I am a disabled US Marine Combat veteran who served in Iraq. My wife passed away about 3 months ago. It was our dream to own 4-8 acres, and just live off grid in a tiny cabin with a loft. I plan on making our dream come true. I am not sure where I am going to buy land, but I will eventually get it done. I am slowly saving money, as you may know Veterans don't make a lot of money. But it's my dream, our dream, and I will make it happen. Thank you for the video.
Sorry to hear about the recent loss of your wife. I have lived in Alaska for over 20 years and one of the biggest reasons people fail when trying to live in the bush is because their health limits them. I lived in a community with just 150 people and the road to that town was only open in the summer. A friend of mine had a wife with diabetes and living in such a remote location became impossible. It is not difficult to live in a very private location in interior Alaska and still have year round road access to a town with a hospital. I guess I would think about your life in 20 years and think about if the location you find will still work for you. Good luck in making this dream a reality. Take care.
You're right about cash. I bought 58 acres for $38,000, with multiple seasonal streams and plenty of substantial trees to build a log home. I offered cash with no contingencies. My closing attorney called to say everything checked out, but also he couldn't tell me exactly what I'd be buying. He asked me, "Are you sure you want to buy this?". I said I did. The thing is, I had already walked the land more than once and seen all the survey markings, so I knew the neighbors had done that work -- the corners were known and established, but no one had filed a plat with that info for *my* parcel. I closed, and walked across the street to the courthouse and got a map showing all the metes and bounds, and then hired a surveyor to make it official. Done.
33 years off grid I can say this is well thought out advice. I chose a location with gravity feed water, south slope, fertile soil and walked a half mile, each way to the car, for eight years before building a road, and putting in a standard sceptic to raise a family. still solar power but I ran a 3000 foot phone line in 2 inch conduit. I also dug a spring and trench 1600 feet through forest and stream , by hand, to run the water line. Definitely worth the learning curve.
@@almoemasonby standard I mean it is a 1500 gallon two piece concrete tank with 200 feet of leach field. Really modernized the feel of the camp become house and home
@@AI-Consultant when I buried this line there was no internet on earth Back then we had a five watt bag phone and it barely had service. Raising a family, before the internet, I provided the phone for my son's to communicate with friends, and so folks could reach me with offers of work.
Your one of the few You Tubers that pinpoint the real issues, not pie-in-the sky crap you see on so many channels. I'm off grid 23 years. If you want city amenities, stay in the towns. There's lots of more you didnt have time to mention, but you're the most realistic channel I've ever seen on UA-cam. That comes from living it.
You said it. Good education is getting harder and harder to find so many many people especially future generations surely appreciate this advice and tips.
Genuine advice is hard to come by. But when you hear it, it just sounds right. Hard to pin on other videos what’s not there, or the undertones that take away. Greetings from a still on-grid fellow.
Brooke and subscribers will you allow me a few comments? I’m an Escrow Officer and have been since 1992. I worked out of Anchorage Alaska from 1997-2012. I’ve closed thousands of transactions. Alaska is an escrow state vs Michigan which is an attorney state. If you want to buy off grid land in Alaska especially please get title insurance. I closed many transactions that DID NOT HAVE legal access. It’s what we call land locked. Your title report will disclose that to you. That means you have to fly in and land on your property. There are many parcels of land in Alaska where there’s an “agreement” between neighbors where you can cross their land to get access to your property. I would not suggest purchasing that property. There must be written and recorded easements for ingress and egress or look elsewhere. Especially if you buy without realtors or are not familiar with the process. It could save you much heartache not to mention funds. ♥️ Buy land with legal access or be very friendly with your neighbors.
This Realtor says Amen!! I'm happy to give free 2nd opinions, some flat fee consulting etc. to folks who feel they can't afford a full ride with a Realtor. I tell everybody your best friend is at title. They know local law, the market, RE agents. Yeah they want to close your deal but they're local experts that don't want a bad rap in the years to come. They can usually smell a bad deal. So can we honest Realtors but the bimbos have made our lives hard lol
@@countrysister700 whew! Fortunately this hyper market is calming down. There’s always this group that comes in with no knowledge or experience and try to corner the market. Two years later they are out of the business. I call them crapet baggers.
I bought 2 acres in the mountains of Lugano Switzerland. The best part is it's off the road system by over 2 miles. The land here is extremely hard to get unless you either know someone or your extremely rich. I got lucky because the owner had recently passed and his son no longer lived in Switzerland and just wanted a quick bit of money.
My advice is never be in a hurry to purchase a particular property. If it gets sold out from under you, so be it! Go to the property under different weather conditions, if at all possible. Go there during a rainstorm or snowstorm. Go there after a rainstorm or snowstorm. Check out the areas over a time period of several months so you know what it’s truly like out there. Are there squatters in the area? Is there a dispute over land lines? Michigan can be notorious for that. Wonderful videos and I subscribed! Thank you!
Eh it's a tradeoff, being careful is all well and good but many people have been unable to purchase property for years because they don't want to take a risk by buying too fast. I bought my place relatively fast, got lucky, and have been reaping benefits while others have only seen prices climb out of their budget and still have nothing.
@RV Boondocker....I'm 76. When I was in my teens we had a used airstream for family vacations....my father painted a name on the side of the trailer.....the Boondocker.......when they sold it years later, the new owners bought our "Wally byam" number and asked to keep the name, Boondocker So our little cottage on wheels trundled on down the road with a NEW young family..to investigate more State parks and accessible Land areas.great memories Were made.....👋🏻☺️
As a realtor in Idaho and a fellow off-grid enthusiast, I take these things into account. I give advice that many realtors won't or can't due to lack of knowledge. I like to actually help people vs just making another sale. ❤️
You made me realize how lucky we are! Bought three off-grid acres in Ward, Colorado with existing, well-constructed, cabin for $125K (2017). Rustic, 400 sq.ft., insulated, 1970's cabin with a metal roof has a wood stove, propane heat, an upstairs sleeping loft, two decks and unobstructed views of the Indian Peaks mountain range. We bought the three adjacent acres on James Creek, fronting forest land, for $95K (2022). No neighbors in sight but friendly people nearby with seasonal cabins who respect privacy. Two miles off scenic highway on a privately maintained, rough dirt road with year-round access. A few neighbors plow the snow in winter. 15 minutes to Ward, 40 minutes to Nederland, 60 minutes to Boulder or Estes Park, 90 minutes to Denver. All surrounding property is off-grid with no electricity. The sound of the creek is the only thing we hear. Total dark skies at night. We added solar, a cistern for water, a septic system, internet dish, propane, a generator, box freezer, indoor plumbing, water heater and a shower. Planning to dig a well next year. Compared to other options, I realize it's the ideal off-grid property people would love to find!
I grew up till I was 12 using an outhouse. My dad said the reason for a two seater outhouse is so that you rotate using each side to fill it up equally and not have to move it and dig a new hole as often.
The place where they pushed the soil and branches/trees/whatever into a berm has an upside. They basically created a Hugelkultur mound which is why currents are growing on it. The wood under the soil absorbs rain and moisture and then releases it to the plants over time. And it decomposes to feed the plants. Eventually, it will become really good topsoil.
The biggest thing I’ve dealt with when looking at and buying off grid properties are surrounding neighbors , trespassers, squatters, entitled old men that “have been hunting there for years” and aren’t about to listen to any new owner telling them what to do, corrupt police, popular party spots for locals, etc. The other bad thing to deal with is the constant calls, letters, texts and email from people wanting to buy your property from you.
Everything you mentioned are issues that are critical. Almost impossible to assess until a resident for a while. Living near a city on six acres for 30 years and still an interloper. Big city neighborhoods offer the most acceptance and anonymity. Tried out small city in middle of farmland, possibly more invisible forces and controls at work. I have started noticing Masonic lodges everywhere. Looking for something that might not exist . Too much surveillance and code regulation, nosy neighbors, community affiliations, everywhere .
This one 'resonates! Little story - Down here in Tasmania... My husband and I bought acreage out bush where no-one had lived for decades. Yes, Off Grid. We lived in a caravan while we started building our little cabin, brought in our dogs, chickens, ducks, geese and goats. Not long after we moved in - a couple of jeep loads of hunters - all tough young male 'yobbo's' ( that's drunken rednecks in your vernacular ) all kitted out wth mounted spotlights, guns, ammo belts and cases of beer, came roaring down our dirt track around 11pm, and started firing - live rounds - over our van. Shouting and laughing and having a high old time "Terrifying the Hippies!" Then they kept driving on down to the old overgrown back paddocks - going Roo Hunting. I said; "One road in = one road out!". They've gotta come past us to get home. So we took our own shotgun - that we've bought the week before and had both been 'practicing' with. ( as I told a friend later; at that point I'd only shot one tree, but confessed; "it wasn't running very fast at the time!" ) So we dragged a fencing log across the road and stood there with our flashights waiting for them to come back. Which they did. My husband,with gun in hand, was as polite as always; Meekly he said; "Perhaps you guys were unaware that people are living here now? I'd ask you to not shoot near our property!" They replied; "F You! We've been shooting down around here for years and ain't gonna stop now!" That's when I got impatient. Snatched the shotgun out of my dear partner's hands and pointed it at their front tyre and said; . "You will NOT be 'F-in' shooting anywhere near or over our property ever again - or near our stock! {2 goats} - or I'll shoot your 'F-in' tyres out and you'll be walking the 20 klicks back to town!" "Rah! Rah! Tough Btch!"- they shouted back and then drove up and over our post and took off. That was a Saturday night. Monday morning I started a new job at a local Apple Packing Shed. The boss put me on the Grader. This was a conveyer roller belt that carried the apples up toward the packers stations. On the opposite side of the belt was my 'trainer'; a large guy, Irish ex-wharfie, by the name of 'Big Black Bob' , who's every 2nd word started with F! Our job was to pick out the damaged or branch scored apples and flick them down a side chute to a Juicing Bin. After a little while, I got very fast at this job. Too fast. Many of my flicked apples missed the chute and flew over and kept hitting Bob in the hip. He started calling me 'Bruiser'. Turns out, the Forklift operator in this same shed was the driver of the Jeep from the Saturday night before. (small town!} Pretty soon - word spread all over - not just in the shed but the whole community; that there was a 'Tough new B' in town - "Not your average Hippie!" and 'even Big Black Bob calls her Bruiser!" Anyways... Those Shooters never came back! 😅😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I’m in S Fl and have several properties along with family members who also have properties. Between us we receive anywhere from one to three contacts every day asking if we want to sell. So, being the s a that I can be I tell this one guy I want 1.45 million for my property. Next thing I know he sends me a contract with a $3,000 deposit. 😂 I think he’s trying to contract flip. That’s the newest thing apparently. 🙄
Been off grid in AK for 20 years and I can tell you that this woman is amazingly knowledgeable about the realities of choosing land. If she were to look 2 or 300 miles south of here the land, trees,and water depth are WAY sweeter. Fairbanks sucks. If you are seriously considering a move like this I would learn as much as you can from this lady.
Really cool content Brooke, after searching southern Tennessee and southern Alabama for a piece of off-grid property with no deed restrictions, we finally purchased 2.76 acres in southern Alabama, this land sits on a 800 acre spring feed fresh water lake. The property came with a well, septic system, and power pole. For now we just purchased a used 24 foot RV camper trailer to live in and installed 1800 watts of solar, which is plenty of power for our needs. Were using a gas generator to run the pump well to transfer water to our 2 storage units that hold 250 gallons and then they are gravity feed into the camper. We cook on propane. Not sure if were going to build a cabin on it, for now the RV is working great. Were only 5.8 miles from major shopping. Were not sure if were going to sale our condo in Key Largo, Florida, people are willing to pay $5,000 a week to vacation in the Florida Keys and that's a very positive cash flow. Will probably keep it for one more year and then sell it. That lake we live on, there is no public access to it, and it's loaded with fish......
If you don't mind me asking how much did you pay for the 2.6 Acres ? my wife and I are moving from New Hampshire South looking down in the same area thanks.
