Buying some land

[2quills]

Quote:
Originally Posted by deejeff442 http:///t/395395/buying-some-land/20#post_3520210
hey Quills, i hear alot of messed up stuff here. a contractor did a huge job using around 50 mexicans.on the last day when he was supposed to pay them he called immigration to the site. i am not for illigals really (dont get me wrong i work with them here and there) but that is just wrong.i cant find a white boy worth anything in this state. my main workers for me are white but are from up north. sorry to say but the kids here are lazy to say the least
Yeah that apparently is a fairly popular play by some folks. I'm against the idea of working with illegals because of the problems it causes for the people who were born and pay taxes here. But the humanitarian in me says that's a pretty f'd up thing to do to anybody. There was a lot of that going around in Louisiana after, Katrina as well.
I know all too well about what you mean trying to find good help. Coming from the Detroit area myself for the better part of my adult life and career after school it's a whole different world up there than down here. I come from a place that has had high unemployment for a long time so if you weren't a hustler or a producer then there were a whole stack of other qualified individuals willing to take your job if you can't do it. Down here it's the other way around. Lots of work but slim pickins on actually finding any decent help. But I can honestly say that about the other 2 southern states that I've lived in as well. It's just a different way of life all together down here. And locals don't usually seem to be in too much of a hurry to do anything. I have met some really great folks and workers, but they are much fewer and far between. Or at least, it feels that way to me.

 

[deejeff442]

here is how it works. there is always one guy thats legal. we pay him on the books for all his (friends) taxes are payed and he pays them cash. so really the one i deal with pays taxes but not directly. people in this country pick on the illigals being here working. yet i cant find one white boy to work.thats all i have to say on that.
Seth i dont know your state but i would think once you get out to the real country side look for land with no city taxes .that will be not annexed. there are no permits but the water and septic. i would assume its the same all over the country.i still pay school taxes and land taxes but not city.

 

[2quills]

Quote:
Originally Posted by deejeff442 http:///t/395395/buying-some-land/40#post_3520223
here is how it works. there is always one guy thats legal. we pay him on the books for all his (friends) taxes are payed and he pays them cash. so really the one i deal with pays taxes but not directly. people in this country pick on the illigals being here working. yet i cant find one white boy to work.thats all i have to say on that.
True enough, they do get picked on. But on the flip side of the coin I also know that probably 9 out 10 of these guys would have absolutely no problem ripping you off or stealing from you the minute your back is turned if they think they can get away with it. On our side of business and working with rental properties over the last 7 years I've seen the way that the majority of them act and carry themselves when they come over here. It typically isn't pretty. And in some sense I can imagine that some of these so called employers perhaps feel like what they're doing to these guys when they screw em is justified in some shape or form. But IMO, 2 wrongs don't make a right so I'll leave it that as well so that we can get back to Seth's dream.
I honestly can't think of too many people that I know that don't have a similar dream of ending up on some land out in the country. The wife and I also have a similar dream but we know that will probably/hopefully come a little bit closer to retirement. I'd love to build a home myself for the satisfaction of saying so. But often wonder how much time I wish to spend building vs actually living and enjoying. I guess it's all going come down to the old mighty dollar and time.

 

[reefraff]

I remember back when doing sheet rock and roofing was seen as a good career but the illegals came in and killed the wages so now unless you are your own boss it really doesn't pay enough to be a desirable career. My brother did sheet rock for years and the pay fell over the cliff in the early 80's

 

[snakeblitz33]

