like a HOA (Home Owners Association), the POA will likely have annual dues and restrictions placed on the subject parcels. On the flip side, the POA protects owners from deleterious actions taken by other owners. 2. Are there water rights attached to the land AND / OR can you purchase and append water rights to the land? In Eastern Washington, we have a desert-like climate. Growers require irrigation, either from canals or wells. In the case of canals, the land owner needs to have water rights (measured in acres) in terms of the quantity of water that can be lifted from a canal for irrigation purposes. 3. Has any easement on the land been improved by a neighbor with the intention of claiming Adverse Possession? I emerged from a legal battle with a neighbor that had built into an easement that was beneficial to me and a burden to him. 4. What are the anticipated future property taxes? Although the taxes may be low now, if there are plans to increase the size of local government (thinking of government schools), the property taxes may rise astronomically. Case in point -- one of my parcels experienced a 40% tax increase in a single year as a means to pay for one additional line item related to government schools. 5. What does the City Planning Board have in store for the land next to yours? Is the zoning going to change per revisions to the Comprehensive Plan? Is the local city / town in a period of growth? Carefully researched and purchased land can be a lucrative investment. I recently sold a 35 acre parcel within City limits to a developer: $275k Net. 6. Can the land be subdivided? Buy N acres, get it surveyed and short-platted (per zoning), develop your home one one of the lots while similarly improving the value of all the plats (graded gravel road, run electrical, set a 'community well', etc) then sell the remaining N-1 lots.

[@dmark6699]

Very good report, make sure you are not in a flood zone. Many properties are sold in late spring or summer and this gets over looked.

[@erosendaul]

Great list! I would also add to take a look at the neighbors as well. I wouldn't want to live next door to a place that has parties all the time, and a dirt bike track out back. It's fun and all but it gets a little old when it's constant. We took a bit of a chance on this when we bought our land. The place right next door is a bit run down looking and not ideal, but if they sell, we may be able to pick it up cheap and have a rental or an airbnb. Also, the Armageddon reference was the best!! 👍

[@katierunnberg7997]

I google earthed an impressive spot of land in TN for a great price, and noticed an ATV trail meetup facility 8/10th's of a mile away, lol.

[@amsb4dafunk406]

I'm planning to have a place With A quarter mile dragstrip And Arena sized sound system So Yes a neighbor with a dirt bike track Would Be my kind of neighbor.

[@kevinadams9468]

I moved to a small town (ca. 250 people) in the High Prairie and found there are more meth heads per capita here than in the city that I left. However, I am fine with that, because I socialize with almost no one. No one comes into my home. I have an old commercial property that I am converting to residential - I have two safes, one above and one below-ground, and some extra land adjoining the building. No zoning in town. It works for me and my prepping. No cops, druggies stay to themselves and everybody is armed. DO YOUR RESEARCH.

[@tennesseeterri]

This is very important but difficult to do. My husband lived where neighbor renters had 30 to 40 pit bulls on the property and they did not even live there with the dogs. He tried and tried with the authorities to have something done about it, the dogs barked day and night. Sometimes they would get loose. he had a young child and horses, and even with proper fencing this can be a huge problem. He finally sold the property and moved.

[@reesedaniel5835]

Pray you don't get saddled next to a family of slobs (aka hoarders) like I have. I had good, neat responsible neighbors for the first 17 years I lived here and have worked my tush off fixing up the house and yard, only to have them move and family of absolute SLOBS move in next to me. Now all my hard work was so they can lower my property value if I ever wanted to sell it. Nobody in their right mind would want to live next to those trash collectors. Makes me sick every time I have to drive by their house. It looks horrible and I'm embarrassed to live beside them. Why are people like this? They are not old or disabled. Just lazy and selfish.

[@jimandbrycefrazier7044]

You can always use a composting system, in colorado you can now collect rainwater, the state uses composting toilets along the interstate.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Absolutely!!