Although to be honest if you live anywhere near civilization just about every decent piece of land that has any sort of year-round water it's probably been bought up. @@tomc3216
We bought a 4 acre property that was abandoned for $2,500, 15 years ago. We had to clean everything up, bring water, build shed and plant our orchard and garden. We have learned a lot by owning it and know the challenges that go with it. We enjoy using it during the late spring - early fall. Is very isolated and beautifully located next to a lake. We have enjoy it so much over the years. We use it to do the things we can't do in our city property and our children have grown with nature, animals, wild life and lots veggies, fruits and the out doors. There are things that go with buying property off-grid and is good you are mentioning some of them because people need to know the amount of work some of this things can take and challenges.
I've been looking diligently for a piece of the pie for 2 years. By the time I get a call back from the realtor, (and sometimes i never did)the land was sold. I've made countless trips to see property that was worthless! So i never dreamed i would ever purchase site unseen! I watched your video and decided if i ever see something really close to what I'm looking for I'm gonna make an offer. We just made an offer on 43 acres in WV. They did send me drone footage and it was exactly what we were looking for. Mountains, a stream, a flat place for a cabin/shed.....and I'm giving you lots of the credit here! After your Challenge videos something 'clicked'. If you could only know how much you and your videos have changed my life for the better.....you so inspire me! We just 'closed' on the property 3 weeks ago! You're my daughter's age....she and I are both huge fans! Keep up the good work my 'Girl in the Woods'!!
Thank you Brooke for your video. After decades and *several* dozen on-site land searches, I finally found a my dream-spot of off-grid land: pristine, wetland, woods, meadow and half a lake - all on five acres, with an option to buy five more. All next to a dirt road, with no one to the north, south, east or west of me. As a beekeeper, I have been looking for this land for years - and finally found it. No corporate farmers with pesticide near-by either. My bees will love it there. I will start building my large A-frame next spring. It was a county tax-forfeiture and I outbid everyone there. It was over-priced, more than what most people would bid at, but it satisfies *every* requirement that I need for myself and my bees. Like what you said, I also used the term "the land spoke to me". Dreams do come true - and for me they definitely did... :)
For 2023, it’s hard to nail down specific predictions for the housing market is because it’s not yet clear how quickly or how much the Federal Reserve can bring down inflation and borrowing costs without tanking buyer demand for everything from homes to cars.
@Craig Daniels Given current recession pressures, it is unlikely that the stock will yield substantial returns in the near term. However, it may be a suitable investment opportunity. I will monitor market conditions and consider purchasing when there is an improvement in the relevant economic indicators, any idea which stocks this may be?
I grew up in the city and the older I get, the more I inspire to be like you and your husband. Thank you for all of your free content you share with us. You are a literal God send.
@Deplorables R Us to be honest, its only the best thing you can do IF you realise how much physical work will be involved. And how much daily discipline is needed to maintain an off grid place. I recently looked after an offgrid place built by a good friend of mine forty years ago: I had to learn all sorts of things about checking the septic tank levels accurately (so that when level is high, the pump has to be turned on to send the excess into the backup pond etc). I would't want city folk to get the idea this is all lying around on banana lounges sipping iced tea! i found i was the most physically active there than i have been for years. This is a good thing, but: you are the only one there to do the maintenance, sometimes this is a daily affair and it has to be done ''whether you feel like doing it or not''. If you see what i mean... its not for couch potatoes.
@@pipfox7834 Let me be clear - we are NOT off grid. I meant we moved to a much more "country" setting Not homesteading. I agree it is a ton of work from what I have seen and read about it. People do need to GTFO of these vile cities but most don't listen like everything else.
Hi Brooke Great you’re educating people. I’m looking to get an off grid property but already got the hell out of Los Angeles County and up in Humboldt. I bought a coffee pot like the one you used on ALONE. I’m in my sixties and still work more than 20 year olds. Finally have some peace of mind. Lifetime Television made a movie about my family, Miracle Run, and you can guess a had a difficult life. So when I moved up here I made a self promise and that was to connect with nature. So I grow my food, can, talk long walks and long prayers. Once in a while while a problem pops up and I tell my husband I don’t care , just want to be happy. Going back to the basics is the only way.
Larry Haun was my neighbor growing up! He was an extremely kind and gentle man, an excellent craftsman, and deeply beloved by his family. So cool to see his book shouted out here in a video I just stumbled across! Rest well, Larry.
Brooke you have a unique persona and a great way of connecting, & communicating with others. You are a role model for up and coming female outdoorsman, well people who just want to get outside & get happy. You and Dave sometimes cover the same or very similar content, but from different perspectives which is always great. hope the kiddos are doing well. & of course Maisey Daisy the Bold with Moose the tree climbing air walking squirrel. Lol
Thanks for the tips, Brooke! I've been blessed with a 30' x 50' pole barn with concrete floors to park my van in and most of the building materials (via "sweat equity") to build a tiny home/cabin for my "white woof" and I to stay in this winter. I really appreciate the videos you & Dave have shared on building, driving wells, etc. A home base of sorts to come back to in between forays of Boondocking. Later, friends ... God Bless
Saw this video last night after work & reminded me of how I used to be so inspired by your lifestyle back before I had to work so much to stay afloat & now no time for yt videos, so I fell asleep benge watching your stuff last night. Your faith in Jesus & prayers on video are heartwarming to see. What a team y'all are. I truly love your content. Just plain real.
Wow! I've never considered the many issues with purchasing land. You listed so many things I've never even thought about. Superb info! Thanks for sharing.
I love how in-depth your comparison pieces are when describing the property on sale. It’s not just, “from what it is, to what you should look for.”, it’s also, “from what it is, to this is why you shouldn’t depend on certain attributes entirely.”. Incredible! Please, give us more like these! Thank you so much!
You hit on every single important aspect of off grid property search/ownership and there are many. Broken dreams, on-site-inspection, financing/cash, deeded access, researching current ownership, driveway maintenance, power, communications, heat, water & soil. I don't know anyone who knows as much as you and Dave in regards to purchasing off grid property. Maybe you've just created a new niche "buyers agent specializing in off grid property". Always appreciate the executive summary from Dave. 'it'd be magic up here'. Indeed.
@@therealgirlinthewoods The only other tip I might add is asking yourself the question, Does the property have quick resale value if, for some unknown reason, you need or want to sell and move?
@@marciabyram6003 Quick resale! You need the right type of people who want to live out in nowheresville. So I’d say it could be sitting for awhile. Because you DO NEED the right type of person.
I'm a prepper Realtor. While we're seen as the enemy, if a shopper is sharp and ready to take notes, an ethical local Realtor can warn a buyer of local issues like Brooke points out and connections for local experts and contractors for other questions. One of the big issues is your ability (or lack of it) to borrow money to purchase or to insure a property with no power, running water, possibly very marginally safe structures. If you can buy for cash and have deep pockets to cover any casualty (fire, wind, etc) or liability (a friend or worker is severely injured on your property) you're ok. A great deal of risk is involved before you ever get to the point of evaluating the place's ability to meet your needs.
In Europe when I was young there were still medieval type dwelling. They utilized thick walls and deep basements for their animals that were brought in at night. They were kept near and safe. As their home was above or/and next to the basement area. It was a massive basement that included storage rooms. The animals were watched almost constantly when they were in the fields. They could do that because they were a village. Plus they had guardian dogs. They brought their animals in at night and took them to pasture every morning. Chickens, ducks stayed closer to home and kept the courtyard clean. They had water troughs. They milked their cows. They made their own cheese, and butter. No one harassed them back then. They were always very clean.
@@janet1744 I am not sure what you are trying to contribute to the conversation but I suspect that animal husbandry didn't change much during war, there were still villages that took care of animals and milked them etc. If anything watching the animals and bringing them inside at night would be even more important during war. also, the commenter was likely born after the wars, they were a very long ago.
That was probably the most realistic and sensible video on this subject that I have ever watched! I was feeling pretty smug that I knew the right questions to think about, but you really brought out things that had never come to my mind! So thank you for your insightful analysis and very generous use of your past experience to help others make better choices when seeking property, on or off grid !
You won't hear this type of advice from most Realtors, but some of us are homestead and off-grid friendly. You do need more knowledge than what's here, before spending your hard earned money. This is accurate information and a great start to your journey.
I wish there was a full list that could be downloaded. I have a pretty good list of things to know when buying raw land but a full list to cover everything would be great.
I admire your courage. In 1970 I was drafted and fought the snow war at Ft. Richardson near Anchorage. I remember battling biting flies and mosquitoes as well as the cold. The northern lights and howling wolves while on guard duty were great memories. It was preferable to a fire-base in Viet Nam.
This is a VERY helpful, informative, honest video on what should go into considering buying a piece of property off grid. Excellent job! I can only imagine how many of your fans who are longing to do this appreciate this video!
You are a gold mine of information, Brooke. You and Dave are an inspiration. I greatly appreciate and admire the amazing skill sets you both bring to the table. It really takes a lot of gut's and know how to do what you do, and do it so well. Stay safe, and keep us posted.
If I could give more than 1 thumbs up, I would. This is the most comprehensive run-down I've seen. The editing is excellent. All your points hit the mark. And all those points are the things folks starting out need to hear over and over again. The fog of the romanticised hut-in-the-woods causes a lot of people to get part way in, only to find that they- or their partner (or both) cannot handle the actual realities of making those financial trade-offs. Thank you.
Impressive video. I started a bit late (graduated from my doctorate program at age 30 in 2016 with 170k in school loan debt). Managed to pay off my debt by 2019 and currently have a house and 250k total in investments (combo of profit share, 401k and a brokerage account). I'm not very knowledgeable in investing, so I just have my investing currently in index funds mainly voo, but have been putting a lot into schd the past few months. I dunno if that's the optimal strategy, but psychologically it is very set it and forget it, and prevents me from obsessing over individual stock performance.
Instead of using different brokerage accounts to purchase index funds or individual stock, compare your age(s) and how much time you have estimated till retirement, you can also opt to consulting/working with a fund manager/advisor for an “optimal strategy” to outperform the bear market.
@@marcelrobert9569 Please tell me how I can think I have such skills. My funds are being murdered by inflation, therefore I'm looking for a more profitable investing strategy to put
@@obodoaghahenry9297 she runs her firm under her name Julie Anne Hoover. You can find her contact page if you research her. Do your due diligence you'd find all you need to know.
Lots of good tips, thank you. Something else to watch out for with self builds, is that many counties/jurisdictions in the US and around the world, have restricted that ability. Be sure to check on what you are allowed to do, what permits you may need, if you have to get inspections done, and if the local laws require any components to be completed by a licensed professional. I’m sure some dreams have died when land owners thought they could self build and then found they couldn’t, or worse, built and then were subjected to forced demolition.
plus somebody who knows what they're doing already knows that. so anyone who doesn't know that already, doesn't know enough to actually do the build properly. and that's how you end up with a nice looking interior that's about to fall over because the foundation wasn't right to start with. I mean look at that!! no cross bracing, that place is a death trap!! and who knows what it's like INSIDE the walls
Good call, I know of a real nice built home between Boise and Mountain Home, that’s empty nobody living there and they can’t sell it Because no building permit and the foundation is wrong It’s a shame!
Don't ask. If they can't see it from the road, they'll never know. The only thing pulling permits does is increase your property taxes. If you're concerned at all, build on a trailer frame - doing that then makes the house technically a mobile home, even though it'll never move.
@@spjr99 And how often does that even ever happen? Gov't workers are lazy f uh cks, and like I said, if you build on a trailer frame it is automatically a "mobile home", which has no codes nor permits required. Work in construction, husband is a contractor in both residential and commercial construction for over 25 years, has the code book memorized! So I'm not speaking out of my butt hole here, lol.
