Searching for Homestead Property. What you should ask before buying raw land.

Searching for a property to call your own can be extremely frustrating but conducting that search across the entire United States is something that makes you want to pull your hair out and scream.

Trust me, I know.

How do you narrow down what to search for?

How do you determine what property will make a good place to start a homestead or farm?

What should you be aware of when searching for that property.

All of these thoughts have been rolling through my head, so I did what I do when I can’t make sense of things. I head to Google.

I have been doing research about buying property, and I have found some interesting information that I never would have considered relevant to our homestead search.

I am going to list out each item I am taking into account during our homestead property search. If any of these items resonate with you, take a deeper look into them, and factor them into your own search as well.

Even if you are not wanting a 20-acre homestead like we are, these considerations will still apply to you.

So, let’s get to it.

Zoning Regulations

Zoning is a determination created by the local town or city government as a way to organize, plan, and control what can happen in certain areas.

For example, a piece of property may have a zoning code of residential, meaning it is meant for individuals or families to live on, or a code of commercial, meaning it is meant for business use.

So what zoning code is meant for a homestead?

Well, if you are wanting to just have a small garden and a few chickens, you may be able to comply with the residential zoning code. However, most residential zoning codes have tight regulations on what or how many animals you can have on your property.

If you are wanting to have more animals or a bigger garden than allowed with in the residential zoning code, you may want to opt for a property zoned for agricultural use or zoned as general use.

The good news is that zoning codes are not permanent. They can be changed by the local government, and you can petition to have that done if the property you really want has a zoning code that limits your goals for that property.

It is important to know the zoning codes of the property prior to purchasing, so you can choose if that is a battle you are willing to fight.

If you are working with a realtor, they should be able to tell you what the zone is for that property. If you are going at this search alone, you can check with the local zoning office to determine what the property is classified as and the process for changing it.

Existing Water Sources

The next thing I would consider when selecting a property for purchase would be, are there existing water sources on that property?

Water sources could be a well, creek, river, pond, lake, or natural spring.

I find properties with existing water sources to be more appealing in my search for a homestead.

The water source would provide me with a more self-reliant way to water my livestock and garden.

Because while being plumbed into a city water connection is great, it is also dependent on others. The water company who controls those pipes can disconnect your water anytime they feel the need to, and then what will you water your animals with?

I can keep a couple extra gallons of water in storage for my family, but that won’t do much for a herd of cows, so independent water sources are something I am keeping in mind.

I know wells are an option also, but depending on how fast you well refills with water, you many be limited on what you can use it for.

Restrictions, Covenants, and Rights

Restrictions, covenants, and rights are something you should be searching for on any property you purchase, but the truth is many people do not know that these exist. So, what are they?

Restrictions are often connected with the deed of the property and they tell you what you can and can’t do on your property. Restrictions are often associated with Homeowners Associations (HOAs), but they can exist independently of HOAs. The restriction associated with your property may be something such as what color you can paint your front door or what buildings you are allowed to have on your property.

Covenants are similar to restrictions; except they restrict one person to benefit another. An example would be at the beach, condo companies will often petition for a covenant that limits how tall a building in front of it may be so that the view to the beach is not hindered by their top suites. It benefits the condo, but it limits what another company may build on a different property. For a farmer or homesteader, a covenant could be something that does not allow you to spray chemicals on your property if they will enter the drinking water of animals downstream. Covenants may apply just to the person or they may ‘run with the land’ meaning no matter how many times that land changes hand, the covenant still applies.

Rights tell you what someone else can do to your property. A common right that comes with a property is an easement. An easement gives other people the right to have and use a road or driveway that runs through your property, in order to reach their own property. If the property you are purchasing has an existing easement or you will have to establish an easement to access your own property, you will need to determine who will care for that easement. Maintenance on a road or driveway can get pricey and you will want documents stating who has to pay for that upkeep.

Other type of rights to consider are water and mineral rights. A water right gives another person the right to control the water that runs through your property. They can determine if you can use that water to water your livestock or your garden. They can also choose to reroute that water, leaving you high and dry.