I have yet to find a property that meets any of ya'lls criteria. Maybe a real estate agent can help me with some of this better then I can find on my own.
I was thinking about everything that I might need when I get the property. I have quite a few tools already and a working knowledge of contruction. There's a few things that I want on my land that I might have to research better. The first one is a solar power system on the roof. That automatically suggests that there shouldn't be much, if any, shade around the roof. I was looking at those thin film solar membranes - that seems like it might be the way to go. They are cheap and easy to hook up. I don't know if any of you have seen them.
The other thing that I am looking at is either buying a property that has a pond on it, or building my own pond by digging out an existing low place in the yard where water can drain in to. I really want a pond so that it might be easier to water the animals and draw water from it to water the garden and some on the orchard if needed. One of the things I found to be interesting was a RAM pump. It's a pump that uses gravity to pump water up an incline. I was thinking that it might be a good possibility to pump water from the pond to a water tower and then use that to water everything out in the yard. It's feasible.
It's not really windy all the time in my area, but at least half of the year we get some pretty good winds - about 10mph - a little more or a little less. I know a wind turbine can be built relatively easily out of a couple of alternators, a gear system and some PVC (and the tower of course) A 1000w wind turbine can be built for roughly $1000 and supplement solar power when needed. Add two or three or more to the property and I'll be doing pretty good. It would be enough to run some basic stuff. The wind definitely isn't strong enough around here for any commercial uses - but I think it would be just fine for what I want to run.
My wife really likes to cook on a gas stove - and I do too for that matter. I was thinking that I could have a propane tank on the outside of the house that feeds into the stove. I was also thinking about purchasing one of those propane powered fridge/freezers so that it could run off of that as well.
My "dream home" in my mind is a little more than a nice shack. My wife and I have been planning on moving into the country for a long time now - and she has finally got it listed on her checklist to do in life. That means it's going to be done one way or the other - simple as that. lol. That's just how she is. Me, on the other hand... I am working on it as much as I can with realistic goals in mind. I know that purchasing land will probably be two years out before I sign the paperwork. But, I don't mind researching and doing what I need right now to work towards my long term goals.
Guys, I want to reiterate - my wife and I don't want a big fancy house with all kinds of gizmos. We just want to live simply and be able to provide enough food and energy on our own that we don't have to rely too much on outside sources.
Thank you all, by the way, for your very helpful and welcomed advice.
Please, continue!

 

[reefraff]

Using the pond to water crops is a good thing, specially if you have fish in it. A friend of my brother who lives down there has a pond system where he grows rice part of the year and then somehow lures crawdads from the canal into them. Lot of restaurants down there buy them. Not sure exactly how it works.
What a lot of people up here do is use a large storage shed for a solar unit. They put the panels on the roof and have the battery array inside, and in some cases a good sized generator for just in case. I was thinking using one of the land sea containers would work. More room for panels on the roof and a lot of storage space to secure tools and whatever while you are in the building phase. Being so close to major shipping ports I bet they are cheap down there.
If you and the wife aren't too particular about the kind of house you live in why not just get a good used single wide and call it good? You could add on a nice family room and redo the inside of the place to make it your own.

 

[2quills]

Finding the right property can be very tough. I scoured the internet for the last couple of years searching for the right house that had what we were looking for at a steal of a price. It actually wasn't until we decided to take a break and stopped searching so hard when this one pretty much fell into our lap.
I think the key is having all of your ducks in a row so that when you finally do find it you'll be ready to pounce.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Quote:
Originally Posted by reefraff http:///t/395395/buying-some-land/40#post_3520243
Using the pond to water crops is a good thing, specially if you have fish in it. A friend of my brother who lives down there has a pond system where he grows rice part of the year and then somehow lures crawdads from the canal into them. Lot of restaurants down there buy them. Not sure exactly how it works.
What a lot of people up here do is use a large storage shed for a solar unit. They put the panels on the roof and have the battery array inside, and in some cases a good sized generator for just in case. I was thinking using one of the land sea containers would work. More room for panels on the roof and a lot of storage space to secure tools and whatever while you are in the building phase. Being so close to major shipping ports I bet they are cheap down there.
If you and the wife aren't too particular about the kind of house you live in why not just get a good used single wide and call it good? You could add on a nice family room and redo the inside of the place to make it your own.
Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! I think it would be nice to do something like that. I plan on making a little money from my land, so that when I retire I can get at least some income. I was planning on buying some rental houses in the city over the course of my life so that when I do decide to retire I could also have that little money coming in. I'm not talking about buying some really high dollar places... but three or four houses that I could make a little money off of and not have to reinvest in all the time.
I don't know about having one of those shipping containers on the property. I know it is pretty commonplace around here to do that, but I think I would rather just build a nice sized uninsulated storage shed with a tin roof. Nothing too fancy or expensive - but good enough to keep tools and equipment directly out of the elements. Putting solar panels on it and the house does sound like a fantastic idea and something that I will incorporate into my plans as money comes in.
I don't think I will be making an addition to a single wide. While the concept sounds ok, I don't think that I will be happy long term living in a trailer. I've always wanted to build a small house in the country and that's what I have my mind set on, at least for the time being. Even if I have to buy a house in the country and remodel room by room and make additions as necessary - that would be better than living in a single-wide long term for me.
Trailers are too drafty. Even with siding and insulation and everything, they just aren't made as good as a well built house with extra insulation and amenities. I don't like how sometimes when the wind is blowing so hard the trailer wobbles. If anything, I will live in a single wide until the house is built, and then when, if, one of my kids decides to move out but doesn't want to go so far from home - I'll have a place available for him/her to pay some cheap rent.
I really do want to try to be as carbon-neutral as possible with this house - having a very efficient home. With solar panels and wind mills becoming cheaper and cheaper to set up - I think it's a good thing that I am planning all of this so early in my life. It will give me an opportunity to do better as time progresses.
By the way, here in Louisiana, the further you get from the river, the more red clay is in the soil. Anyone know anything about red clay-like soil? Is it better to buy a place that has decent soil right off the bat (if it is affordable) or is it better to buy in loads of horse manure and compost everything over time and make your own good soil? I know of a place that I can buy composted horse manure for $25 a trailer load... (considering I have access to an 18x8 semi-closed trailer, it doesn't seem like such a bad idea.)