[@maxhunter3574]

Better make dang sure about any sinkholes! And if there are, where do they go? Are they far enough away from any buildings? How does it affect your septic? Please Google the corvette museum sink hole.

[@marnaehrech1223]

Yeah, that was terrible!! Those cars!

[@deltoncbaker]

I would warn everyone not to buy land that is wind swept or in a dust bowl. High winds in West Texas can routinely reach 75 miles per hour. I live in Southern New Mexico near White Sand National Monument. The white sand isn’t sand at all it is fine Gypsum crystals. Every April the winds blow so hard the Gypsum fills the air so densely you can taste it. April is my vacation month so I can get out of town during the winds. I under the Panhandle of Texas as similar problem. KZbin has these solar water collectors. They use solar power for internal batteries that run fans that suck in moist air which condensates inside, then distributed to rain barrels. The efficiency is based on the humidity. By the way I used to live in Robinson Texas, our house experienced a drought and the clay in our backyard split open leaving a 3 foot wide crevice.

[@ubeenbit4791]

Thanks for the info. I was looking at some land in dell city Texas. Rather cheap now I know why 👍

[@Mountainrock70]

No place is perfect

[@Dethflash]

I can't wait to finally save up enough money to buy some land of my own. Thanks for great tips to consider before buying land, Climate being number 1 makes perfect sense, like you said its something you can't change so make sure its right for what you need, and zoning ha i honestly forgot about zoning because i live around Houston and we dont use zoning in Houston. Thanks again man

[@wickedjester7184]

truthfully the Zoning and Agriculture for real never would have thought about it Thank You me and an old chilhood friend are tryingg to move in that direction

[@zimvader25]

I've owned a few acres for a while, used mainly for camping, hunting, biking, etc. But then one of the neighbors decided to install a mobile home and paid to have utilities pulled to our area and now another neighbor and i are working on bringing in modular homes too 🤣 one of us had to bite the bullet first

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Well this is still great news!!

[@MattKibblehouse]

Hahaha that's great, good for you!

[@joegarrett6878]

@@MattKibblehouse q

[@brudweger]

Appreciated your analysis of slope.....most people do not consider this.

[@markd5067]

Too late. We bought our 40 acres back in 1998. We have two wells and the county ran water lines to our property a dozen years ago and there is electric installed. No zoning restrictions. Closest hospital is 25 miles away.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Not bad at all!!!!!

[@gina6083]

I would add Trees, the wind direction, and type of soil. Rock and Clay wont grow certain crops/plants, Trees provide shade, regenerate air, provide wood for heat, high Winds can destroy or create a source of power and cause a need for better insulation. Also the amount of sun on your land for a garden can make a difference. Animals need certain things too so think what they need or your willingness to do for them when its 20 below.

[@2003PHILLIP]

Very informative. Thanks for the video. Fellow Texan looking to buy 3-5 acres to homestead in north west Washington State. Gave us some great points to research. Hook Em.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Awesome!!! Thank you so much!

[@Photofuel]

Bellingham is nice.

[@stevee9973]

@@Photofuel I lived in Bellingham for 13 years, way too much rain, very crowded and expensive now. Good luck with living there.

[@PhilCherry3]

I would add this. Identify whether or not a large-scale livestock/poultry operation is located upwind/upstream from the piece of land you're considering for purchase. If non exist, what is the potential such an operation could be put on the upwind/upstream side of the potential purchase property. I've seen too many examples of people having their quality of life ruined by the stench or downstream livestock waste pollution from things like hog waste lagoons and poultry houses.

[@HumanLiberty]

Great video. Look into land patents/allodial title to get out of the need for those bogus color-of-law permits, and property taxes; no one can tax or control your use of land you actually own.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Great tip, thank you!!!!

[@susanyoung211]

Can you elaborate on both of those please- we JUST purchased 10 acres and I’ve never heard of that

[@hardworkingamerican8847]

What ?

