Finding land to homestead on can seem like a daunting task, at least it did for us. The United States is so large and there’re so many great places to homestead. How could we choose just one?
Today, I’m going to take you through the process that we used to find our perfect homestead property. We will start by looking at the big picture and then narrowing it down to the specific 7-acre parcel that we chose.
Hopefully, by following along on our journey you will be able to apply the same principles to yours. Let’s begin.
The first thing we needed to do was find our guiding principles. These are the things that are most important to us and helped us narrow down all of the great homesteading locations out there.
Our Guiding Principles
Have a debt-free life. We are by no means rich. For the past 18 years, we have been in full-time ministry. However, we have always lived below our means and been able to save a little bit of money and invested along the way. When choosing our homestead property it was important for us to remain debt-free. That meant that we had to find an area of the country where land is relatively inexpensive.
Relaxed or nonexistent building codes. In order to stay debt free, we will need to be able to build our home ourselves, including the construction, plumbing, and electrical. Contractors can be very expensive. We also would like to build our house as we have the money. Therefore, we may need to live in it before it is technically “finished” according to strict building codes. We needed to find an area where we didn’t need a certificate of occupancy.
The ability to live off the grid. Since we plan to live off the grid and produce our own energy we needed to find an area that is conducive to either solar, wind, or hydro. We also wanted an area where we could harvest firewood to heat our home in the winter.
Able to have livestock on our property. We needed to pay attention to local zoning laws. Some areas will not allow you to have livestock on your property. In fact, the city that we lived in before moving to our homestead would not even allow you to have chickens for honey bees on your property. We want the freedom to raise our own food.
A gun friendly state. While hunting is important it is not the reason the second amendment was written. It was intended as a way to keep the government in check. Living in a state that is not overly concerned about gun control and does not disregard the second amendment is extremely important to us. While we hope and pray that we would never have to use a firearm in self-defense we would like the right to do so, if we need to.
A state that was supportive of homeschooling. We have been homeschooling our children since kindergarten. They are now in 11th and 7th grade. We needed to find a state that will be supportive of our decision to homeschool our children. We have no intentions of putting them in public school and we cannot afford to pay tuition for a quality private school. Julie put together a great resource listing our homeschool curriculum for you.
Relatively low property taxes. We are expecting our federal income tax liability to be fairly low since our income is very low. However, property taxes can be a different issue. Some states have significantly higher property taxes than others. Since we want to remain debt-free, we need to lower as many expenses as we can. This would include our property taxes. Learn how we lowered our property taxes by $2,000 in this article.
Within one day’s drive of our parents. For our entire marriage,18 years now, we have not lived within a days drive of our parents. Most of the time we were living halfway around the world in Indonesia. It is time to be closer to them. So that we will be able to spend more time with them and be available to help in times of need.
Within a couple hours drive of an international airport. We have always enjoyed traveling. We have visited Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines. We would still like to spend time traveling and being involved in foreign mission work. I know that does not seem to jive with our desire to homestead and raise animals. I guess we will have to figure out a way to make it work. Living within a couple of hours of an international airport will hopefully help.
Relatively free of major natural disasters. We have lived in areas that are prone to forest fires, earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. In 2014 the city we lived in – in Indonesia was covered with about an inch of volcanic ash. You can watch our YouTube video about it here. We know that nowhere is completely immune to natural disasters so we had to choose which natural disaster is least problematic for us.
At least an hour away from a major population center and an interstate highway. We are not doomsday preppers by any stretch of the imagination. But, after considering history and the present economic, social, and political situation that our country is in, we would like to live in an area that would be relatively safe from the chaos that would follow a time without the rule of law. Check out our the article “ 5 Documentaries that will Turn you into a Prepper” to lean more.
Have all four seasons. Julie and I both grew up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. There we enjoyed all four seasons. For most of our marriage, we have lived on the equator in Indonesia which only had two seasons. They claimed they were the rainy and dry seasons. But, I would joking say, there was only a rainy and less rainy season. It was always hot and humid. We are ready to get back to experience all four seasons again.