Thank you for being so honest especially about cash, work, financing, and caring for animals. Learn from these broken dreams. There is a reason for them. I try to explain these things to my kids, but they watch a lot of videos and forget that the people making them have more money to play with than most of us or some get free land from relatives or friends. ❤
This is my first time viewing your channel. Not only did the 38+ minutes seem to fly by, but the information I gathered, the knowledge/experiences/expertise you shared..., too much to really fathom. Extremely enjoyable. Truly an awesome vicarious experience. Too say I enjoyed this video is an understatement. Another commentator stated you should author a book. I whole heartedly agree. God Bless you, your husband, and the handsome tree hugger that joins you on your journeys. He's a beautiful companion to have.
yes so on time i am going g to look at a 4.1 acre and it has a well and septic tank kind of concerned flat land and mountain views. The property is a 2 bedroom fixer upper the nearest house is a .25 mile away. I want to eventually make it a camping ground. I am in my 50;s and just me and my beagle wish me look my intentions are ambitious but aim to held people love being in nature , especially young people it was the ONLY thing good that happening my childhood a camp...my mom always threw me to random strangers and one summer it was the camp.and i have found relief in nature ever since. any advise will help thank you much!
I've wanting to be off-grid for several years. Didn't plan, just dreamed. Tried to plan, but don't know how to plan. Now as I near retirement, I'm not sure if I still want to be away, or just in some little house in a rural community with a big garden and potential for friends to drop by. Thanks for all the stuff to think about. You never know when a Plan will actually form.
Thanks Brooke for helping us learn to evaluate land! Everyone does have different priorities in mind, Different skills, interests, needs and abilities/disabilities. Some people might be looking for a great place to hunt, and if there are lots of moose around the one place with the big clearing and food for them, that could be perfect. I’ve been other places where you find tons (ok, I mean bucketsful) of raspberries, mulberries, blueberries, or currants like you did. If you can get many gallons of free wild fruit nearby, you can dry some or preserve a variety of recipes for nearly free- jams, juice, pie filling and sauces, which could be a step toward self-sufficiency. I wonder if in some places you could transplant more berries of the type you like onto your land? Maybe in some places you could build a raised bed and move some soil in, growing things like potatoes, cabbage, peas, greens, broccoli, herbs - things that will do well in Alaska. & if you’re near a river maybe you can supply yourself with fish? Personally I have too many disabilities to do this anymore, but it’s some thing I still dream about. I always felt like I was born in the wrong century. I love what you and Dave do! Thanks for showing us how to pursue a more joyful life, with wisdom! 💙🌲🛌💭😘🌻
Thanks Sally for your post, so much knowledge you have..... Yes, it sure sucks to get old and broken down... My dream has been to have acreage where "worn out folks" could have access to actual "nature?" experiences, with all kinds of adaptations to accommodate their abilities. Now, land prices are insane, with thousands of acres bought only for speculation, by off shore buyers, usually bought sight unseen and will be held for generations, although recently some are being flipped, for twice the price.....🤔😩😭
Great one Brooke! Oh to be young and silly again! You have some great tips here! 7 decades for me, so it’s a hard no, but someone has the energy to do it. Go get it folks 😀😊💝
This is one of the most SANE and REALISTIC off-grid tutorial that I’ve seen. I only came here to look at what others have for buildings, as I did my due diligence on a retirement property far more remote than what I have now a while back. There’s rarely a property that is “perfection”, but after doing the listings Zillow/MLS/Private Party tour *without* the realtor in tow, I found property that fulfilled the long criteria list that I have which includes below fair market pricing. This year, layout of what goes where, what I want for buildings and gather needed permits and equipment logistics. Next year I get real serious with it’s development.
You said it best when you stated that you will be often buying “someone else’s broken dreams”. The left behind bicycles and cars and structures…all left in the silence of loss and failure. You could not have said it better. Broken dreams.
Good to know. I’m buying some property in southeast Alaska in the land auction this fall. It really helps to know someone who lives in that area if you can’t make it there in person.
Great info, all the practical considerations not only for off grid, but also buying acreage with an existing house, perhaps nearer to a town. Thanks for taking the time to share the process. 😊
Thank you for taking the time to make a video on what it takes and the truth about buying land in Alaska or any off-grid area. The blood, sweat and tears of living off-grid is a reality for the educated who can see the beauty of nature 'round the corner. Love the bunker find and saw the prior videos on it, can't wait to see what you turn it into! 🥰
"When it gets 80, it can be brutal..." the difference between location and comfort perspectives is sometimes huge. Texas every-other-year occurrence of 105 degrees F is my definition of brutal. I would LOVE a cap at 80! Motorcycle weather! Very nice video. Thank YOU!
Thanks for sharing! Just bought my first off grid property and have been looking into building a livable shed. Nice to see an older shed and all the failure points. What worked/ what didn’t. You’re right, prices are outrageous right now. I paid 14k for an acre in the mountains above Palm Springs ca. I’ll be hauling water / trash for a couple years, 30 mins to a fully developed town, but luckily I just found a campground with a water well. I’ll be paying to stay twice a month just for the opportunity to top off my tanks. Been watching you guys for a long time- thanks for showing us your ways! Watched the remake of your original cabin and I instantly knew I could do the same. Really appreciate it.
Hey Brooke. I always learn something from your videos. Would you and Dave ever consider using a piece of land like this for an off grid learning center especially after retirement. You could hold tiny cabin building classes on this land every few weeks or once a month in the summer. Eventually, you would have a tiny cabin complex for off-griders to stay in for future classes on living in harmony with nature. Wish I was 20 years younger but maybe next time around.
I'm actually working on doing a class like that on my offgrid ranch and offer others the chance to stay here for any amount of time to determine if it's a fit
Great information, I have been off grid for a while and if you can’t handle camping then don’t think you can handle living off grid, good luck everyone ✌🏻
All great points Brooke! I had an off grid cabin in NW Montana in my younger days in the later part of 1980 and how I wish I still had it. In my 60’s now, I think I could still have maintained a property that we put so much work into early on. Unfortunately, I know I couldn’t do it well now and hiring it out is completely not doable. That is why I watch your channel to live my old life vicariously! Keep on keeping on girl! Love it!
I’ve lived off grid many times over 48 years. The land takes care of itself for the most part. A few things “need” to be done. The main thing is what do we need as elders. Medical, social, financial needs are our biggest concerns. Our place is far from a medical facility.
Just found your site today and find you to be a most amazing woman, person, worker, thinker and role model. I admire you and am envious of your lifestyle . At age 67 I am caring for a disabled husband which feels impossible some days but YOU make me believe I can continue and perhaps, someday, have the chance to at least taste a tiny fringe of the kind of life you live. I look forward to watching a lot more of your work. Thank you!
Great video. I just wouldn’t have thought of all that goes into buying off grid land. Thanks for all this valuable information. You’ve learned by experience- If I would have seen that last piece of property that looked like a big junk yard- I wouldn’t have paid $1,000 for it. It would be just too overwhelming the amount of work to clean that up. I’m too old and too tired to take that on. Great information and great video.
Hey y’all lol ! I got my cabin 2.5 years ago and paid less than 38 grand for it and the trees were cut back away from it several years ago there’s a lake which the 1.5 acres joins the water catches and solar was already there also with a natural gas tank
Excellent video! From a Realtor for over 30 years my recommendation is to always write your contract so it’s contingent upon a survey. If the State offers title insurance you absolutely 100% want title insurance. Then, try to speak to any and all neighbors; don’t take everything they say as gospel but they are quick to tell you the ins and the outs of the area.
Thank you so much for all this information Brooke. You pointed out so many things that we would forget. It was also nice to see Dave and your fur baby in the video. PS I just received my shirt and I love it. Stay safe the both of you.
Your advise is spot on my friend. My husband and I have been married 56 years and we started with nothing here in Wisconsin. We bought a home from the 1950’s for $16,000, fixed it up the 900 sq. ft. home on three quarters of land and sold our house five years later for $40,000, cash. We kept working hard and moving up and today we live in our dream log home on eight acres in Southern WI. It works! 😁😅
A underground bunker is a must for me, I refuse to freeze, if the house were lost, at least it would be 50 degrees, in a underground bunker! And a great place to store most of your food and other valuables as well
I love how you mix being realistic with being inspiring. You don't gloss over the work and hardship, and simple things like 'what are you doing to do while you are there?' that people like me discount in their hunger for a little peace. 'Hard but doable and worth it' seems to be the reality. Would give 2 thumbs up if I could. :)
Something interesting I’ve been told by a few people that own/owned off grid property is that if it’s more than 3 or 4 hours drive you’ll probably rarely get to use it, you have to have quite a bit of spare time to go to it or spend time working on it.
@@trenton73 I think most people use theirs as a cabin or retreat or potential bug out location to get away from chaos not really as a permanent residence. Having children myself would make it very difficult to do if it was a full time thing unless the suburbs we live in become unliveable or too dangerous. My next door neighbor has a place in the hills 8 hrs away and he only visits it once a year, he’s told me a couple times that it’s almost not worth having because it’s such a long journey to get to. Living completely off grid would be a very solitary existence and is not something many people would enjoy, I think that’s maybe why the settlers of old eventually moved closer to towns or gathered closer to others, for that reason or for safety or for whatever other reasons people desire to be around people. There’s always the exception to the rule and maybe you are one of them but not me, at this point in our lives we need people but it sure would be nice to have a place not too far away to go relax and unplug from society once and a while. Hope you find what you’re looking for.
Brooke, this is such good information! Through the years I've looked and considered many pieces of land but never pulled the trigger. Your video puts things into perspective very well. I’m sure it will be a great guide to many of us. Thank you for your work!
I've been making your sourdough pizza, rolls and bread 🍞 that I came across on your page. Had never even heard of making SD base. Now it's on our menu 😋 very easy to make.
While I’ve never been interested in being off grid, the information in this video is GOLD. One of the reasons I’ve not contemplated it is because I’ve had several friends end up in the “stuck” situations described in this vid. I wish they’d have been able to see this vid. Great job. Thank you!
Very encouraging, I am moved to try something like this, though I would like something near a running water body. Thanks for opening a new horizon for me.😅
I want to thank you both for your great inspiring video's. I'm buying 2 acres of land sight unseen in New Brunswick Canada and i live in Quebec about 8 to 10 hours from Honeydale route 755. This is probably one of the stranger things i have done in a while. I have watched land and houses almost every day for several years and have seen a big price increase since Covid and felt that this was the time before everything was too expensive. I dream of putting a small 16 by 24 cabin with my father and a friend to lend a hand. I plan to use this spot as a vacation spot and a place i can retire in 15 years if i choose. Thanks for your video's on Utube,i love them.
Hi Chris have you checked out Raspberry Rock off grid living channel? Russell and Alicia have such beautiful land and a lovely cabin that Russell built they are in Canada. They have a fun live show on Friday evenings too.
This is really interesting. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, being real and getting us to think about important easily overlooked questions. My dream is to live in the country but I've got a fair few steps before I can make it a reality. I'm a single woman so that makes it a bigger challenge. And I live in the UK where land and houses are often expensive. At the moment I'm renting a small house and I have an allotment which I'm clearing and preparing to grow food on, and there I can learn a lot of useful skills. I'm already a gardener but I'm fairly new to things like woodwork. I'm not sure how I can make my dream happen but my next step is setting up my business to provide me with a good income.
Thank you, Brooke! Your videos are so inspirational and this one was especially informative. I fantasized about getting a little cabin off the grid somewhere in the northeast but without a partner, it seems a bit scary. After watching this video, I feel I can hone in a little better on what is feasible for my needs. Say hello to Dave for me. Cheers.