[@brucewilliams2106]

@@susanyoung211 it's sovereign citizen nonsense

[@marnaehrech1223]

@@susanyoung211 research alloidial title. What he said is true.

[@ghriszlybare2547]

Id also like to add in that you need to make sure you can use the water on your land. My parents have a stream out back but if they use the water theyll be fined a HUGE amount! Its also illegal to collect rain water in a lot of states

[@anybodyoutthere3208]

Are they in CA, Or or Washington ?

[@libertymicrofarm6032]

Also with rain catchment, make sure you are buying property in an area that it is legal to do so

[@stuarthirsch]

You missed a very important item. Sewage or land perking for septic. Perhaps as important as water.

[@svelanikolova5776]

I live in the mountains of East Europe. In the process of switching to solar and wood power. I will grow bamboo as my main source of heating along with Walnuts as back up coal option. I harvest rain for AL but my drinking needs for now. All animals are allowed in the mountains but I rather raise only quile because I don't want neighbors knowing my food source. I pay a total of 18 dollars land tax per year. Plan to grow all my food or forage. I gather stinging nettle for free as mulch rabbit feed and food tea needs. ALL in all I am going 300 years back in time to move forward and be ready for the crash that is comming. I

[@nathanjohnson1298]

Problem with a "rainwater only" system, is that you aren't getting a Natural intake of trace minerals found in the water source. or replenishing the soil that feeds your crops.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

That’s fair. With a well or a spring, you get that benefit for sure. Since that can be a challenge to find, and since almost all areas get rain, I still advocate for this as sustainable way to manage water on your property. But you’re right too!

[@michaelwier1222]

Stay away from HOA's. The rules can change anytime and all you'll get is a long court battle. Also avoid easements onto your property by neighbors and whoever may want to drive down the road. Great video, took notes. Thank you.

[@msmirandagarcia]

Could you be clear about it please?

[@brendahobbs4486]

A hoa is a dictatorship that you pay for on top of your taxes.

[@michaelwier1222]

@@brendahobbs4486 Very well put. Never thought of it that way.

[@ginacardarella]

Great video. I did not know that I could make land agricultural in 5. Years

[@southernfriedkiwi6340]

Find out ahead of time how much utilities(power, internet etc) will cost to get trenched to your house! Cable/internet companies will usually have their own contracted guy who is the only one allowed to trench for their cables. This of course leads to higher costs. My uncle has a driveway that is 1/2 mile long and it cost over $12,000 to get services trenched to his house.

[@stuarthirsch]

Not a big deal today, Live offgrid using solar. 5G cellular internet, OTA, streaming, and/ or satellite TV. You can also get propane for heat, cooking, and hot water, your biggest energy users.

[@southernfriedkiwi6340]

@@stuarthirsch Everything is doable. It just comes down to cost. Propane is double what it was about five years ago, in my area. The Govt controlling energy is one of the biggest hurdles going forward, such as their attack on heating your home with wood burners. This is not by accident. America, Canada and New Zealand to name a few, are going after firewood.

[@anybodyoutthere3208]

@@stuarthirschyep we have STARLINK Works great

[@angelofamillionyears4599]

The water witching does work !!

[@davidvines6498]

The absolute worse thing you can do is move to some acreage and start molding( fences, gardens, ponds or stock tanks) the Land to your liking. Live on it for 1 year and develop a plan for your new land. If you start right away, 4-5 years down the road you’ll be wondering why the heck you put the fence where you put it or a garden that floods during the rainy season. Take it slow.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Not a bad point, but you do need things like a home, driveway access. Front gate for security, etc. And a few small garden beds are easy to relocate.