Close to National Forest and BLM land. Having grown up in the west we enjoying being able to freely explore, hunt, and harvest firewood in our National Forests and BLM lands.
Outdoor recreational opportunities. We enjoy outdoor activities and wanted a property that would give us the opportunity to go hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, foraging, skiing, swimming, and four wheeling. Hopefully, these activities will not distract us from building our homestead ;).
Our one non-negotiable. There must be a sound nondenominational congregation of the Lord’s church there. Like I mentioned earlier, we have been in full-time ministry for the last 18 years. We know that we could move to an area without a congregation and plant one. But, at this stage in our lives, we would like to serve with an establish congregation who is reaching out to save the lost.
With our list of guiding principles in hand, we could begin looking at the different regions of the country to find out which ones would be best suited for us.
Choosing a Region of the Country to Homestead
We can divide the United States into six different regions: the Northeast, the Southeast, the Midwest, the Southwest, the West Coast, and the Intermountain states.
Each of these regions has their pros and cons so let’s look at each one individually.
The Northeast. While the northeast has abundant private land for sale it does not have as much public land as we would find out west. The northeast does have a lot of woodlands made up of the hardwood trees which would be excellent for heating our home in the winter. However, with less public land we would have to buy it or purchase enough land to be able to sustain heating with wood. Some of the states in the Northeast have higher property taxes and are not gun friendly. It could be relatively difficult to find a location more than an hour away from a major population center and an interstate highway. The northeast is not within a day’s drive of our family.
The Southeast. The southeast also has abundant private land for sale with much of it being fairly inexpensive. It also has hardwood forests and access to international airports. In addition, it is typically more conservative politically than the Northeast. However, the southeast is hot and humid in the summer and is frequently hit by hurricanes and tornadoes. The southeast is also not within a day’s drive of our family.
The Midwest. The Midwest has abundant farmland and is more conservative than the Northeast. However, the Midwest lacks the forests of the northeast and southeast. It also often suffers from tornadoes in the spring. It would be relatively easy to find a location away from a major population center and an interstate highway there. The Midwest is also often windy which would drive me crazy. However, if you would like to utilize wind power on your Homestead the Midwest may be a good choice. This region would also not be within a days drive of our family.
The Southwest. The southwest has less available private land for sale than the other regions mentioned so far. This is because there is a lot of BLM land and National Forests in this part of the country. The southwest can be hot and dry. I lived in the Phoenix area for a couple of years and found that I missed winter there. However, some areas of the southwest, especially at the higher elevations, can experience all four seasons. The southwest typically experiences many more days of full sunshine in the winter than other areas of the country. This would be good for generating solar power while living off-grid. This region would be within a days drive of our family.
The West Coast. The West Coast is a beautiful area of the country and the climate is nice, the land is generally fertile, there is plenty of water, with the exception of Southern California, and it has all four seasons. There is a lot of National Forests and BLM land on the west coast. Unfortunately, the region typically leans far left politically and often has higher property taxes. This region is within a days drive of our family.
The Intermountain States. The Intermountain states also have a lot of National Forests and BLM. This area has a wide variety of climates. Some of the areas are dry high desert climates and others are mountainous with plenty of trees, water and snow in the winter. The inter-mountain states are typically more conservative politically than the West Coast and the Northeast. This is the region where you will find the American Redoubt made up of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, eastern Washington, and eastern Oregon. The American Redoubt is where many conservatives, have been moving to start their homesteads. In this region, it would be easy to find a location that is more than an hour away from the population center and an interstate highway. This region is also within a day’s drive of our family.
After considering the different regions of the United States we chose the Intermountain States region. It checks the most boxed on our list of guiding principles. If you would like to explore these regions in more depth I highly recommend the book Strategic Relocation: North American Guide to Safe Places.
Choosing a state to homestead in
Now that we know which region we would like to Homestead in we need to choose a state. We were choosing between Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, Colorado, Nevada, eastern Washington, and eastern Oregon.