Mineral rights allow someone or a company to dig on your property for the specified mineral, this could mean establishing a mine for something like coal or panning for gold, but either way, they own that right.

Rights usually belong with the property and remain in place even when it is sold, so make sure you actually own all of the rights for your land. I have heard of rights being passed down in a family for generations, and you never know when someone is going to come and collect on those rights.

It is just not something I would want to worry about.

Landscape considerations

When searching for the perfect property to start a homestead, you may be focusing on if it is flat, if it has rolling hills, or if it is mountainous terrain unsuitable for livestock, but there are actually a few greater landscape conditions you should be taking into consideration.

The Direction the Property is facing

Did you know the direction of the property is important?

If you live in the northern hemisphere, like me, then you will want your property to be southern facing.

If you live in the southern hemisphere, you will want the opposite to be true.

The reason for this is that properties that are southern facing, in the northern hemisphere, make better use of sunlight. They have the longest amount of sun exposure compared to a piece of property facing east, that gets sun during sunrise; facing west, that gets sun during sunset; or facing north, that gets primarily shade.

The amount of sunlight your property will receive will have an impact on garden growth, egg production for chickens, and using natural lighting to light or warm your house.

Pasture to Tree Ratio

The pasture to tree ratio is an important consideration depending on how you want to use your land. I plan to have large pastures so I can easily set up a system to rotationally graze my animals, with a few trees for shade of course.

However, I would also want some forested land just because my current research shows that pigs thrive in the forest, and I want to raise pigs.

Finding land with a good pasture to tree ratio would be a great asset and would help set me on my journey a little faster.

Now, remember trees can always be cleared, but that may take time and money that you do not have to spend on it. So a good pasture to tree ratio is a major bonus.

Cliffs, Gullies, and Slopes

Cliffs, gullies, and slopes are important to consider in your property’s landscape as they may make it difficult for you or your animals to move about your property. They may also create draining issues and lead to flooding issues, especially if you have water sources on your property.

One way to determine if your property landscape may be an issue is to get out there and traipse around your property.

Are you finding it impossible to walk? Your animals may feel the same way.

Are you noticing areas that are muddy or swampy? You may have draining issues.

If rain is expected in the near future, use it to your advantage. After the rain has passed go walk the property again. It will help you visualize what draining issues the property has.

Near Income Opportunities/Distance from Town

I personally dream of a homestead far away from the bright city lights, but in reality, that will also make life more difficult.

Simple tasks such as driving to and from work or the grocery store can become more difficult if you live far from a town that affords you these opportunities.

While turning your homestead or farm into a business seems like a great idea, if you can’t physically reach your customers how will you make that happen?

Keep in mind, the farther out you will be the more limits you are setting on yourself. We know firsthand that the 1-2 hour commute to and from work gets very old very fast, so be practical and know your driving limitations.

Road Access

I think this one is so important when property hunting that I feel the need to touch on it again.

Will you have road access to that property?

Is there an easement in place if it is needed?

Does the property have road frontage?

Will you need to put in a driveway?

What is the cost of having a driveway created?

These are important things to consider.

It would be awful to buy a piece of property and later realize you could not even access that property, so take a moment and think about it now.

Homeschooling Laws

Homeschooling laws are very important for us, as we plan to homeschool our son when he is old enough.

I strongly believe that the public school system is designed as an umbrella to give all children some education, but they do not tailor that education for each child to enhance their learning. It would be impossible for them to because the teacher to student ratio is way too high. Until that changes, teachers just can not tailor a school program for each student.

However, if we homeschool our son, we will create a plan specific to him and his needs.

We will be able to let him guide his education and focus on his interests and goals in life.

Some states have very few homeschool regulations, while others strictly regulate homeschooling and who can provide that homeschooling.

So, for us, this is a major consideration in where we will be purchasing the property.

Growing Zone

If you are planning to have a garden, you need to look into your growing zone for that property.

Growing zones let you know your estimated length of time your plants will have to grow and what plants will be able to grow in your area.