I'm a 70's disabled veteran who never got a dime from uncle SAM they lost my medical records where I spent the better part of nine months getting put back together in Letterman army hospital, I left the army in the late 70's still in leg braces but worked my tail off so I could work in construction. 30+ years of hanging drywall, laying water and sewer line and flat work concrete and many other trades as a helper to some very kind men. With my bride by my side I worked from Alaska to Florida and California to NC. My time in Alaska was so much fun nothing but Davis bacon bush work from Kodiak to Barrow and the Yukon to Nome including Seward Peninsula, I was based out of Fairbanks and when a hand full of us guys in different trades came together and helped each other out building our homes, what a blast, Oh and by the way 45 years after I left the military they found my records they had me down as a sprained ankle how funny is that. My bride and I will be celebrating stepping into our 5th decade and in 2022 bought a very secluded 4 acre little piece of land with a home and detached garage very deep in the mountains of NC 2 miles from the TN line. The nearest store/town is a 50 mile round trip I know it sounds like heaven right? In almost 2 years we've been here we have put in a 2000 sq ft fenced in garden planted 10 fruit trees built a 8 by 10 garden shed, 10 by 12 chicken coop with 1500 sq ft of fencing and a fowl netting over it to protect my hens from hawks. I have a neighbor 8 miles away that rebuilds pallets and the ones he can't use he gives to me for the price of taking them off his place I have broke down about 200 of them and made my bride close to 100 raised beds and filled them with my helper "shovel and wheel barrow" moved some 90 cubic yards with my little helper also made friends with a fellow who had a mill and he has been gracious enough to practically given us nearly 50 sq yards of mulch. Remolded the home with poplar and pine giving our home a rustic feel as I added a master bath with a 13ft by 5ft walk-in closet and new toilet walk-in 38 by 38 shower and surprised my bride with a new 14 by 12 ft pantry. Last week I set up a 20 by 10 ft green house I think I'm going to have to drop in a hand well I watched your videos on how you did it and would like another source of water, 2 wells makes me feel like it would cover our animals and other needs. Thank you for all your tips we are just having a ball as we watch our little farm/ranch grow. Blessings from a couple of old farts :)
My wife and I cleaned up our lives, still are actually, and found a little farm. We converted a pre-made wood shed into a cabin. It's a costly project. The drive to get there and back to our city home, both in time and money, effect our limits. It doesn't stop us, though. We're dream makers, not dream wishers. Takes a lot of time, effort and resources to transition to off grid permanent lifestyle. Learned a bit about survival, first-aid and self-care over the decades. Crashed my bicycle and almost died. That was an adventure. Emergency medical access to our place is accessible, both by vehicle and helicopter. Working on permanent transition. For now it is a blessing to have a getaway where you can see the big jet planes, and the sound doesn't break thru. We suffer the effects of economic inflation, too. We have to be very smart and protective about what little money we do have. Not everyone is on our side. Unfortunately, we have to be watchful of those who are incapable of loving themselves and others and work to destroy others dreams. I am Marine, service-connected disabled. Can't speak for other individuals' reasons, I served my country and the world's people for peace. If you are reading this, I served for you, too, whether you or I like it or not. You are worth it.
This is a really amazing video, Brooke, you have the experience and you really lay it on the line! As someone who's been driving around Western Canada looking for years now, I can support the idea of 'feet-on-the-ground' and spending some time in the area. In fact, I highly recommend 'try-before-you-buy' and renting in the area you want to buy in for a while. I've learned a crazy amount, and that what I thought I wanted wouldn't have been right in the long run. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Excellent info! Started building on our MI property last year, and realized we had drainage and pooling issues that really made it difficult to get back to our build. That put a pause on our Hipcamp plan - have to wait until budget allows for rocks / fill so we can raise up the low areas and get easily in and out. Another thing is.. WOW do things look different in summer VS winter. The structure was completely hidden from the main road and trail in the summer, but completely obvious in the winter when all the leaves fell. Lots of things to think about but well worth the experience. Encourage everyone to attempt their own build someday, in some way...
I love this video. I love hearing your perspective on how to evaluate land. I don't live in Alaska, but I visited once and sometimes I look at land prices. The commentary on soil drainage and trees that grow in poorly draining soil was enlightening. I also was really surprised to learn about the year round public spring. I had no idea that was a thing. Really really cool information. Thank you.
I am glad you have someone to share your life with. You deserve to be happy. My suggestion for the stump is - leverage. Leave the trunk as tall as you can and attach your strap as high up as you can - again, leverage.
I live in a historic late 1700's log cabin that we completely gutted and renovated. I have always loved the primitive look, and am an old soul...We have 16 acres with a pond and tons of woods with a state park above us that no one can develop. We heat with a wood stove, and have plenty of wood on our acreage.We bought it in our 20's for cheap, since it needed work. I am now 50, and although I wonder and admire new homes that are bigger with more room, the older I get, I am happy I don't have to take care of much and it is paid for at 50 years old. The surroundings are rich, with a pond, streams, and an abundance of wildlife, including black bear, coyotes etc.... Now, looking at inflation and the economy, I feel extremely blessed.❤ Simple living is the best. I live in a very rich state, so my state of living is not glorified...oh well!
My wife and I got lucky. We bought 10 acres of raw land in Upstate NY last year for 24k, 10 minutes from a beautiful reservoir and some of the best fishing around. The property used to be part of a 140-acre private hunting club, with ATV trails all over. The access road runs through the middle of it, essentially giving us 2 very different parcels of 5 acres apiece. One is mostly flat with a lot of nice, mature white pines, cherry, maple, and a few scattered apple trees. The big open area that used to be a food plot is now covered in thick brush that we're going to get cleared out soon to build an a-frame. Until then, I built an outhouse and kept an area clear for camping. The other half of the property drops down into a marshy area before rising again to dry ground. We can only really use that half for hunting, but it gives us a nice 500-foot buffer from our neighbors. The land company we purchased from handled all the legal paperwork and helped us get financing. All in all, a really nice find, and we're pretty excited about it.
Man, I LOVE sweat equity! My husband and I took on many handyman specials over the years to grow our assets. We never shied away from hard work. Sadly he passed away recently. I have such great memories of working side by side ripping and tearing out and building back. ❤️
If you can find a property in Alaska with a huge rock on it, build your cabin on top of that. Foundation problems are a big issue here. Water and access are huge. Remote off road is cheaper initially but then you will spend that money saved over time getting in and out to a remote property. But you’ll have solitude. Easy road access will have more “traffic.”
Holy Cow someone with a brain. Solid sound advice from start to finish. Dont recall ever watching a video that was so full of ACURATE information. To quality my opinion I own 30 acres at the end of the road.
I pray you find your land and home. Ty you for ur service as my husband is a veteran also. Go find ur piece of land and find your peace. Keep us posted. Ty
Great advice Brooke and Dave,and we been watching you for years now,and toward the end of this video it looked like you were checking out a debris shelter ,like you used to build when you used to do those videos,you've come a long way baby lol.Thanks for all the ideas and the many miles you covered to bring us this one! Stay safe out there and that little moose is a great companion,see you soon.
Very nice video, Brooke. I have 125 acres in Pennsylvania that I've had for 24 years. It's riverfront property that's basically two mountains. I built a lodge on it in 2003 and just finished completely refurbishing the place. It's completely off grid, solar electric, well, and septic. It took a lot more money that I anticipated. During it's construction, I had the money. But, I didn't really track it. But, that would be the first piece of advice I'd give to anyone... Plan on spending a lot more than you think. It's also sitting on Marcellus Shale, a big plus for the Natural Gas fans. The problem is that I now want to sell it and I have no idea how to go about doing that. It's not conventional, being off grid. It will be priced completely out of the local market since I'm in a rural community and I haven't found a good way to actually get the word out. So, I imagine it's going to sit for a while. Having said that, your video was very informative in what a buyer would be looking for. Even though you center your advice around a less than 100K property set up, I think it makes sense for properties that are in a much higher bracket as well. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and I hope you continue to have a successful journey.
Solar powered atmospheric water generators are perfect for a place like this. They pull water right out of the air, pass it through filters to make them safe for drinking, then the water is either collected in a gravity fed water tank or pumped into one. They can be noisy. There are different grades of this type of equipment for residential (on or off grid), up to commercial scale. Zero Mass makes one model for home use. Each panel pulls up to one gallon of water from the air per day. They are working on a version that runs quieter without sacrificing performance. As well as a year round version so it can be used in the winter without freezing. For these properties you want to be sure you have complete rights to the timber, water, access to the property, all mineral and deposit rights, rights to the air space as well. Those larger parcels of land are excellent for solar and wind farming. With electric air conditioners that also can heat a room you'd be set. Instead of simply living on top of the land you may want to create an underground dwelling for storm shelter as well as more living and work space with better control over interior temperatures. With a satellite Internet feed like from StarLink you'll have broadband satellite Internet. Maybe not good enough for some work at home gigs that require a physical connection to everything but some remote jobs aren't as picky.
This was amazing! So many helpful tips that I would never have thought of. I just began my first off-grid property in a completely different climate but a lot of these tips are still relevant
I am a disabled US Marine Combat veteran who served in Iraq. My wife passed away about 3 months ago. It was our dream to own 4-8 acres, and just live off grid in a tiny cabin with a loft. I plan on making our dream come true. I am not sure where I am going to buy land, but I will eventually get it done. I am slowly saving money, as you may know Veterans don't make a lot of money. But it's my dream, our dream, and I will make it happen. Thank you for the video.
I want you to know how much your sacrifice and service is appreciated. 🇺🇸🦅
Wishing you the best in achieving your off-grid dream someday. 👍
@@theenglishprofessor8411 thank you very much
Really nice homes
Sorry to hear about the recent loss of your wife. I have lived in Alaska for over 20 years and one of the biggest reasons people fail when trying to live in the bush is because their health limits them. I lived in a community with just 150 people and the road to that town was only open in the summer. A friend of mine had a wife with diabetes and living in such a remote location became impossible. It is not difficult to live in a very private location in interior Alaska and still have year round road access to a town with a hospital. I guess I would think about your life in 20 years and think about if the location you find will still work for you. Good luck in making this dream a reality. Take care.
@@theenglishprofessor8411 Fighting dirty unjust wars? Never in a million years. Good luck.
You're right about cash. I bought 58 acres for $38,000, with multiple seasonal streams and plenty of substantial trees to build a log home. I offered cash with no contingencies. My closing attorney called to say everything checked out, but also he couldn't tell me exactly what I'd be buying. He asked me, "Are you sure you want to buy this?". I said I did.
The thing is, I had already walked the land more than once and seen all the survey markings, so I knew the neighbors had done that work -- the corners were known and established, but no one had filed a plat with that info for *my* parcel. I closed, and walked across the street to the courthouse and got a map showing all the metes and bounds, and then hired a surveyor to make it official. Done.
Im just curious why you wouldn’t do a survey first? Nice buy though, congrats!
when did you buy this property?
What are the property taxes yearly?
Why didn't you survey first?
If you ever consider some great neighbors would love to permaculture a small lot
33 years off grid I can say this is well thought out advice.
I chose a location with gravity feed water, south slope, fertile soil and walked a half mile, each way to the car, for eight years before building a road, and putting in a standard sceptic to raise a family.
still solar power but I ran a 3000 foot phone line in 2 inch conduit. I also dug a spring and trench 1600 feet through forest and stream , by hand, to run the water line.
Definitely worth the learning curve.
George when you say you installed a "standard sceptic" was that one of your parent or one of hers?
@@almoemasonby standard I mean it is a 1500 gallon two piece concrete tank with 200 feet of leach field. Really modernized the feel of the camp become house and home
@@almoemason typos notwithstanding the parents were definitely sceptics for a few years
3000 foot phone line??? what for? internet?
@@AI-Consultant when I buried this line there was no internet on earth
Back then we had a five watt bag phone and it barely had service.
Raising a family, before the internet, I provided the phone for my son's to communicate with friends, and so folks could reach me with offers of work.
Your one of the few You Tubers that pinpoint the real issues, not pie-in-the sky crap you see on so many channels. I'm off grid 23 years. If you want city amenities, stay in the towns. There's lots of more you didnt have time to mention, but you're the most realistic channel I've ever seen on UA-cam. That comes from living it.
You said it. Good education is getting harder and harder to find so many many people especially future generations surely appreciate this advice and tips.
Genuine advice is hard to come by. But when you hear it, it just sounds right. Hard to pin on other videos what’s not there, or the undertones that take away.
Greetings from a still on-grid fellow.
Why would u buy a junky house like that instead of buying a used trailer? I live in an airstream and love it.
