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Well, a few here know that I bought the clinic where I have been employed for the past 8 years. I hope it is a good move. To be honest, I had to stop following the doom and gloom in the commodities thread because of it. I have enough things happening right now to worry about than what might happen. Some may call that short sighted, but I really feel I can pull through about anything as long as it is not total collapse.
Anyway, since it is now official, and we will be there for the duration of my carreer, we have decided that we want to move further from Atlanta and closer to work. So yesterday we began to look at homes on the market. One that I have just really fallen for is over 100 years old, has three year round streams on the property, decent pasture, and a small barn. Now we have only found 2 others in our price range and with adequate land. Both are much new homes.
So, for those in older homes, what do you think about it? This one has been remodeled, the wiring is up to date, and it has central air installed. At the same time, it is a tinderbox. Board and batten type siding, ship lap wood inside and a bead board type ceiling. I do not think there is a bit of sheetrock in the place other than the bathrooms.
I have lived in and fully remodeled a 1913 home in Western Kansas, but this is an old farmhouse that was built before REA, running water, or any other amenities. That is what makes it so appealing to me. It still has a run in it for a cook stove pipe. There are a couple of fireplaces for heat. the windows have been replaced, but still retain the double hung usefulness and size for ventilation in the summer should electric go out.
The foundation appears solid, and even though there is a creek not 150 feet from the house, it has sat there without flooding since 1907. The creek does present a challenge. I can see where the recent heavy rains and flooding brought it up. Getting out of there could be a challenge for days given high water. I guess I would have to build a foot bridge across the creek and then park on high ground on the other side, because only a low water crossing exists now.
Now, of the other two we found, neither have any pasture, but I feel clearing the land and planting grass could be feasibile. We have to have enough sun for a garden, and both of those homes are in heavily wooded areas. Both are much newer. All three are very secluded, but one of them has a bunch of "rough" homes that you have to go past to get to it. Should SHTF, or even times get a little tough, I am concerned that the one would be cut off should the neighbors act up and could be a target. There is a fair bit of petty crime in the county as it is due to poverty and mentality of some. All three are at the end of a road, one way in and one out if going by vehicle.
The good thing about the other two newer homes is that they are high and dry. I do really like one as it has a full walk out basement. The Old house does not have a basement. I have not yet found a cellar on the property, but I think there almost has to be one there. If not, I may need to create one.
Storage in the new properties is much better as both have basements and areas for a shop. I would have to add something for a shop in the old one. Adding a cook stove to either of the new properties would be difficult, and back up heat is going to be a single fireplace built for looks, not functionality. A generator can keep the blowers on the heater working with propane heat, but both are set up with heat pumps right now, and that takes a helluva lot more fuel and a much larger generator to keep them running.
the land is equivalent at all three, 10 acres give or take. All three have wells and septic. A generator for the well will be a must, but the creeks on the old farmstead would be a source of water as well. It has a second well that is a large bored well as well, so bucketing could be done in an emergency.
I keep mentioning emergencies here. I am not so much worried about the SHTF type emergency, but the weather related ones. Getting out into the couny in this area means downed power lines because of trees on a very regular basis. It also means land lines, as cell phone reception was ZILCH at all three. These are all places that I would have to add a chainsaw to the vehicles as part of EDC in case of a storm.
So what I am asking, as I ramble on here, what would you look for in a small home place like this? What would you avoid? What are deal breakers or makers?
We are in no rush to move and are just starting the process. We have eliminated several based on proximity to a highway (hate listening to that and it puts us right out there for easy pickings), access and usability of the land. We found oune that the house sat high on a ridge. Getting to it required 4wd in clear weather. A billy goat would have a hard time keeping his footing on that property as the ONLY level spot had to be created so a house could be built. Gently rolling my ass, but with that high ground, you could hold off the zombies as long as you had ammo, or rocks. Another looked good on paper until we got there and found a tarped roof and mold in the house that the agent forgot to mention. And so on.
