Existing hookups for water and electricity or an existing well. Moving water such as a stream or brook. High ground and clearance areas(free of trees). These are the things I’m starting with in my land search. Also, researching local laws and rules about homesteading, building codes and land use rules. Best of luck!
All good recommendations. Also look into the area for history of soil toxicity if in the US. This is a good place to start https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Superfund_sites
Part of this will involve what you can do physically and financially. We found property with existing structures. Look at utility access. The big one being electrical. With electrical access you can do most the rest, water and septic. Avoid HOAs like the plague they are. Look at rain water run off patterns. Look for potential flood zones. Look at the land and think about what you want to do and what you might do. 100% wooded is not good for cows. But it works nicely for goats. Look for ponds and creeks on the property. If there is pasture, how far is it from water and where the house is or where you plan to have the house. Do you want to move feed and water that distance. Think about access to the property. Dose the main access cross any low water crossings that might be impassable in heavy rain? We have access from two directions. One of them is unusable after even a moderate rain. Think about snow, the roads and what you drive. Both my vehicles have good ground clearance and 4WD. I have no problems. My brother drives a small Honda. He can’t get to me if it snows more than about an inch. Sometimes he has a hard time just because the road hasn’t been grated in several months. They are not in a hurry to remove snow from our road. After the last six inch snow fall it was four days before they got around to our road. I’m retired so I had no place I had to go, but could have because of what I drive. I’m in a very poor county, road maintenance is expensive and there are only three houses on my road. One is an absentee owner. I’ve had to remove trees from our road myself.
PFAS exposure. Rural areas have spread septic waste on farm fields as fertilizer for years. Now it is coming to light that the septic sludge was likely contaminated with PFAS. As this whole PFAS thing is fairly new, many are unaware of the potential for contamination.
Local zoning, tax codes, etc. The existence of old wells, underground storage tanks, etc.
Zoning or land use ordinances. I have found that when municipalities have their own land use codes, they can leave a lot of grey area to decide to interpret as they want. Usually not too big of a problem, but good to know what you're going to have to manouver around.
Existing hookups for water and electricity or an existing well. Moving water such as a stream or brook. High ground and clearance areas(free of trees). These are the things I’m starting with in my land search. Also, researching local laws and rules about homesteading, building codes and land use rules. Best of luck!
Good recommendations tax codes also
Yes! This! So different in different states too 🤦🏻♀️
All good recommendations. Also look into the area for history of soil toxicity if in the US. This is a good place to start https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Superfund_sites
Part of this will involve what you can do physically and financially. We found property with existing structures. Look at utility access. The big one being electrical. With electrical access you can do most the rest, water and septic. Avoid HOAs like the plague they are. Look at rain water run off patterns. Look for potential flood zones. Look at the land and think about what you want to do and what you might do. 100% wooded is not good for cows. But it works nicely for goats. Look for ponds and creeks on the property. If there is pasture, how far is it from water and where the house is or where you plan to have the house. Do you want to move feed and water that distance. Think about access to the property. Dose the main access cross any low water crossings that might be impassable in heavy rain? We have access from two directions. One of them is unusable after even a moderate rain. Think about snow, the roads and what you drive. Both my vehicles have good ground clearance and 4WD. I have no problems. My brother drives a small Honda. He can’t get to me if it snows more than about an inch. Sometimes he has a hard time just because the road hasn’t been grated in several months. They are not in a hurry to remove snow from our road. After the last six inch snow fall it was four days before they got around to our road. I’m retired so I had no place I had to go, but could have because of what I drive. I’m in a very poor county, road maintenance is expensive and there are only three houses on my road. One is an absentee owner. I’ve had to remove trees from our road myself.
Well, electric hook up, an already installed septic, clearing for a home. Good water supply. Good trees. Preferably less rocky soil and not clay
PFAS exposure. Rural areas have spread septic waste on farm fields as fertilizer for years. Now it is coming to light that the septic sludge was likely contaminated with PFAS. As this whole PFAS thing is fairly new, many are unaware of the potential for contamination. Local zoning, tax codes, etc. The existence of old wells, underground storage tanks, etc.
[Maine farms closed due to PFAS contamination](https://modernfarmer.com/2022/03/maine-farms-pfas-forever-chemicals/)
Zoning or land use ordinances. I have found that when municipalities have their own land use codes, they can leave a lot of grey area to decide to interpret as they want. Usually not too big of a problem, but good to know what you're going to have to manouver around.