@@goldengirls0125 because the junky house is way cheaper than a trailer. and there could already be a well, septic and electric on it. 😊
@@croswellianprincess3590 I trailer is def cheaper and if there is any electric in that house i def wouldnt trust it.
I’ve been off grid for 2 years. It has its challenges but overall I wouldn’t go back. It’s so peaceful and wonderful.
Brooke and subscribers will you allow me a few comments? I’m an Escrow Officer and have been since 1992. I worked out of Anchorage Alaska from 1997-2012. I’ve closed thousands of transactions. Alaska is an escrow state vs Michigan which is an attorney state. If you want to buy off grid land in Alaska especially please get title insurance. I closed many transactions that DID NOT HAVE legal access. It’s what we call land locked. Your title report will disclose that to you. That means you have to fly in and land on your property. There are many parcels of land in Alaska where there’s an “agreement” between neighbors where you can cross their land to get access to your property. I would not suggest purchasing that property. There must be written and recorded easements for ingress and egress or look elsewhere. Especially if you buy without realtors or are not familiar with the process. It could save you much heartache not to mention funds. ♥️ Buy land with legal access or be very friendly with your neighbors.
absolutely!
This Realtor says Amen!! I'm happy to give free 2nd opinions, some flat fee consulting etc. to folks who feel they can't afford a full ride with a Realtor. I tell everybody your best friend is at title. They know local law, the market, RE agents. Yeah they want to close your deal but they're local experts that don't want a bad rap in the years to come. They can usually smell a bad deal. So can we honest Realtors but the bimbos have made our lives hard lol
@@countrysister700 whew! Fortunately this hyper market is calming down. There’s always this group that comes in with no knowledge or experience and try to corner the market. Two years later they are out of the business. I call them crapet baggers.
Brooke, you and Dave should collaborate on a book filled with all of ya'lls knowledge. I am sure it would be invaluable.
I bought 2 acres in the mountains of Lugano Switzerland. The best part is it's off the road system by over 2 miles. The land here is extremely hard to get unless you either know someone or your extremely rich. I got lucky because the owner had recently passed and his son no longer lived in Switzerland and just wanted a quick bit of money.
I agree, Thomas. A reference book, also with photos included.
I'd buy it, that's for sure! Love Brooke n Dave!
I’d buy that book
I'd buy it! Even, an ebook.
My advice is never be in a hurry to purchase a particular property. If it gets sold out from under you, so be it! Go to the property under different weather conditions, if at all possible. Go there during a rainstorm or snowstorm. Go there after a rainstorm or snowstorm. Check out the areas over a time period of several months so you know what it’s truly like out there. Are there squatters in the area? Is there a dispute over land lines? Michigan can be notorious for that. Wonderful videos and I subscribed! Thank you!
Eh it's a tradeoff, being careful is all well and good but many people have been unable to purchase property for years because they don't want to take a risk by buying too fast. I bought my place relatively fast, got lucky, and have been reaping benefits while others have only seen prices climb out of their budget and still have nothing.
@RV Boondocker....I'm 76.
When I was in my teens we had a used airstream for family vacations....my father painted a name on the side of the trailer.....the
Boondocker.......when they sold it years later, the new owners bought our "Wally byam" number and asked to keep the name, Boondocker
So our little cottage on wheels trundled on down the road with a NEW young family..to investigate more
State parks and accessible
Land areas.great memories
Were made.....👋🏻☺️
@@braeutchen41 Very cute story! Yes, we love our 4x4 “cabin”. We always joke that it is 60 ft.² of the Four Seasons Hotel.
@@Inspectorzinn2 I’m sure it mostly works out. 😊
@@rvboondocker2559 🤭🤭🤭
As a realtor in Idaho and a fellow off-grid enthusiast, I take these things into account. I give advice that many realtors won't or can't due to lack of knowledge. I like to actually help people vs just making another sale. ❤️
thanks for that! you're rare
Anyway to know if a realtor knows anything about off grid places?
@@beverlycyrus4306 ask good questions. Ask their knowledge of offgrid and see what they say.
Old MD. well driller. Yup yer rare. Drilled a lot of wells for realtors, doctors, lawyers. People with lots of money. Quarter million an acre in 1990
@@therealgirlinthewoodscan you help me find a place for my family?
You made me realize how lucky we are! Bought three off-grid acres in Ward, Colorado with existing, well-constructed, cabin for $125K (2017). Rustic, 400 sq.ft., insulated, 1970's cabin with a metal roof has a wood stove, propane heat, an upstairs sleeping loft, two decks and unobstructed views of the Indian Peaks mountain range. We bought the three adjacent acres on James Creek, fronting forest land, for $95K (2022). No neighbors in sight but friendly people nearby with seasonal cabins who respect privacy. Two miles off scenic highway on a privately maintained, rough dirt road with year-round access. A few neighbors plow the snow in winter. 15 minutes to Ward, 40 minutes to Nederland, 60 minutes to Boulder or Estes Park, 90 minutes to Denver. All surrounding property is off-grid with no electricity. The sound of the creek is the only thing we hear. Total dark skies at night. We added solar, a cistern for water, a septic system, internet dish, propane, a generator, box freezer, indoor plumbing, water heater and a shower. Planning to dig a well next year. Compared to other options, I realize it's the ideal off-grid property people would love to find!
Great spot I ride my motorcycle there all the time
But what do you do for a living and how much do you make weekly?
If you ever need a renter 😅 👋🏼
I grew up till I was 12 using an outhouse. My dad said the reason for a two seater outhouse is so that you rotate using each side to fill it up equally and not have to move it and dig a new hole as often.
The place where they pushed the soil and branches/trees/whatever into a berm has an upside. They basically created a Hugelkultur mound which is why currents are growing on it. The wood under the soil absorbs rain and moisture and then releases it to the plants over time. And it decomposes to feed the plants. Eventually, it will become really good topsoil.
My thoughts too
The biggest thing I’ve dealt with when looking at and buying off grid properties are surrounding neighbors , trespassers, squatters, entitled old men that “have been hunting there for years” and aren’t about to listen to any new owner telling them what to do, corrupt police, popular party spots for locals, etc.
The other bad thing to deal with is the constant calls, letters, texts and email from people wanting to buy your property from you.
So why have any phone or even an addresss. That’s what off grid is about.
Interesting points all of them. Besides online clues (news, etc), are there some tips you can give regarding the physical on-the-ground investigation?
Everything you mentioned are issues that are critical. Almost impossible to assess until a resident for a while. Living near a city on six acres for 30 years and still an interloper. Big city neighborhoods offer the most acceptance and anonymity. Tried out small city in middle of farmland, possibly more invisible forces and controls at work. I have started noticing Masonic lodges everywhere. Looking for something that might not exist . Too much surveillance and code regulation, nosy neighbors, community affiliations, everywhere .
This one 'resonates! Little story - Down here in Tasmania...
My husband and I bought acreage out bush where no-one had lived for decades. Yes, Off Grid. We lived in a caravan while we started building our little cabin, brought in our dogs, chickens, ducks, geese and goats. Not long after we moved in - a couple of jeep loads of hunters - all tough young male 'yobbo's' ( that's drunken rednecks in your vernacular ) all kitted out wth mounted spotlights, guns, ammo belts and cases of beer, came roaring down our dirt track around 11pm, and started firing - live rounds - over our van. Shouting and laughing and having a high old time "Terrifying the Hippies!" Then they kept driving on down to the old overgrown back paddocks - going Roo Hunting.
I said; "One road in = one road out!". They've gotta come past us to get home. So we took our own shotgun - that we've bought the week before and had both been 'practicing' with. ( as I told a friend later; at that point I'd only shot one tree, but confessed; "it wasn't running very fast at the time!" ) So we dragged a fencing log across the road and stood there with our flashights waiting for them to come back. Which they did. My husband,with gun in hand, was as polite as always; Meekly he said; "Perhaps you guys were unaware that people are living here now? I'd ask you to not shoot near our property!" They replied; "F You! We've been shooting down around here for years and ain't gonna stop now!"
That's when I got impatient.
Snatched the shotgun out of my dear partner's hands and pointed it at their front tyre and said; . "You will NOT be 'F-in' shooting anywhere near or over our property ever again - or near our stock! {2 goats} - or I'll shoot your 'F-in' tyres out and you'll be walking the 20 klicks back to town!" "Rah! Rah! Tough Btch!"- they shouted back and then drove up and over our post and took off.
That was a Saturday night. Monday morning I started a new job at a local Apple Packing Shed. The boss put me on the Grader. This was a conveyer roller belt that carried the apples up toward the packers stations. On the opposite side of the belt was my 'trainer'; a large guy, Irish ex-wharfie, by the name of 'Big Black Bob' , who's every 2nd word started with F! Our job was to pick out the damaged or branch scored apples and flick them down a side chute to a Juicing Bin. After a little while, I got very fast at this job. Too fast. Many of my flicked apples missed the chute and flew over and kept hitting Bob in the hip. He started calling me 'Bruiser'. Turns out, the Forklift operator in this same shed was the driver of the Jeep from the Saturday night before. (small town!} Pretty soon - word spread all over - not just in the shed but the whole community; that there was a 'Tough new B' in town - "Not your average Hippie!" and 'even Big Black Bob calls her Bruiser!" Anyways... Those Shooters never came back!
😅😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I’m in S Fl and have several properties along with family members who also have properties. Between us we receive anywhere from one to three contacts every day asking if we want to sell. So, being the s a that I can be I tell this one guy I want 1.45 million for my property. Next thing I know he sends me a contract with a $3,000 deposit. 😂 I think he’s trying to contract flip. That’s the newest thing apparently. 🙄
Very good....im off grid 42 years sun,soil,water ,woods,taxes ,jobs, access winter. Stone for building. You covered it.
Been off grid in AK for 20 years and I can tell you that this woman is amazingly knowledgeable about the realities of choosing land. If she were to look 2 or 300 miles south of here the land, trees,and water depth are WAY sweeter. Fairbanks sucks. If you are seriously considering a move like this I would learn as much as you can from this lady.
Protect this woman at all costs
LOL
True story!😊
Really cool content Brooke, after searching southern Tennessee and southern Alabama for a piece of off-grid property with no deed restrictions, we finally purchased 2.76 acres in southern Alabama, this land sits on a 800 acre spring feed fresh water lake. The property came with a well, septic system, and power pole. For now we just purchased a used 24 foot RV camper trailer to live in and installed 1800 watts of solar, which is plenty of power for our needs. Were using a gas generator to run the pump well to transfer water to our 2 storage units that hold 250 gallons and then they are gravity feed into the camper. We cook on propane. Not sure if were going to build a cabin on it, for now the RV is working great. Were only 5.8 miles from major shopping. Were not sure if were going to sale our condo in Key Largo, Florida, people are willing to pay $5,000 a week to vacation in the Florida Keys and that's a very positive cash flow. Will probably keep it for one more year and then sell it. That lake we live on, there is no public access to it, and it's loaded with fish......
@@overlandecuador4872 We have a management company that handles all aspects of the rental, all we have to worry about is paying the real estate tax.
GREAT FIND!!! Best of luck to you guys!!
Sounds like Eufaula
I’m from south Alabama...curious what approximate area you’re in? Another commenter said Eufaula?
If you don't mind me asking how much did you pay for the 2.6 Acres ? my wife and I are moving from New Hampshire South looking down in the same area thanks.
Just a tip, you want to know the flood plain...you don't want to build too close to even the smallest crick!
Those babbling brooks can turn a dream into a nightmare quickly
Although to be honest if you live anywhere near civilization just about every decent piece of land that has any sort of year-round water it's probably been bought up. @@tomc3216
We bought a 4 acre property that was abandoned for $2,500, 15 years ago. We had to clean everything up, bring water, build shed and plant our orchard and garden. We have learned a lot by owning it and know the challenges that go with it. We enjoy using it during the late spring - early fall. Is very isolated and beautifully located next to a lake. We have enjoy it so much over the years. We use it to do the things we can't do in our city property and our children have grown with nature, animals, wild life and lots veggies, fruits and the out doors. There are things that go with buying property off-grid and is good you are mentioning some of them because people need to know the amount of work some of this things can take and challenges.