After considering all of the states in this region we have chosen to Homestead in Idaho. Let’s look at how Idaho meets all of the various requirements we listed above.
Being debt-free. We realize Idaho is not the least expensive place to buy land. However, when we compare it to our home state of California it seems very reasonable.
Relaxed or nonexistent building codes. Some counties in Idaho have no building codes or certificate of occupancy. As the homeowner, we can also do all the work ourselves without needing to hire a licensed contractor.
Off-grid. Since Idaho is in the northern part of the United States it will not be as easy to generate solar power as it would in the southwest. However, it is still possible. Also with the abundance of water and mountains in the northern part of the state generating hydroelectricity could be a real possibility.
Livestock. We have no intentions of living within the city limits. Therefore having livestock on our property should be no problem. However, we will still need to be sure and check with local zoning laws. Idaho passed the Right to Farm Act in 1981.
Gun friendly. As of July 1, 2016, Idaho law allows residents 21 years of age to carry a concealed firearm statewide without a permit. As of July 1, 2018, Idaho law also permits a law-abiding citizen to stand their ground and protect themselves and families anywhere they have a right to be.
Supportive of homeschooling. Idaho does not require homeschool parents to possess any particular qualifications, obtain school district approval, or test their children. If your public school district asks for information about your homeschool program, you are not legally required to furnish it.
Relatively low property taxes. If you own six or more acres of land you may qualify for a property tax exemption called a Forest Land Exemption. This can drastically reduce your property taxes. This is how we did it.
Close to our parents. Idaho is easily within a day’s drive of Northern California where our family lives.
An international airport. There is an international airport in Boise and also one in Spokane, WA.
Natural disasters. About the only natural disaster we would have to be seriously concerned about in Idaho would be Forest fires.
Away from population center and an interstate highway. It would be easy to be more than an hour away from a population center or interstate highway in Idaho since the only real major population centers are the Boise area and the Coeur d’alene/Spokane area.
All four seasons. Idaho has all four seasons.
National Forest and BLM land. 63% of Idaho is public lands.
Outdoor recreational opportunities. Nearly every outdoor activity (that does not require the ocean) is available in Idaho.
Our one non-negotiable. Many towns in Idaho have sound congregations of the Lord’s church. Check out our congregation.
Selecting a part of Idaho to homestead in
Next, we needed to decide on which part of the state to Homestead in. Idaho has three main regions; North, Central, and South. The southern part of the state receives much less precipitation than the northern part. The southern part may be characterized more as high desert and the northern part, forest. For this reason, we have chosen the northern part of the state, specifically Bonner County in the Panhandle.
When you look at Bonner County there are two parts. One is south of the long bridge and the other is north of it. We have chosen the Sandpoint area north of the long bridge. This is because in the case of social unrest the area can be adequately secured. Sandpoint is only accessed from the south and west by the long bridge in Sandpoint and a bridge over near Priest River. People trying to enter the area from Spokane could be stopped there. There are no nearby major population centers to the north or east.
This area is also beautiful having an abundant amount of water, forest, and wildlife. Land is also not too expensive. Of course, that is relative. For us having grown up in California, the land seems cheap, but compared to other states it may seem more expensive.
Our specific land requirements
Having chosen the region, state, county, and area where we would like to move to, it was time to look for land that met our specific requirements.
Outside of the city limits. Living outside of the city limits will provide us the most amount of freedom to live and build how we want to. It will also have lower building expenses because there are fewer permits and fees.
Adequate domestic water supply. We checked the well logs for wells in the area and found that we should be able to have a well on our property. There is also a spring on the property that can be developed for water. If all else fails we could install a rainwater harvesting system. Having water on our property is extremely important because property without water is of little use to anyone.
Septic system. Before we purchased property we had a PERC test done by the state Department of Health. We found that our land was approved for a standard subsurface septic system. If the soil on your property does not drain well you may be required to install an alternative septic system which could be very expensive. In Idaho, you can get a permit to have an outhouse or a composting toilet but if you have water piped into your house you’ll need to have a standard septic system installed anyway.