[@davidvines6498]

@@BetterTogetherLife I agree. But I am speaking from experience as I moved out of Dallas to a 5 acre place in 1995. I gave up on gardening one extremely dry year. I woke up and watered everything good and went to work. When I got back home, the garden was gone. A swarm of grasshoppers descended on it and ate everything. Even the grass was gone and the leaves on small trees and Bushes was gone. Those bugs destroyed all the vegetation in the County

[@Zack-lq9tb]

@@davidvines6498 you could have bought crop protection insect netting. We use it a lot in small farming

[@rwirby]

Ha Ha that black and white "water" interlude was funny as hell- I had to back it up and watch it again- : )

[@amschind]

An easement is an ancient legal convention relating to real property and confers enforceable rights upon the owner. I am not a lawyer (some might go so far as to call the the "opposite"), but I have had occasion to look into this. Completely discounting the value of easements is a mistake for two reasons: 1) it may prejudice you against land which is in practice tolerable to you and 2) it may lead you to believe that you have a degree of control over a piece of your property which you do not in fact enjoy. A recent example is the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, which enjoyed an easement on neighboring land which prevented the owners from building anything which would shade the Gardens. They just fought (and won) a huge battle against a developer who was going to build a large condo shading most of the gardens. While point #2 may just apply to another landowner with an easement to get to THEIR land, I would also put forth a very important point which was not brought up but which can matter a lot for Texans: mineral rights. If you don't have mineral rights for your land, you may one day be dismayed to find that a driller (or, less-likely but God forbid a coal-miner, who in Texas will probably be strip mining for lignite) has the right to obtain an easement to access or look for the minerals which belong to a third party who was more than happy to sell the rights to the miner/driller. There is a lot of detailed case law, particularly in Texas, relating to the intersection of surface and mineral rights, but you want to have thought about that before Exxon's hotshot new geologist decides that the next big shale play is 10000 feet below your homestead. The likelihood of getting paid for resources often matters far less than the right to exert control over your land, and in the extreme is the difference between being an obstacle that the driller will do the legal minimum to appease and a negotiating party who has veto power over any drilling activity. I'll also point out that you may want to calculate out the value of your property taxes before and after the ag exemption before you decide that it is a must have. If you're on a shoestring budget, a few thousand dollars a year may mean a great deal to you. If you're more flush with cash, that may be a drop in the bucket whose impact on your bottom line might take a lot longer to make a dent worth the effort and expense of the exemption. It can also be wise to look ahead, as the appraised value of your land can change with time, sometimes dramatically changing the above calculation. Thanks for the great content: I have learned a ton from watching your journey, and the honest self-appraisal of successes and failures counts for a lot to those of us who want to do something similar.

[@M1911jln]

Easements can be a complete and total nightmare. More than a few property owners who have easement access across a neighbor's property to have ended up in expensive legal battles to enforce access, even though those easements are written into their deed. The end result is a hugely expensive and emotionally draining fight, resulting in a neighbor from hell. Yes, you will likely win that legal fight, but it will be long and expensive, and your neighbor will make your life a living hell before, during, and after the legal fight. While these type of situations are likely atypical, they do happen with a certain degree of regularity and they can completely ruin your life. As a result, I simply will not consider a property that only has access via an easement. Nor will I consider a property over which a neighbor has an easement. YMMV, but for me life is too short to take such a risk.

[@amschind]

@@M1911jln I agree that a neighbor whose land encompasses the easement can make a lot of trouble for you, but it's important to remember that your neighbors can do a LOT of things to make your life miserable even if you both have access to public roads. An easement is a big opportunity for fighting, but neighbors can also do far worse things for which you have no legal recourse. Putting up chicken houses or low income rental units are two big ones, but there are a wide variety of issues that can arise. There is no cure-all for having bad neighbors, and even if you do have good ones, people die or sell land, and the new owners are not guaranteed to be good. Put another way an easement is but one opportunity for conflict, and while it merits consideration, avoiding easement access won't guarantee freedom from conflict.

[@Elizabeth912-v6o]

@5:27 i spent many summers in the woods with my cousins.!!!! And we drank and bathed in that rotten egg water.!!!! Glynn to nahuntta GA.

