Homestead/Enclave Changes

[jgalt52]

Our Story: I'm a retired engineer and my wife is a surgical nurse. A little over eight years ago we bought a long disused, 41 acre farm on the Cumberland Plateau in North Central Tennessee. Our plan was to restore it and build/network food/energy/security resilience, but the prime goal was to put distance between us and the tax/woke/crime/irrational world that seemed easy to become 9-meals-to-anarchy candidate. We both agreed that it made more sense to just get all our stuff well out of the mess because leaving it behind and roughing it with a bug out bag in a cheap cabin would be too hard on our minds/health. SHTF would be enough stress. (And that was before bio-weapons crossed the Rubicon.)  Getting back to being surrounded by trees rather than psycho sprawl raised our spirits. The savings from zero state income tax and very low property tax quickly paid for the move, but the fact that the local county folks are a strongly focused, self-sufficient, morals-driven and love of liberty culture at the 97% level was a joyful payoff. This was beyond what we hoped for and urban/suburban issues, especially crime/taxes, since 2013 weren't far off from what we predicted. We would love to see our guesses about the future to be absolutely wrong, but we still don't see any force coming that can change the systemic economic/cultural problems that are looking exponential. 

Culture and miles really do count.

Anyway, we met all our big goals last year and over this Thanksgiving the wife and I looked each other in the eye and we came to the conclusion that we are not using 21ac efficiently, it's plenty big for another homestead and this spring we should liquidate that to someone that sees the value here as strongly as we did.  In looking ahead, 20ac is perfect for the privacy/safety we need. Using the value that comes out to build a full greenhouse to expand food production is a no-brainer.

So here is where we need ideas:

If you had 'next door' land, what would be the best route to get it in front a bigger market of 'real' homesteader/prepper culture folks with the practical smarts that can make a go of it?

All suggestions and comments are appreciated!

J

[Jackalope]

 First, I would suggest networking with local folks.  I know the real estate market is hot on the Cumberland Plateau, and I know of one realtor in Fentress County who is a prepper type and he caters to a wealthy clientele that is focused on remote homesteads.  A large number of his clients are coming from Texas.

    I guess part of the calculation is marketing to the right folks and weed out the tire kickers and those who don't fit your expectations.  In Tennessee, with the lack of building regulations, anything can happen once the land is sold.  But you've been here long enough to know all that.  I'm in Cumberland County, with a much smaller homestead.   

    Before I forget, welcome to the group!  You might like to introduce yourself in the Introductions Section.

[pkveazey]

I think Jackalope has given you some good advice. His idea of networking with your neighbors is spot on. When it all goes bad, you're going to need those people and they will need you. I live out in the country but it is getting more and more populated. I decided to focus on my closest neighbors for supporting each other. The first thing I did was wait until it was obvious that everyone in my neighborhood was beginning to notice the trouble that is coming. Then I bought a bunch of BaoFeng 5 watt Handi-talkies($25 each) and programmed them with all the non license frequencies like MURS, FRS, and Marine Band frequencies. I also programmed the NOAA Weather frequencies in them. I went around the neighborhood and gave one Handi-talkie to each household that had a firearm. Since MURS(Muti Use Radio Service) is the most efficient, I suggested that when the SHTF they turn the radio on and tune it to MURS channel 4 and listen 24/7 for any calls for help from the other neighbors. When the SHTF, you will probably not have Internet, TV, Telephone service and those radios will be worth their weight in gold. I also bought a bunch of extra radios just in case I need them or those families need more radios. I'm going to suggest that you don't start talking about the end of the world with your neighbors until you start hearing them talking about their concerns about trouble coming soon. If you start talking about Armageddon too soon they'll think you are some kind of nut.

[grizz]

I wouldn't sell it, I would rent to family or other highly trusted people with the same vision as you. By renting you remain in control of the property if they dont work out and they can always be evicted

[jgalt52]

JACKALOPE,
Just got back from Crossville today making a Rural King & North Cumberland Tractor parts run. We took the scenic route through Monterey from Overton. There is a ton of absolutely gorgeous land over your way.

Locals: The most interesting local potential I have is an adjoining neighbor. Solid Citizen in Toto. I expect his situation will be that as hard as he works, he probably still can't compete with people that just cashed out ppty in NorthernCali.  We recently struck a new deal with just such an expat for surplus meat/eggs. They bought a nice hidden place about six miles away, run about 20 head of Angus, chickens, turkey, goats, etc. On top of that, his day job is Sheriff Deputy in the County. Very level headed, family driven and top drawer. This is kind of family I need next door for the next decade. The local neighbor probably will take great care of the place as he is equipped, but having another full family their producing surplus would be another link in the networking chain. It's a real conundrum/tradeoff.

Can you give me the name of the Fentress Realtor? If he has deep connections, that might be just the ticket. Can't hurt to shoot him my dropbox link of all the detail and have him give me a ballpark listing price.   I will hit the intro thread, thanks for the great input.  Maybe sometime I can pickup lunch if you ever get over to Cookeville/Livingston/Country Porch at Muddy Pond?  The Mennonite gals at the Porch are 1950s sweet and some kind of wizards in the kitchen.  (and the new owner there is a NY state expat!)  Interesting Times ... Cheers!

PKVEAZEY:
Your radio gift idea is one of the best I have heard offered up. That's a great people investment and safety investment for not much money that could payoff big time in a tricky situation.   The nutball situation has been on my mind because there are a lot of folks that are just disconnected or in denial.  Happily, about two months ago I quietly broached the subject with one of the new families in the enclave that has 30ac and he explained a mutual assistance group plan he was already in. They have advanced beyond swapping prepper and gardening info to some interesting security/home defense planning, which were based on text messaging. I haven't been invited to join, but maybe a Christmas radio gift plan might get me some notice there.  Good thoughts there.  Thanks!

GRIZZ:
Man I hear what you are saying.  I tried to give the land at cost to both my son and son-in-law.  I've been loading them up with a spectrum of issues from politics, finance, economics, crime, etc and its like I'm talking to the wall.  (Just like I was clueless between 25-35 ... LOL)  My son in law called me up today acting surprised about empty car lots and food inflation. I got all my kids "When Money Dies" two years ago, including Zimbabwe Trillion$ notes and even some Venezuela Bolivars. Crickets. I figure the MIC will start WWIII and THEN they will all be in my basement yelling at each other (roll eyes). I looked into pasture rent to local cattlemen. I found that our county has 22,000 people, but 66,000 head of cattle. Both are good as meat will be available in a pinch (if the Marxists don't pass their $500 a head federal meat tax), but the grazing prices are at steady state and not high enough to cover even the cheap level of property taxes here. I like the idea for control, but I have a hard time seeing a hard core prepper producing food/etc out of an RV.  OTOH, holding the property for several more years might result in a much higher price ... and possibly a bigger cap gains tax bill or possibly something comes unglued and the market disappears as folks just hunker down. I've had some real nightmares for neighbors, so a big part of me wants to just sit on it, but the hours of maintaining the extra space with nothing coming from it could be better utilized. Having another set of eyeballs/sights/productive family hands would be a real major win if I can snag them.  It's tough.

ALL:

When you were looking for relocation land in the exurbs, were their any other places you searched other than commercial realtor sites? 

Thanks!
J

[Jackalope]

I'll send you a direct message.  I was at Rural King this afternoon, and I'll be going back there tomorrow.  Today, I went with one of our local mutual assistance group members, as he was looking for a Husqvarna chainsaw and wanted some advice.  Tomorrow, I'll be heading over there with a trailer to pick up some fencing supplies and feed.  Picked up some shooting supplies while we were there too!