Got My Land!!!!

[Catalpa]

I didn't see a topic area devoted to land...

Anyways, I've finally made the first step in my dream. I am now the proud owner of ten acres - and it's mine, all mine!

Step two of the grand plan is to put my current house on the market in the spring, and if it sells, use the money to build a place on the new land.

I'm trying to read up on green building products, alternative heating systems, etc., but don't know how far the budget will go. I may end up starting out with a modular and then altering it as I go along.

The whole idea is to get out of my big, impossible to heat house on a small lot, and into a small, easily maintained home on my ten acres that I can have paid off by the time I retire.

But for now, I'm enjoying just going out to the new place and planning out where the house will be, etc. I've already planted a couple of trees, and am thinking about putting up a small storage barn. What fun!

Catalpa

[GREEN_ALIEN]

Congrats Cat.

GA

[Booker]

Congrats Cat, way to go. I wish you much success in your future!

Regards,
Booker

[Catalpa]

Thanks, guys. :)

[Suzy]

Congratulations! :D There is just nothing like the feeling of walking out onto a piece of land and knowing that it is yours! We will be praying that you other house sells quickly!

Do you plan to build your own home on the new land???? give us more details! We'd love to hear!

[LakeCity]

Outstanding! I know what your feeling, I felt the same way when I got my land.

Barn or shed to start with, cleaning and clearing next, maybe some fence or a chicken house. There is always something to do on rural land.

I know your excitement!

With best regards,
Jeff in Texas

[lost1]

It's been a long time, but I remember the feeling you are now experiencing. Please be sure and keep us updated on your projects.
Congratulations
lost1

[bookwormom]

happy for you:)
hope your house sells and things go smoothly.

[MNMOM]

Good for you, you have the start of your dream, so dream big. :D

[oldnndway]

...and never give up !

[scoutinlife]

Congratulation's nothin like owning your land and the things to come in developing your homestead! As you are thinking I went modular and still working on the property finishing touches but I enjoy it as you will to best of luck!!!!

[Catalpa]

Thanks for the good comments!

I found two nice maple saplings for just ten bucks each, and planted them on my land last week. I go over every day to let the dog run, water my trees, and dream.

I'll need to hire an excavator to come in and remove the old foundations, but first I think I'll try to save some of the stones. The old basement walls are fieldstones set in cement, and it's so old, I can pull many of the stones out by hand. I plan to stockpile them and use them for my fireplace surround and in landscaping.

There's a well there, with an old hand pump on it. It just feels so neat to pump my water and carry it to the trees, like I'm finally really starting a homestead.

I wanted to put up a storage shed this fall, but it took so long to close on the property that it looks like I've lost the weather, and may have to wait until spring.

Scout, how did you like your modular? Were there any problems with setting it up?

[shadowood]

Congratulations! :)

[longshot]

good for you it's onward from here


ls

[Morning_Owl]

I'm so happy for you, I know how exciting that is. ;D

[mangyhyena]

Big congratulations to you. And by all means feel free to discuss the details of your plans here.

What type of house, more about the layout of the land, ect... Anything you wish to share would be great. You're almost where a lot of us would like to be and we're interested in your plans.

[TNDadx4]

Congratulations on following your dreams!
That is so awesome!

Feel free to post more info.

[kawalekm]

Catalpa
Tell us some more. What state are you located in? What's the climate there? Is it hilly, flat, mountains, dry, wet, forested, pasture, noisy, quiet, close, far? There are so many things to talk about. Planting trees is a good first start. The best time to plant a tree is yesterday. The second best time is today. How do you want to develop your homestead? What do you want there, what will be your source of income? The topics are endless.
Michael

[CarolAnn]

Catalpa,
Have you thought about where you'll live between the time your house sells and the new one is built? Here are some options you may not have thought of:
Build something that you can "camp" in and later use for a barn or garage, and make it large enough to store some of the more valuable building materials. This might be a prefab, a log-structure or a pole barn, depending on your budget, taste, and needs.

Seek out a near-by vacant house that needs work and offer to do some clean-up fix up in exchange for a short period of free rent. I actually did this - and got free rent for about six months while the house was going up. The drawback was that I fixed it up so good, they got a renter & I had to move out before my new one was done! (So get a set term of free rent in writing if you go this way!) That protects both the owner and you.

Live in a camper, Teepee or tent for a while. (It makes you really appreciate the house when it's done!)

;D I bet there are other ideas out there, too!

[Catalpa]

Hi folks, thanks for all the friendly interest!

My daughter and I can move in with my Mom for the 'in between' time, though it would double my work commute. That's if we sell in the summer...if we sell before school is out, I'm not sure what we'll do.

I have thought about buying a pull-behind camper, and staying out on the land, but with a cat and a dog, I'm not sure how well that would work out.

The idea of working on a place for free rent is an excellent one that never occured to me, but I think it's not practical for my situation. I work too many hours to take on any additional projects.

I'm in mid Michigan, within an easy drive of Lake Huron. My land is longer along the road than it is deep, with a high knoll on the west where there are foundations from an 1840's homestead. The east side slopes down to a low, wet willow thicket, where I hope to eventually put a pond.

The plan is to pull out and bury the old foundations, after I save all of the fieldstone that I can, and then build the house just south of where the foundations had been.

There's a well on site, with a wonderful old hand pump on it. If it is deep enough, and has a proper casing, I hope to use it for my house.

I built a deer blind this weekend, and hopefully tonight or tomorrow I'll get it moved out there. The idea of getting venison off my own land is so exciting!

This winter I have to make my final decisions - stick built or modular? Or a combination?

I'd love to hear from anyone that has put up a modular, and what problems they ran into.

Better get back to work...my home internet connection is having issues, so I can only post from work for a while.

Take care everyone.

[leera]

Hey Catalpa congrats on getting your land!

Where about is the land located?I live in Mi as well.
I'm about 20 mintues south east of Lansing.

[333]

Peace


Another bastion of hope and lght congrats....


Peace

[Txanne]

Congrats--

Nothing like owning your own piece of the dream as we call it.

ll the best--dont quit dont back up.

annie

[bookwormom]

way to go, may your dreams come true. :) :)

[Catalpa]

Hi Leera

I'm about 2 1/2 hours north and east of Lansing.

Nice to see another Michiganian 'round here.

[flatwater]

Hears another Idea. A good friend of mine is doing the same thing your doing but he did it a year earlier. He found a used fairly new mobile home for next to nothing, [18,000] . He had a hay barn put up, [ 7,000 ] Then he re-sided the trailer with cordwood the trailer is under the hay barn with a steep pitched roof. Granted the trailer is only a 14X70 980square ft. but this year he will add an addition [ lean too ] to the side and double his square footage.
flatwater

[leera]

Hey Catalpa....if you're a member of freecycle,keep an eye on that.There was a camper listed on the Livingston County freecycle today.........or maybe post an ad looking for a fixer upper,hard sided camper......once stripped they are pretty easy to fix and adapt to your own needs........that's what we're going to do.

You can also check into mobils........sometimes you can find them free or really cheap around here........nothing fancy but a warmer roof over your had than a tent.......... :)

[Catalpa]

Hey leera, I've never heard of freecycle. Is that a website? I've been listening to the swap shop progams on the local radio stations, thinking maybe at this time of year someone would like to get rid of a travel trailer pretty cheap. I'd prefer a travel trailer for ease of moving and setting up, instead of a mobile home, I think.

The hard part has been getting Detroit Edison to answer a phone call about getting power established. They keep transferring me, and I keep getting disconnected on each transfer. What a pain in the butt!