If you are wanting to grow 80% of your family’s food each year, you may find one growing zone more beneficial for your family versus another.

You can find a map of the growing zones here.

Don’t let growing zones absolutely put you off from your dream location, though. As with everything else, if there is a will, there is a way. You just have to find your way.

I know many homesteaders using season-extending techniques to really maximize the growing zone, and you can too.

Property Taxes

You may or may not consider this one to be a major player in property considerations, but I think it at least deserves consideration.

Property taxes are something you will be paying for basically the rest of your life, so you might want to be aware if you are looking to live in a state with high or low property taxes, especially if you want a good chunk of property.

I have seen property taxes range from $30 to $1,000 per year, so take a quick gander at where your prospective property lies in the tax range, and determine if you are ok with paying that amount every single year.

Homestead Declaration

A homestead declaration is not something I knew about until I began researching what I should consider when looking for property to homestead.

A homestead declaration provides you some protection for your homestead in the event that you owe a large sum of money, or that you pass away and leave a large amount of debt behind for your family to deal with.

A homestead declaration varies from state to state, but most that I have read protect your homestead from being seized to pay the debts that you have accumulated since it is providing food for your family.

Not all states offer a homestead declaration, but it would be good to know if you were looking into a state that did offer it.

Available Utilities

Do you wish to have your home operate with power, water, sewage, trash pickup, internet, t.v., etc.?

If you do, it would be good to find out if the property has existing utilities in place or where the closest ones are.

During my property search, I often see property descriptions say there is power at the roadway, and that means we would have to pay to have power run from the road to our home site.

It can be pricey and a bit of a headache, so it is good to check into these beforehand.

You do not want to be that person that buys the property and then have the power company refuse to run power to it. You also need to be sure that you will have the funds to pay for utilities to be installed on your property.

Either way, knowing where the property stands in relation to the utilities you want is definitely something you should know.

Also, will you even have cell service at the property?

Operating a business from home means that we have to have cell service, so it is a major consideration to us, and it might be to you.

When you go out to walk the property, remember to check your phone often to determine how strong the signal is.

Off Grid Homesteading

In contrast to wanting to know if utilities are near the property, if you are wanting to live an off-grid lifestyle, you need to know if it is legal to do so in that area.

Each county has health and safety regulations that determine what you must have on your property, and unfortunately, some counties make it illegal to live off-grid.

I know some people work around this by having the utilities on the property and just not use them, but that is something you will have to figure out for yourself.

No matter what, if the off-grid lifestyle appeals to you, know if you can do it legally in that location.

Rainwater Collection

Now technically, there is no state that has a law against collecting rainwater.

However, many states regulate who can collect rainwater and for what purpose.

Did you know that you can collect over 500 gallons of water, with 1 inch of rain, if you have a 1,000 square foot roof?

That is a lot of water.

Rainwater collection is just another way to be a little more self-sustainable and be able to provide water to your livestock, garden, or family without having to depend on a company for it.

I plan to utilize rainwater collection on my homestead, so the ability to do so is really important to me.

Gun Laws

I saved this one for last, as I am sure it will be the most controversial topic on this list. If you do not believe in owning and using a firearm, I can see how this would not be something you consider, but my family strongly believes in exercising our 2nd amendment rights, and it made it on our list.

My husband loves to go hunting,

We carry for the protection of our family.

Plus, we really enjoy target practicing with our firearms.

Therefore, we would not want to live in a state that limits these rights.

We consider if the state offers a conceal carry license.

We want to know if the state supports the Stand Your Ground defense or the Castle Doctrine.

We also want to know how easy it is to purchase a firearm in that state.

If you are not a believer in individuals carrying guns, you may want to know what state limits each of these items so you can feel more comfortable living in that state.

If we are going to live in this location for the rest of our lives, we want to know that we will be comfortable doing so. We want to choose a location that benefits our dreams instead of restricting them.

Each of these items are just considerations that hav stood out to me during my research on where to start a homestead, and I thought they may aid you in locating the perfect property for you.

Is there anything I missing? Do you disagree with something I am considering?

Let me know in the comments below!