I've been looking diligently for a piece of the pie for 2 years. By the time I get a call back from the realtor, (and sometimes i never did)the land was sold. I've made countless trips to see property that was worthless! So i never dreamed i would ever purchase site unseen! I watched your video and decided if i ever see something really close to what I'm looking for I'm gonna make an offer. We just made an offer on 43 acres in WV. They did send me drone footage and it was exactly what we were looking for. Mountains, a stream, a flat place for a cabin/shed.....and I'm giving you lots of the credit here! After your Challenge videos something 'clicked'. If you could only know how much you and your videos have changed my life for the better.....you so inspire me! We just 'closed' on the property 3 weeks ago! You're my daughter's age....she and I are both huge fans! Keep up the good work my 'Girl in the Woods'!!
Thank you Brooke for your video.
After decades and *several* dozen on-site land searches, I finally found a my dream-spot of off-grid land: pristine, wetland, woods, meadow and half a lake - all on five acres, with an option to buy five more. All next to a dirt road, with no one to the north, south, east or west of me. As a beekeeper, I have been looking for this land for years - and finally found it. No corporate farmers with pesticide near-by either. My bees will love it there. I will start building my large A-frame next spring.
It was a county tax-forfeiture and I outbid everyone there. It was over-priced, more than what most people would bid at, but it satisfies *every* requirement that I need for myself and my bees.
Like what you said, I also used the term "the land spoke to me". Dreams do come true - and for me they definitely did... :)
For 2023, it’s hard to nail down specific predictions for the housing market is because it’s not yet clear how quickly or how much the Federal Reserve can bring down inflation and borrowing costs without tanking buyer demand for everything from homes to cars.
@Craig Daniels Given current recession pressures, it is unlikely that the stock will yield substantial returns in the near term. However, it may be a suitable investment opportunity. I will monitor market conditions and consider purchasing when there is an improvement in the relevant economic indicators, any idea which stocks this may be?
@@tatianastarcic that's actually quite impressive, I could use some Info on your FA, I am looking to make a change on my finances this year as well.
@@richardhudson1243 Found her, I wrote her an email and scheduled a call, hopefully she responds, I plan to start 2023 on a woodnote financially.
I grew up in the city and the older I get, the more I inspire to be like you and your husband. Thank you for all of your free content you share with us. You are a literal God send.
That is awesome!
We got out 3 years ago - Best thing you can do especially with all of the mayhem coming very, very soon!!
@Deplorables R Us to be honest, its only the best thing you can do IF you realise how much physical work will be involved. And how much daily discipline is needed to maintain an off grid place. I recently looked after an offgrid place built by a good friend of mine forty years ago: I had to learn all sorts of things about checking the septic tank levels accurately (so that when level is high, the pump has to be turned on to send the excess into the backup pond etc). I would't want city folk to get the idea this is all lying around on banana lounges sipping iced tea! i found i was the most physically active there than i have been for years. This is a good thing, but: you are the only one there to do the maintenance, sometimes this is a daily affair and it has to be done ''whether you feel like doing it or not''. If you see what i mean... its not for couch potatoes.
@@pipfox7834 Let me be clear - we are NOT off grid. I meant we moved to a much more "country" setting Not homesteading. I agree it is a ton of work from what I have seen and read about it. People do need to GTFO of these vile cities but most don't listen like everything else.
Hi Brooke Great you’re educating people. I’m looking to get an off grid property but already got the hell out of Los Angeles County and up in Humboldt. I bought a coffee pot like the one you used on ALONE. I’m in my sixties and still work more than 20 year olds. Finally have some peace of mind. Lifetime Television made a movie about my family, Miracle Run, and you can guess a had a difficult life. So when I moved up here I made a self promise and that was to connect with nature. So I grow my food, can, talk long walks and long prayers.
Once in a while while a problem pops up and I tell my husband I don’t care , just want to be happy. Going back to the basics is the only way.
How did lifetime fins out about your family?
Amen! You are so 💯 percent correct!
Larry Haun was my neighbor growing up! He was an extremely kind and gentle man, an excellent craftsman, and deeply beloved by his family. So cool to see his book shouted out here in a video I just stumbled across! Rest well, Larry.
Brooke you have a unique persona and a great way of connecting, & communicating with others. You are a role model for up and coming female outdoorsman, well people who just want to get outside & get happy. You and Dave sometimes cover the same or very similar content, but from different perspectives which is always great. hope the kiddos are doing well. & of course Maisey Daisy the Bold with Moose the tree climbing air walking squirrel. Lol
thanks so much!
Thanks for the tips, Brooke! I've been blessed with a 30' x 50' pole barn with concrete floors to park my van in and most of the building materials (via "sweat equity") to build a tiny home/cabin for my "white woof" and I to stay in this winter. I really appreciate the videos you & Dave have shared on building, driving wells, etc. A home base of sorts to come back to in between forays of Boondocking. Later, friends ... God Bless
That is awesome!
Hi Brooke, thanks for your videos, they are so inspiring! We are on our way to the Hiawatha Forest in the UP, where we have some off grid acres.
Thanks, with Starlink internet should be not a problem anywhere
Saw this video last night after work & reminded me of how I used to be so inspired by your lifestyle back before I had to work so much to stay afloat & now no time for yt videos, so I fell asleep benge watching your stuff last night. Your faith in Jesus & prayers on video are heartwarming to see. What a team y'all are. I truly love your content. Just plain real.
Same but love watching. I'm a gypsy at heart and lived in the road for years before my son had to go to school. 🫂💕💕💕
Wow! I've never considered the many issues with purchasing land. You listed so many things I've never even thought about. Superb info! Thanks for sharing.
I love how in-depth your comparison pieces are when describing the property on sale.
It’s not just, “from what it is, to what you should look for.”, it’s also, “from what it is, to this is why you shouldn’t depend on certain attributes entirely.”.
Incredible! Please, give us more like these! Thank you so much!
You hit on every single important aspect of off grid property search/ownership and there are many. Broken dreams, on-site-inspection, financing/cash, deeded access, researching current ownership, driveway maintenance, power, communications, heat, water & soil. I don't know anyone who knows as much as you and Dave in regards to purchasing off grid property. Maybe you've just created a new niche "buyers agent specializing in off grid property". Always appreciate the executive summary from Dave. 'it'd be magic up here'. Indeed.
awesome thanks!
@@therealgirlinthewoods The only other tip I might add is asking yourself the question, Does the property have quick resale value if, for some unknown reason, you need or want to sell and move?
@@marciabyram6003 Quick resale! You need the right type of people who want to live out in nowheresville. So I’d say it could be sitting for awhile. Because you DO NEED the right type of person.
I'm a prepper Realtor. While we're seen as the enemy, if a shopper is sharp and ready to take notes, an ethical local Realtor can warn a buyer of local issues like Brooke points out and connections for local experts and contractors for other questions. One of the big issues is your ability (or lack of it) to borrow money to purchase or to insure a property with no power, running water, possibly very marginally safe structures. If you can buy for cash and have deep pockets to cover any casualty (fire, wind, etc) or liability (a friend or worker is severely injured on your property) you're ok. A great deal of risk is involved before you ever get to the point of evaluating the place's ability to meet your needs.
In Europe when I was young there were still medieval type dwelling.
They utilized thick walls and deep basements for their animals that were brought in at night. They were kept near and safe. As their home was above or/and next to the basement area. It was a massive basement that included storage rooms.
The animals were watched almost constantly when they were in the fields. They could do that because they were a village. Plus they had guardian dogs.
They brought their animals in at night and took them to pasture every morning.
Chickens, ducks stayed closer to home and kept the courtyard clean.
They had water troughs.
They milked their cows.
They made their own cheese, and butter.
No one harassed them back then.
They were always very clean.
Interesting...in places like Vietnam they kind of sleep w their chickens...but..u can get bird flu.
You forget WW1 and WW2 in Europe when things were not as you discribe. 😢
@@janet1744 I am not sure what you are trying to contribute to the conversation but I suspect that animal husbandry didn't change much during war, there were still villages that took care of animals and milked them etc. If anything watching the animals and bringing them inside at night would be even more important during war. also, the commenter was likely born after the wars, they were a very long ago.
That was probably the most realistic and sensible video on this subject that I have ever watched! I was feeling pretty smug that I knew the right questions to think about, but you really brought out things that had never come to my mind! So thank you for your insightful analysis and very generous use of your past experience to help others make better choices when seeking property, on or off grid !
You won't hear this type of advice from most Realtors, but some of us are homestead and off-grid friendly. You do need more knowledge than what's here, before spending your hard earned money. This is accurate information and a great start to your journey.
I wish there was a full list that could be downloaded. I have a pretty good list of things to know when buying raw land but a full list to cover everything would be great.
@@mikuspalmis
- Planning permission
- Sewage
- public rights of access
- Flooding Zone
- Rights of land produce (timber, mineral)
I admire your courage. In 1970 I was drafted and fought the snow war at Ft. Richardson near Anchorage. I remember battling biting flies and mosquitoes as well as the cold. The northern lights and howling wolves while on guard duty were great memories. It was preferable to a fire-base in Viet Nam.
This is a VERY helpful, informative, honest video on what should go into considering buying a piece of property off grid. Excellent job! I can only imagine how many of your fans who are longing to do this appreciate this video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
You are a gold mine of information, Brooke. You and Dave are an inspiration. I greatly appreciate and admire the amazing skill sets you both bring to the table. It really takes a lot of gut's and know how to do what you do, and do it so well. Stay safe, and keep us posted.
Wow, thank you!
If I could give more than 1 thumbs up, I would. This is the most comprehensive run-down I've seen. The editing is excellent. All your points hit the mark. And all those points are the things folks starting out need to hear over and over again. The fog of the romanticised hut-in-the-woods causes a lot of people to get part way in, only to find that they- or their partner (or both) cannot handle the actual realities of making those financial trade-offs.
Thank you.
Impressive video. I started a bit late (graduated from my doctorate program at age 30 in 2016 with 170k in school loan debt). Managed to pay off my debt by 2019 and currently have a house and 250k total in investments (combo of profit share, 401k and a brokerage account). I'm not very knowledgeable in investing, so I just have my investing currently in index funds mainly voo, but have been putting a lot into schd the past few months. I dunno if that's the optimal strategy, but psychologically it is very set it and forget it, and prevents me from obsessing over individual stock performance.
I’m thinking of doing the same but not sure if I should use different brokerage accounts? Just Curious. Pros and cons ?
Instead of using different brokerage accounts to purchase index funds or individual stock, compare your age(s) and how much time you have estimated till retirement, you can also opt to consulting/working with a fund manager/advisor for an “optimal strategy” to outperform the bear market.
@@marcelrobert9569 Please tell me how I can think I have such skills. My funds are being murdered by inflation, therefore I'm looking for a more profitable investing strategy to put
@@obodoaghahenry9297 she runs her firm under her name Julie Anne Hoover. You can find her contact page if you research her. Do your due diligence you'd find all you need to know.
Say whaaat?
Been in business for decades...
She's spot on.
Lots of good tips, thank you. Something else to watch out for with self builds, is that many counties/jurisdictions in the US and around the world, have restricted that ability. Be sure to check on what you are allowed to do, what permits you may need, if you have to get inspections done, and if the local laws require any components to be completed by a licensed professional. I’m sure some dreams have died when land owners thought they could self build and then found they couldn’t, or worse, built and then were subjected to forced demolition.
plus somebody who knows what they're doing already knows that. so anyone who doesn't know that already, doesn't know enough to actually do the build properly. and that's how you end up with a nice looking interior that's about to fall over because the foundation wasn't right to start with. I mean look at that!! no cross bracing, that place is a death trap!! and who knows what it's like INSIDE the walls
Good call, I know of a real nice built home between Boise and Mountain Home, that’s empty nobody living there and they can’t sell it
Because no building permit and the foundation is wrong
It’s a shame!