Anyway, I am all ears. What do you look for in a place that will be your residence and your refuge? We don't have BOL's. This is it. We will BUG in should anything ever happen.
Anyway, since it is now official, and we will be there for the duration of my carreer, we have decided that we want to move further from Atlanta and closer to work. So yesterday we began to look at homes on the market. One that I have just really fallen for is over 100 years old, has three year round streams on the property, decent pasture, and a small barn. Now we have only found 2 others in our price range and with adequate land. Both are much new homes.
So, for those in older homes, what do you think about it? This one has been remodeled, the wiring is up to date, and it has central air installed. At the same time, it is a tinderbox. Board and batten type siding, ship lap wood inside and a bead board type ceiling. I do not think there is a bit of sheetrock in the place other than the bathrooms.
I have lived in and fully remodeled a 1913 home in Western Kansas, but this is an old farmhouse that was built before REA, running water, or any other amenities. That is what makes it so appealing to me. It still has a run in it for a cook stove pipe. There are a couple of fireplaces for heat. the windows have been replaced, but still retain the double hung usefulness and size for ventilation in the summer should electric go out.
The foundation appears solid, and even though there is a creek not 150 feet from the house, it has sat there without flooding since 1907. The creek does present a challenge. I can see where the recent heavy rains and flooding brought it up. Getting out of there could be a challenge for days given high water. I guess I would have to build a foot bridge across the creek and then park on high ground on the other side, because only a low water crossing exists now.
Now, of the other two we found, neither have any pasture, but I feel clearing the land and planting grass could be feasibile. We have to have enough sun for a garden, and both of those homes are in heavily wooded areas. Both are much newer. All three are very secluded, but one of them has a bunch of "rough" homes that you have to go past to get to it. Should SHTF, or even times get a little tough, I am concerned that the one would be cut off should the neighbors act up and could be a target. There is a fair bit of petty crime in the county as it is due to poverty and mentality of some. All three are at the end of a road, one way in and one out if going by vehicle.
The good thing about the other two newer homes is that they are high and dry. I do really like one as it has a full walk out basement. The Old house does not have a basement. I have not yet found a cellar on the property, but I think there almost has to be one there. If not, I may need to create one.
Storage in the new properties is much better as both have basements and areas for a shop. I would have to add something for a shop in the old one. Adding a cook stove to either of the new properties would be difficult, and back up heat is going to be a single fireplace built for looks, not functionality. A generator can keep the blowers on the heater working with propane heat, but both are set up with heat pumps right now, and that takes a helluva lot more fuel and a much larger generator to keep them running.
the land is equivalent at all three, 10 acres give or take. All three have wells and septic. A generator for the well will be a must, but the creeks on the old farmstead would be a source of water as well. It has a second well that is a large bored well as well, so bucketing could be done in an emergency.
I keep mentioning emergencies here. I am not so much worried about the SHTF type emergency, but the weather related ones. Getting out into the couny in this area means downed power lines because of trees on a very regular basis. It also means land lines, as cell phone reception was ZILCH at all three. These are all places that I would have to add a chainsaw to the vehicles as part of EDC in case of a storm.
So what I am asking, as I ramble on here, what would you look for in a small home place like this? What would you avoid? What are deal breakers or makers?
We are in no rush to move and are just starting the process. We have eliminated several based on proximity to a highway (hate listening to that and it puts us right out there for easy pickings), access and usability of the land. We found oune that the house sat high on a ridge. Getting to it required 4wd in clear weather. A billy goat would have a hard time keeping his footing on that property as the ONLY level spot had to be created so a house could be built. Gently rolling my ass, but with that high ground, you could hold off the zombies as long as you had ammo, or rocks. Another looked good on paper until we got there and found a tarped roof and mold in the house that the agent forgot to mention. And so on.
Anyway, I am all ears. What do you look for in a place that will be your residence and your refuge? We don't have BOL's. This is it. We will BUG in should anything ever happen.
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