Proper solar exposure. We were looking for property that was either level or south facing. Wanted property that would not be shaded by a nearby mountain also. This is important because we plan to use solar power and need to get the greatest amount of sun exposure in the winter months. It is also important for morale since the sun is low in the winter, rising late and setting early. The more sunlight you have on your property the happier you will be in the winter.
Sufficient space. We were looking for property where we could have sufficient space for animals and trees. However because of Idaho tax laws if you have 6 acres or more you can apply for the forest land exemption. By taking the Forest Land Exemption we were able to save a significant amount on our annual property taxes. Therefore we only looked at property that was 6 acres or more.
Reasonable land costs. We were not going to borrow money to purchase land, although at times we were tempted too. We came to our senses and found land that was within our budget keeping us debt-free and inline with our guiding principles. When searching for our land we tried to set the search criteria according to our budget so that we would not be tempted to look at property that we could not afford. We were upfront and honest with our realtor and told him what our budget was. Of course, this restricted us to possibly less desirable properties but being debt free was more important than having a nice view.
Favorable natural topography. We want the land we purchased to be mostly usable. We did not want big gullies or ravines running through the middle of our property. Nor did we want steep land making it very difficult to work with. The land we ended up finding is relatively level with a very slight slope to the east.
Good soil conditions. We didn’t look too closely at soil conditions except for the fact that we were able to install a standard septic system and that the property was covered in a variety of different trees and grasses. This indicated to us that the soil was relatively good.
Availability of natural resources – Trees. We wanted property that has a lot of trees on it. However, we plan to harvest most of our firewood from the national forests. By doing this our goal is to protect and manage our own private wood lot for a time when we may need to harvest it to heat our house.
Adequate precipitation and drainage. The panhandle of Idaho receives adequate precipitation every year. This is evidenced by the number of streams, lakes, and trees in the area which is supported by the rainfall. We did not want a piece of property which turned into a pond or swamp every time it rained. Therefore we needed to look at the slope of the land and see whether or not it would drain properly after a rainstorm.
Neighbors and neighborhood nuisances. In Sandpoint, Idaho we needed to be aware of train tracks. There are over 50 trains that go through town each day and if you live close to the train tracks this could be very annoying. The property that we chose is far away from the train tracks and you can barely hear the train in the distance. There are only two other neighbors on our street and neither of their houses can be seen from our property.
Zoning. We chose to purchase land in an area that was zoned for rural 5 acre lots. This means that the neighbor’s property cannot be subdivided into a subdivision. The smallest land available for sale in the area is 5 acres. Being zoned as rural property it allows us to be engaged in small scale farming and forestry activities.
Natural beauty. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and we believe that the property that we chose is sufficiently beautiful. We would’ve preferred a beautiful view of the lake or the valley but the properties that were available at the time of purchase were not within our budget or had very poor road access.
Electric power supply. We plan to live off grid but still wanted the ability to hook up to the grid in the future if we want to. We would most likely do this if we planned to sell our property. Having the house hooked up to the grid would greatly increase the property value. We’re looking at our homestead as an investment as well. The property we chose does have power at the road.
Cell Phone coverage. Before looking at property in the area we studied the cell phone coverage maps from major providers. We then looked at properties that fell within the coverage area. On our property, we have access to Verizon, AT&T, and T-mobile.
Internet access. We need to have Internet access on our property because we homeschool our children and run an online business. I wrote an in-depth article about how to get Internet access while living off-grid that you might like to read.
Road access. Having year-round access was extremely important to us since we plan to live their full time. There are a lot of beautiful inexpensive pieces of property but you can’t access them year-round without a snowmobile. Our property has year-round access.
Take a tour of our off-grid homestead property
Let me know what criteria you have for looking for homestead property in the comments below.
I hope you have a really great day and keepsm:)ing!
-Martin