[@Rocky1765]

WOW you bought land in central texas? Rich people, so lucky. =)

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Well, there are way more expensive land when referring to “central texas”. We certainly are NOT in the high end. 🤣🤣🤣

[@RICK-uf1jj]

@@BetterTogetherLife A litle off topic, I grew up in the central valley of California ,Temps similar to Texas and due to irrigation has relatively high humidity, not so bad when it's what you know. I read comments of people complaining of Texas heat being unbearable, in your opinion is this due to they're northern roots? I would think that central Texas would be less humid, a better climate than Houston.

[@JamilahRenae]

I'm looking at property in Beaumont, TX and this was a great video. Thanks!

[@aliceraine6843]

Very informative. I am looking for land in Texas and a little overwhelmed as I am moving from Minnesota

[@DarthPoyner]

Welcome to TX. Please do us a favor and remember the things that caused you to move here.

[@SmartBizBuddy]

Bring some lilac cuttings and I will buy you dinner!

[@dalebailey754]

My land was a gift from a family member, and I lucked out to have all of the necessary elements.

[@sandragrecki6283]

THIS is SUCH A GREAT video!!!! So informative!!!!! THANK YOU!!! I just bought a west facing mountain in Upstate New York...... and it ticks all the boxes. (*phew) ..... BTW - NICE studio!!!! :-)

[@KevinLyda]

Western slope in Texas - have you looked at agri-solar? Seems like that would be a way to moderate the sun and be able to grow under it - all while generating power.

[@SouthoftheBigChicken]

Never, ever buy land on shared pond. Nothing but a nightmare!!!!!!

[@Happytriggertime]

That’s my fish !! No that’s my fish !! LOL!

[@Bidness100]

@@Happytriggertime 😅

[@SidDeanDFWHomeandRanch]

Ag exemption is huge as tax savings. In Texas if it is ag exempt you can convert to wildlife exemption which has same benefits without having to have large animals like cows.

[@Jeach16]

From the video, I could not see your roof. The reason I'm curious is that you seem to harvest your water from your roof. If it is a metal roof (steel, copper, aluminium, etc.) then I would do it also. But if you have shingles (as most do), then your water will have traces of tar and chemical products. I've been told (a few years back when I would do the same), that it should be fine to water a garden. But to NEVER use that water for yourself/family.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

That makes sense. We did build a metal roof since we knew we wanted this type of rain water harvesting.

[@maryrenaud6732]

There are really great filter systems available today so you can safely drink filtered rainwater. It is better than most municipal water….

[@tombrenes2411]

Best tip for slop be their during the winter rain or snow thaw run off is important

[@technicolorProducer]

I am fortunate to live on three aces in rural Connecticut without an HOA (they are rare in CT)....but when I was in Las Vegas I was in a HOA...and I completely understood why 90% of the nice houses in Vegas were in HOAs...because people will be really trashy/sloppy/messy etc without one. We drove by a neighborhood within a mile of the house we bought with the gate/HOA and it was night and day. Our neighborhood was pristine the other had trash on the street broken cars, etc.

[@josephwhite1919]

Sounds like Henderson.. green valley area

[@nexus010d]

Zoning and Access are confirmed when getting title insurance. Although not a requirement for cash buyers, mortgage companies require it for obvious reasons.

[@psoren423]

Is this an update? Bo, my wife and I are hoping to close on our 7acres and a dream. So stressful and exciting.

[@psoren423]

In escrow. If everything keeps moving we will be +1 Northern TX Homesteaders. ❤️

[@TheNakidGardeners]

@@psoren423 we just purchased land in North Texas as well. Welcome.

[@beckham6282]

We bought 10 acres in Central Texas Hill Country ourselves a year ago. Just moved onto it two months ago. It's extremely stressful in the beginning but, once you are living on it you feel like you're in Heaven. The peace and quiet is priceless. Lots of luck to anyone who is sick and tired of the BS of living in the city and can get out to the Country. COVID made it possible for us to do this. Not a single regret.