Don't ask. If they can't see it from the road, they'll never know. The only thing pulling permits does is increase your property taxes. If you're concerned at all, build on a trailer frame - doing that then makes the house technically a mobile home, even though it'll never move.
@@AgnesMariaL yeah but if you are found out you have to be able to move that house. and good luck
@@spjr99 And how often does that even ever happen? Gov't workers are lazy f uh cks, and like I said, if you build on a trailer frame it is automatically a "mobile home", which has no codes nor permits required. Work in construction, husband is a contractor in both residential and commercial construction for over 25 years, has the code book memorized! So I'm not speaking out of my butt hole here, lol.
Thank you for being so honest especially about cash, work, financing, and caring for animals.
Learn from these broken dreams. There is a reason for them. I try to explain these things to my kids, but they watch a lot of videos and forget that the people making them have more money to play with than most of us or some get free land from relatives or friends. ❤
true
This is my first time viewing your channel. Not only did the 38+ minutes seem to fly by, but the information I gathered, the knowledge/experiences/expertise you shared..., too much to really fathom.
Extremely enjoyable. Truly an awesome vicarious experience.
Too say I enjoyed this video is an understatement.
Another commentator stated you should author a book. I whole heartedly agree.
God Bless you, your husband, and the handsome tree hugger that joins you on your journeys. He's a beautiful companion to have.
Glad it helped!
yes so on time i am going g to look at a 4.1 acre and it has a well and septic tank kind of concerned flat land and mountain views. The property is a 2 bedroom fixer upper the nearest house is a .25 mile away. I want to eventually make it a camping ground. I am in my 50;s and just me and my beagle wish me look my intentions are ambitious but aim to held people love being in nature , especially young people it was the ONLY thing good that happening my childhood a camp...my mom always threw me to random strangers and one summer it was the camp.and i have found relief in nature ever since. any advise will help thank you much!
I've wanting to be off-grid for several years. Didn't plan, just dreamed. Tried to plan, but don't know how to plan. Now as I near retirement, I'm not sure if I still want to be away, or just in some little house in a rural community with a big garden and potential for friends to drop by. Thanks for all the stuff to think about. You never know when a Plan will actually form.
Thanks Brooke for helping us learn to evaluate land! Everyone does have different priorities in mind, Different skills, interests, needs and abilities/disabilities. Some people might be looking for a great place to hunt, and if there are lots of moose around the one place with the big clearing and food for them, that could be perfect. I’ve been other places where you find tons (ok, I mean bucketsful) of raspberries, mulberries, blueberries, or currants like you did. If you can get many gallons of free wild fruit nearby, you can dry some or preserve a variety of recipes for nearly free- jams, juice, pie filling and sauces, which could be a step toward self-sufficiency. I wonder if in some places you could transplant more berries of the type you like onto your land?
Maybe in some places you could build a raised bed and move some soil in, growing things like potatoes, cabbage, peas, greens, broccoli, herbs - things that will do well in Alaska. & if you’re near a river maybe you can supply yourself with fish? Personally I have too many disabilities to do this anymore, but it’s some thing I still dream about. I always felt like I was born in the wrong century. I love what you and Dave do! Thanks for showing us how to pursue a more joyful life, with wisdom! 💙🌲🛌💭😘🌻
yup good points! take care!
Thanks Sally for your post, so much knowledge you have..... Yes, it sure sucks to get old and broken down... My dream has been to have acreage where "worn out folks" could have access to actual "nature?" experiences, with all kinds of adaptations to accommodate their abilities. Now, land prices are insane, with thousands of acres bought only for speculation, by off shore buyers, usually bought sight unseen and will be held for generations, although recently some are being flipped, for twice the price.....🤔😩😭
Great one Brooke! Oh to be young and silly again! You have some great tips here! 7 decades for me, so it’s a hard no, but someone has the energy to do it. Go get it folks 😀😊💝
I'm currently doing this and I'm so happy to know I'm using about 90% of your tips already! This was so helpful, thank you for doing this video 😊❤️
This is one of the most SANE and REALISTIC off-grid tutorial that I’ve seen.
I only came here to look at what others have for buildings, as I did my due diligence on a retirement property far more remote than what I have now a while back.
There’s rarely a property that is “perfection”, but after doing the listings Zillow/MLS/Private Party tour *without* the realtor in tow, I found property that fulfilled the long criteria list that I have which includes below fair market pricing.
This year, layout of what goes where, what I want for buildings and gather needed permits and equipment logistics.
Next year I get real serious with it’s development.
You said it best when you stated that you will be often buying “someone else’s broken dreams”. The left behind bicycles and cars and structures…all left in the silence of loss and failure. You could not have said it better. Broken dreams.
Good to know. I’m buying some property in southeast Alaska in the land auction this fall. It really helps to know someone who lives in that area if you can’t make it there in person.
Great info, all the practical considerations not only for off grid, but also buying acreage with an existing house, perhaps nearer to a town. Thanks for taking the time to share the process. 😊
Thank you for taking the time to make a video on what it takes and the truth about buying land in Alaska or any off-grid area. The blood, sweat and tears of living off-grid is a reality for the educated who can see the beauty of nature 'round the corner. Love the bunker find and saw the prior videos on it, can't wait to see what you turn it into! 🥰
thanks stay tuned!
"When it gets 80, it can be brutal..." the difference between location and comfort perspectives
is sometimes huge. Texas every-other-year occurrence of 105 degrees F is my definition of brutal.
I would LOVE a cap at 80! Motorcycle weather! Very nice video. Thank YOU!
Yep, 80 degrees is a piece of cake!
Agreed! I'm in AZ!
Thanks for sharing! Just bought my first off grid property and have been looking into building a livable shed. Nice to see an older shed and all the failure points. What worked/ what didn’t. You’re right, prices are outrageous right now. I paid 14k for an acre in the mountains above Palm Springs ca. I’ll be hauling water / trash for a couple years, 30 mins to a fully developed town, but luckily I just found a campground with a water well. I’ll be paying to stay twice a month just for the opportunity to top off my tanks. Been watching you guys for a long time- thanks for showing us your ways! Watched the remake of your original cabin and I instantly knew I could do the same. Really appreciate it.
Hey Brooke. I always learn something from your videos. Would you and Dave ever consider using a piece of land like this for an off grid learning center especially after retirement. You could hold tiny cabin building classes on this land every few weeks or once a month in the summer. Eventually, you would have a tiny cabin complex for off-griders to stay in for future classes on living in harmony with nature. Wish I was 20 years younger but maybe next time around.
I think once our kids are out we'll branch out but that is something I've been thinking about lately!
I'm actually working on doing a class like that on my offgrid ranch and offer others the chance to stay here for any amount of time to determine if it's a fit
Great information, I have been off grid for a while and if you can’t handle camping then don’t think you can handle living off grid, good luck everyone ✌🏻
All great points Brooke!
I had an off grid cabin in NW Montana in my younger days in the later part of 1980 and how I wish I still had it. In my 60’s now, I think I could still have maintained a property that we put so much work into early on. Unfortunately, I know I couldn’t do it well now and hiring it out is completely not doable.
That is why I watch your channel to live my old life vicariously!
Keep on keeping on girl!
Love it!
I’ve lived off grid many times over 48 years. The land takes care of itself for the most part. A few things “need” to be done. The main thing is what do we need as elders. Medical, social, financial needs are our biggest concerns. Our place is far from a medical facility.
Just found your site today and find you to be a most amazing woman, person, worker, thinker and role model. I admire you and am envious of your lifestyle . At age 67 I am caring for a disabled husband which feels impossible some days but YOU make me believe I can continue and perhaps, someday, have the chance to at least taste a tiny fringe of the kind of life you live. I look forward to watching a lot more of your work. Thank you!
I bought 0.39 acres of overgrown land in a city, and am working on build a house! Modern pioneering :)
Good job Brooke, I'm sure you gave people a lot to think about. and steered them in the right direction. Thanks for sharing.
Great video. I just wouldn’t have thought of all that goes into buying off grid land. Thanks for all this valuable information. You’ve learned by experience- If I would have seen that last piece of property that looked like a big junk yard- I wouldn’t have paid $1,000 for it. It would be just too overwhelming the amount of work to clean that up. I’m too old and too tired to take that on. Great information and great video.
two thumbs up for the fleetwood mac lady!
lol
Hey y’all lol ! I got my cabin 2.5 years ago and paid less than 38 grand for it and the trees were cut back away from it several years ago there’s a lake which the 1.5 acres joins the water catches and solar was already there also with a natural gas tank
Excellent video! From a Realtor for over 30 years my recommendation is to always write your contract so it’s contingent upon a survey. If the State offers title insurance you absolutely 100% want title insurance. Then, try to speak to any and all neighbors; don’t take everything they say as gospel but they are quick to tell you the ins and the outs of the area.
Maybe if you don't tell em the land's for sale cause I hear some of em might wanna buy it.
Thank you so much for all this information Brooke. You pointed out so many things that we would forget. It was also nice to see Dave and your fur baby in the video. PS I just received my shirt and I love it. Stay safe the both of you.
awesome! thanks much
@@therealgirlinthewoods ///lady. Brook*. You* & Dave* Got. Make. Story* In. Book. Publishers**. *CLeme*. Yu*r fan WiLL Buy. Yu"r. Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"💕 the. LASSY. Moose. JZUST. BE. SAFE. FamiLy. Take"💅. If". Each other**
Your advise is spot on my friend. My husband and I have been married 56 years and we started with nothing here in Wisconsin. We bought a home from the 1950’s for $16,000, fixed it up the 900 sq. ft. home on three quarters of land and sold our house five years later for $40,000, cash. We kept working hard and moving up and today we live in our dream log home on eight acres in Southern WI. It works! 😁😅
You are brilliant Brooke. You earn every penny and all love and respect for the hard work you’ve put into this incomparable UA-cam channel!!!
your'e too kind billie :)
Hey Brook, we have land at the Kenai, it's so beautiful and the fish love my hooks! 👌🏼👍🏼 God bless you!✝️
yip yip!
A underground bunker is a must for me, I refuse to freeze, if the house were lost, at least it would be 50 degrees, in a underground bunker!
And a great place to store most of your food and other valuables as well
I love how you mix being realistic with being inspiring. You don't gloss over the work and hardship, and simple things like 'what are you doing to do while you are there?' that people like me discount in their hunger for a little peace. 'Hard but doable and worth it' seems to be the reality. Would give 2 thumbs up if I could. :)
Something interesting I’ve been told by a few people that own/owned off grid property is that if it’s more than 3 or 4 hours drive you’ll probably rarely get to use it, you have to have quite a bit of spare time to go to it or spend time working on it.
Isn’t the purpose of it to live on it and go off grid?? Not drive to it from time to time
@@trenton73 I think most people use theirs as a cabin or retreat or potential bug out location to get away from chaos not really as a permanent residence. Having children myself would make it very difficult to do if it was a full time thing unless the suburbs we live in become unliveable or too dangerous. My next door neighbor has a place in the hills 8 hrs away and he only visits it once a year, he’s told me a couple times that it’s almost not worth having because it’s such a long journey to get to. Living completely off grid would be a very solitary existence and is not something many people would enjoy, I think that’s maybe why the settlers of old eventually moved closer to towns or gathered closer to others, for that reason or for safety or for whatever other reasons people desire to be around people. There’s always the exception to the rule and maybe you are one of them but not me, at this point in our lives we need people but it sure would be nice to have a place not too far away to go relax and unplug from society once and a while. Hope you find what you’re looking for.
That's why it's always good to do a trial run with this. It's not easy and not for everyone. Make it a vacation to try. 💕💕💕👌
It’s perfectly allowed and fine.
Brooke, this is such good information! Through the years I've looked and considered many pieces of land but never pulled the trigger. Your video puts things into perspective very well. I’m sure it will be a great guide to many of us. Thank you for your work!
awesome thanks!
I've been making your sourdough pizza, rolls and bread 🍞 that I came across on your page. Had never even heard of making SD base. Now it's on our menu 😋 very easy to make.
fantastic!