 

[snakeblitz33]

Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///t/395395/buying-some-land/40#post_3520254
Finding the right property can be very tough. I scoured the internet for the last couple of years searching for the right house that had what we were looking for at a steal of a price. It actually wasn't until we decided to take a break and stopped searching so hard when this one pretty much fell into our lap.
I think the key is having all of your ducks in a row so that when you finally do find it you'll be ready to pounce.
Yeah, I know. I am just trying to get a handle on everything and do some research and know what to look for before I even get started looking a whole lot. I know a few things now that I didn't at the beginning of the thread.
Getting my ducks in a row is a good priority. I know now a few more steps I need to take to get there.

 

[2quills]

Just keep looking and watching. That way you can start getting a better idea on what's a good price for property in the area or not. You can try and talk to some realtors but remember that they're motivated by money. They will question you and once they know that you're not really in a position to buy for a while then most arent going to bother giving you the time or day to go out of their way and show you property. They'll pretty much just tell you the same things you've already heard here. Unless you lie and tell them you have money already. But most are pretty keen to pick up on that.
You may find yourself in a position where you will have to borrow at least some money to get started. Unless they've boosted teachers salaries lately I have no idea.
Some things will grow in red clay but I dont think most fruites or veggies will. Typically its a process of amending the soil over a few seasons with organic material to create something decent for growing.
But if you're looking to farm or ranch to make money you should check out what's required for tax exemption. Farms and ranches that are used for business can often qualify but there are guidelines that have to be met and inspections done annually. But that's what the investor that we work for does with his ranch. He doesnt have to pay taxes on anything for thats purchased and used for the ranch or the property, IIRC.
I'd focus on more wind power than solar personally. And if you build more than what you can use you can actually feed that over abundance of power back into the grid and collect a check from the power company. But that's typically a large up front investment.

 

[deejeff442]

i had a customer with solar panels on his house. he said it cost$5500. but with the green energy rebates it didn't cost much of anything. he gets credit for the energy he don't use.he also said it has a 7 years warranty and then they replace it. might want to look into it i will be.as for a pond keep in mind snakes love ponds. i don't know what kind of snakes are there but here water moccasins are in ponds. my old neighbors dog got bit and died from one.

 

[snakeblitz33]

You both make good points.
I wont contact a realtor unless i am approved for a loan. Ill know what my overall budget is then for land/trailer.
Louisiana has all of the poisonous snakes in the nation living in it. I am used to watching out for them when i go hiking. Im pretty sure my daughter will be trained very well to look for them as well.

 

[reefraff]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/395395/buying-some-land/40#post_3520262
Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! I think it would be nice to do something like that. I plan on making a little money from my land, so that when I retire I can get at least some income. I was planning on buying some rental houses in the city over the course of my life so that when I do decide to retire I could also have that little money coming in. I'm not talking about buying some really high dollar places... but three or four houses that I could make a little money off of and not have to reinvest in all the time.
I don't know about having one of those shipping containers on the property. I know it is pretty commonplace around here to do that, but I think I would rather just build a nice sized uninsulated storage shed with a tin roof. Nothing too fancy or expensive - but good enough to keep tools and equipment directly out of the elements. Putting solar panels on it and the house does sound like a fantastic idea and something that I will incorporate into my plans as money comes in.
I don't think I will be making an addition to a single wide. While the concept sounds ok, I don't think that I will be happy long term living in a trailer. I've always wanted to build a small house in the country and that's what I have my mind set on, at least for the time being. Even if I have to buy a house in the country and remodel room by room and make additions as necessary - that would be better than living in a single-wide long term for me.
Trailers are too drafty. Even with siding and insulation and everything, they just aren't made as good as a well built house with extra insulation and amenities. I don't like how sometimes when the wind is blowing so hard the trailer wobbles. If anything, I will live in a single wide until the house is built, and then when, if, one of my kids decides to move out but doesn't want to go so far from home - I'll have a place available for him/her to pay some cheap rent.
I really do want to try to be as carbon-neutral as possible with this house - having a very efficient home. With solar panels and wind mills becoming cheaper and cheaper to set up - I think it's a good thing that I am planning all of this so early in my life. It will give me an opportunity to do better as time progresses.
By the way, here in Louisiana, the further you get from the river, the more red clay is in the soil. Anyone know anything about red clay-like soil? Is it better to buy a place that has decent soil right off the bat (if it is affordable) or is it better to buy in loads of horse manure and compost everything over time and make your own good soil? I know of a place that I can buy composted horse manure for $25 a trailer load... (considering I have access to an 18x8 semi-closed trailer, it doesn't seem like such a bad idea.)
Have you been in a mobile home that was built in the last 20 years? The one I had in Montana (welded into a foundation) was the best built home I've been in. 2x6 walls and a lot of insulation etc. My 125 reef wouldn't move at all with me walking my lard butt by it. These things are built like a tank now. My brother lived more than 10 years in a 1980 single wide in Wyoming where they see 30 to 40 Below Zero at times in the winter and they heated it with a wood stove.
But that being said it would be nice to know you are living in the house you built. Depending on the land you get living in a mobile until your house is built then turning the mobile into a rental isn't a bad deal either. My brother had to move his when he upgraded to a double wide but he moved it to another spot on his land, He had to dig a new well and septic but he included a little pasture big enough for one or two horses and last I knew had it rented out for 1400.00 a month. Of course he's in the area where the natural gas strike is so rents are crazy around there.