While I’ve never been interested in being off grid, the information in this video is GOLD. One of the reasons I’ve not contemplated it is because I’ve had several friends end up in the “stuck” situations described in this vid. I wish they’d have been able to see this vid. Great job. Thank you!
Very encouraging, I am moved to try something like this, though I would like something near a running water body. Thanks for opening a new horizon for me.😅
I want to thank you both for your great inspiring video's. I'm buying 2 acres of land sight unseen in New Brunswick Canada and i live in Quebec about 8 to 10 hours from Honeydale route 755. This is probably one of the stranger things i have done in a while. I have watched land and houses almost every day for several years and have seen a big price increase since Covid and felt that this was the time before everything was too expensive. I dream of putting a small 16 by 24 cabin with my father and a friend to lend a hand. I plan to use this spot as a vacation spot and a place i can retire in 15 years if i choose. Thanks for your video's on Utube,i love them.
Hi Chris have you checked out Raspberry Rock off grid living channel? Russell and Alicia have such beautiful land and a lovely cabin that Russell built they are in Canada. They have a fun live show on Friday evenings too.
This is really interesting. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, being real and getting us to think about important easily overlooked questions. My dream is to live in the country but I've got a fair few steps before I can make it a reality. I'm a single woman so that makes it a bigger challenge. And I live in the UK where land and houses are often expensive. At the moment I'm renting a small house and I have an allotment which I'm clearing and preparing to grow food on, and there I can learn a lot of useful skills. I'm already a gardener but I'm fairly new to things like woodwork. I'm not sure how I can make my dream happen but my next step is setting up my business to provide me with a good income.
Thank you, Brooke! Your videos are so inspirational and this one was especially informative. I fantasized about getting a little cabin off the grid somewhere in the northeast but without a partner, it seems a bit scary. After watching this video, I feel I can hone in a little better on what is feasible for my needs. Say hello to Dave for me. Cheers.
I'm a 70's disabled veteran who never got a dime from uncle SAM they lost my medical records where I spent the better part of nine months getting put back together in Letterman army hospital, I left the army in the late 70's still in leg braces but worked my tail off so I could work in construction. 30+ years of hanging drywall, laying water and sewer line and flat work concrete and many other trades as a helper to some very kind men. With my bride by my side I worked from Alaska to Florida and California to NC. My time in Alaska was so much fun nothing but Davis bacon bush work from Kodiak to Barrow and the Yukon to Nome including Seward Peninsula, I was based out of Fairbanks and when a hand full of us guys in different trades came together and helped each other out building our homes, what a blast, Oh and by the way 45 years after I left the military they found my records they had me down as a sprained ankle how funny is that. My bride and I will be celebrating stepping into our 5th decade and in 2022 bought a very secluded 4 acre little piece of land with a home and detached garage very deep in the mountains of NC 2 miles from the TN line. The nearest store/town is a 50 mile round trip I know it sounds like heaven right? In almost 2 years we've been here we have put in a 2000 sq ft fenced in garden planted 10 fruit trees built a 8 by 10 garden shed, 10 by 12 chicken coop with 1500 sq ft of fencing and a fowl netting over it to protect my hens from hawks. I have a neighbor 8 miles away that rebuilds pallets and the ones he can't use he gives to me for the price of taking them off his place I have broke down about 200 of them and made my bride close to 100 raised beds and filled them with my helper "shovel and wheel barrow" moved some 90 cubic yards with my little helper also made friends with a fellow who had a mill and he has been gracious enough to practically given us nearly 50 sq yards of mulch. Remolded the home with poplar and pine giving our home a rustic feel as I added a master bath with a 13ft by 5ft walk-in closet and new toilet walk-in 38 by 38 shower and surprised my bride with a new 14 by 12 ft pantry. Last week I set up a 20 by 10 ft green house I think I'm going to have to drop in a hand well I watched your videos on how you did it and would like another source of water, 2 wells makes me feel like it would cover our animals and other needs. Thank you for all your tips we are just having a ball as we watch our little farm/ranch grow. Blessings from a couple of old farts :)
My wife and I cleaned up our lives, still are actually, and found a little farm.
We converted a pre-made wood shed into a cabin. It's a costly project. The drive to get there and back to our city home, both in time and money, effect our limits. It doesn't stop us, though. We're dream makers, not dream wishers. Takes a lot of time, effort and resources to transition to off grid permanent lifestyle.
Learned a bit about survival, first-aid and self-care over the decades. Crashed my bicycle and almost died. That was an adventure. Emergency medical access to our place is accessible, both by vehicle and helicopter. Working on permanent transition. For now it is a blessing to have a getaway where you can see the big jet planes, and the sound doesn't break thru.
We suffer the effects of economic inflation, too. We have to be very smart and protective about what little money we do have. Not everyone is on our side. Unfortunately, we have to be watchful of those who are incapable of loving themselves and others and work to destroy others dreams.
I am Marine, service-connected disabled. Can't speak for other individuals' reasons, I served my country and the world's people for peace. If you are reading this, I served for you, too, whether you or I like it or not. You are worth it.
This is a really amazing video, Brooke, you have the experience and you really lay it on the line! As someone who's been driving around Western Canada looking for years now, I can support the idea of 'feet-on-the-ground' and spending some time in the area. In fact, I highly recommend 'try-before-you-buy' and renting in the area you want to buy in for a while. I've learned a crazy amount, and that what I thought I wanted wouldn't have been right in the long run. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Excellent info! Started building on our MI property last year, and realized we had drainage and pooling issues that really made it difficult to get back to our build. That put a pause on our Hipcamp plan - have to wait until budget allows for rocks / fill so we can raise up the low areas and get easily in and out. Another thing is.. WOW do things look different in summer VS winter. The structure was completely hidden from the main road and trail in the summer, but completely obvious in the winter when all the leaves fell. Lots of things to think about but well worth the experience. Encourage everyone to attempt their own build someday, in some way...
true
I love this video. I love hearing your perspective on how to evaluate land. I don't live in Alaska, but I visited once and sometimes I look at land prices. The commentary on soil drainage and trees that grow in poorly draining soil was enlightening. I also was really surprised to learn about the year round public spring. I had no idea that was a thing. Really really cool information. Thank you.
I am glad you have someone to share your life with. You deserve to be happy. My suggestion for the stump is - leverage. Leave the trunk as tall as you can and attach your strap as high up as you can - again, leverage.
You guys are awesome. Found you through Dave's channel. Thank you both for documenting so much of your process(es) all you share with us. Pure gold.
I live in a historic late 1700's log cabin that we completely gutted and renovated. I have always loved the primitive look, and am an old soul...We have 16 acres with a pond and tons of woods with a state park above us that no one can develop. We heat with a wood stove, and have plenty of wood on our acreage.We bought it in our 20's for cheap, since it needed work. I am now 50, and although I wonder and admire new homes that are bigger with more room, the older I get, I am happy I don't have to take care of much and it is paid for at 50 years old. The surroundings are rich, with a pond, streams, and an abundance of wildlife, including black bear, coyotes etc.... Now, looking at inflation and the economy, I feel extremely blessed.❤ Simple living is the best. I live in a very rich state, so my state of living is not glorified...oh well!
Just watched you guys on "Alone" I was SO happy and cried when Dave found you... yelling "HONEY!" Was soo happy for you :)
Nice work helping people see the real way of living 👏
My wife and I got lucky. We bought 10 acres of raw land in Upstate NY last year for 24k, 10 minutes from a beautiful reservoir and some of the best fishing around. The property used to be part of a 140-acre private hunting club, with ATV trails all over. The access road runs through the middle of it, essentially giving us 2 very different parcels of 5 acres apiece. One is mostly flat with a lot of nice, mature white pines, cherry, maple, and a few scattered apple trees. The big open area that used to be a food plot is now covered in thick brush that we're going to get cleared out soon to build an a-frame. Until then, I built an outhouse and kept an area clear for camping. The other half of the property drops down into a marshy area before rising again to dry ground. We can only really use that half for hunting, but it gives us a nice 500-foot buffer from our neighbors. The land company we purchased from handled all the legal paperwork and helped us get financing. All in all, a really nice find, and we're pretty excited about it.
Man, I LOVE sweat equity! My husband and I took on many handyman specials over the years to grow our assets. We never shied away from hard work. Sadly he passed away recently. I have such great memories of working side by side ripping and tearing out and building back. ❤️
I’m so very sorry. Yes I agree- it’s exhilarating work and great payoff mentally and physically!
Thanks for taking us along and sharing so much useful information, Brooke. Moose was having a ball exploring the land. Please pet DaWoof for me. :)
thanks!!
If you can find a property in Alaska with a huge rock on it, build your cabin on top of that. Foundation problems are a big issue here. Water and access are huge. Remote off road is cheaper initially but then you will spend that money saved over time getting in and out to a remote property. But you’ll have solitude. Easy road access will have more “traffic.”
yes, in Maine many cabins are build over rock.
Holy Cow someone with a brain. Solid sound advice from start to finish. Dont recall ever watching a video that was so full of ACURATE information. To quality my opinion I own 30 acres at the end of the road.
I pray you find your land and home. Ty you for ur service as my husband is a veteran also. Go find ur piece of land and find your peace. Keep us posted. Ty
Great advice Brooke and Dave,and we been watching you for years now,and toward the end of this video it looked like you were checking out a debris shelter ,like you used to build when you used to do those videos,you've come a long way baby lol.Thanks for all the ideas and the many miles you covered to bring us this one! Stay safe out there and that little moose is a great companion,see you soon.
Thanks 👍
I paid my house off 2 and a half years ago best decision I made
congrats!!!!
Very nice video, Brooke. I have 125 acres in Pennsylvania that I've had for 24 years. It's riverfront property that's basically two mountains. I built a lodge on it in 2003 and just finished completely refurbishing the place. It's completely off grid, solar electric, well, and septic. It took a lot more money that I anticipated. During it's construction, I had the money. But, I didn't really track it. But, that would be the first piece of advice I'd give to anyone... Plan on spending a lot more than you think. It's also sitting on Marcellus Shale, a big plus for the Natural Gas fans.
The problem is that I now want to sell it and I have no idea how to go about doing that. It's not conventional, being off grid. It will be priced completely out of the local market since I'm in a rural community and I haven't found a good way to actually get the word out. So, I imagine it's going to sit for a while. Having said that, your video was very informative in what a buyer would be looking for. Even though you center your advice around a less than 100K property set up, I think it makes sense for properties that are in a much higher bracket as well.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and I hope you continue to have a successful journey.
clairon river area?
Do you need a chef for your lodge?
@@hereweare9011 Thanks for the reply. Honestly, if I could afford a chef, I probably wouldn't be selling the place. I'd become a snowbird!
@@maw9916 Juniata River, South of Raystown Lake. It's beautiful country and the view is to die for.
I'll buy it rent to own!! Let's go!! 🤣🤣
Excited about seeing what you will do with this piece of heaven here in Alaska! Please keep us up to date with this one ...
Solar powered atmospheric water generators are perfect for a place like this. They pull water right out of the air, pass it through filters to make them safe for drinking, then the water is either collected in a gravity fed water tank or pumped into one. They can be noisy. There are different grades of this type of equipment for residential (on or off grid), up to commercial scale. Zero Mass makes one model for home use. Each panel pulls up to one gallon of water from the air per day. They are working on a version that runs quieter without sacrificing performance. As well as a year round version so it can be used in the winter without freezing.
For these properties you want to be sure you have complete rights to the timber, water, access to the property, all mineral and deposit rights, rights to the air space as well. Those larger parcels of land are excellent for solar and wind farming. With electric air conditioners that also can heat a room you'd be set. Instead of simply living on top of the land you may want to create an underground dwelling for storm shelter as well as more living and work space with better control over interior temperatures.
With a satellite Internet feed like from StarLink you'll have broadband satellite Internet. Maybe not good enough for some work at home gigs that require a physical connection to everything but some remote jobs aren't as picky.
This was amazing! So many helpful tips that I would never have thought of. I just began my first off-grid property in a completely different climate but a lot of these tips are still relevant