 

[reefraff]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/395395/buying-some-land/40#post_3520272
You both make good points.
I wont contact a realtor unless i am approved for a loan. Ill know what my overall budget is then for land/trailer.
Louisiana has all of the poisonous snakes in the nation living in it. I am used to watching out for them when i go hiking. Im pretty sure my daughter will be trained very well to look for them as well.
Peacocks, great snake deterrent. They'll eat the small ones and make a racket when the bigger ones are around. That or get yourself a watch hog or 10 LOL!

 

[2quills]

Yep, hogs! I've already had the unfortunate surprise by the occasional rattle snake down here. Pretty common out at the ranch and the ones I see out there actually don't tend to warn you that they are even there anymore. They don't rattle.
Seen lots of moccasins and copper heads in Arkansas. We were in a pretty rural area up there and had a state, stocked pond/lake right behind us.

 

[deejeff442]

we are supposed to have snakes around here but my donkey must chase them off.i dont see any and hope i dont. we have annoying guineas in the chicken coops also.all are defenders of their territory.
Reef, sure that wasn't a manufactured home? they come delivered also. big difference between a trailer house and a manufactured one.

 

[reefraff]

Quote:
Originally Posted by deejeff442 http:///t/395395/buying-some-land/40#post_3520307
we are supposed to have snakes around here but my donkey must chase them off.i dont see any and hope i dont. we have annoying guineas in the chicken coops also.all are defenders of their territory.
Reef, sure that wasn't a manufactured home? they come delivered also. big difference between a trailer house and a manufactured one.
Manufactured home/Mobile Home same thing. Modular homes are different but not by much. My place as well as my brother's were pulled to our property and then the axles taken off when they were craned onto the foundation.
Modulars arrive on a truck and are usually multisectional. But the quality isn't really any better than the modern mobile home. Mine had to have a fresh air exchanger that ran 24/7 because the house was sealed so tight. One way to tell you are in a Mobile is the ******** doors and sized to have about an 1 inch gap at the bottom. Again because they are so tightly sealed that they want to make sure plenty of air gets to all the rooms
My place I had a garage added on to it so it had an L shape layout to it. A friend came over and noticed the short door going to the master bath. He asked if we had bought mobile home doors by mistake when we built our house. He didn't believe it was a mobile until I took him outside and showed him the Vin tags.

 

[deejeff442]

a friends wife works for one of the modulars home dealers around here.she said she would never buy one .they are junk lol. then again i dont think she can hit a nail into a board.i was over there a week ago and she could get the riding lawn mower to go forward

 

[2quills]

I don't know. I caught a program on t.v. a while back that took you through the process of how they are built and what options you can get. Some of them looked pretty sturdy to me. Doesn't mean that I'd stick around to ride out a hurricane one though lol.

 

[deejeff442]

when we were looking around for a house we went to a few of these places and looked around. i was pretty impressed with the sizes and detail they had. problem was they cost as much as building a house.we for what i can build for anyway. i figured my house will be 2200 sq ft and 1000 sq ft of covered wrap around porch.i will be under 50k.but thats with calling in favors from contractors i know and trade work. i did a 4500 sq ft stamped pool deck in trade for insulation,drywall and texture. also traded for plumbing.if you are going to do alot of work yourself take your time for sure. i would say by the time my house is move in ready i will be working on it for a year.