Having a home base can also help fight off Nomad depression too. I have a home base. It's nice to know there is always a place to go "home" to, even if I rarely go home. It's a mental thing.
I totally agree! I was a bit ahead of the curve! I downsized and built a tiny home base 25 years ago! I had camped and traveled sporadically for years. I knew full time was out ! 👍
Bob as for me, this is the most relevant video of all van life videos If I was 35 years old, I probably wouldn't have watched the whole thing. I have rewatched it and taken notes. Thanks for all of this relevant info!!!
Howdy neighbor! I bought 18 acres in Apache County that allows van living. I love it! It’s also at 6,000 feet. My son, who is a van lifer nomad in his 30’s, bought the 18 acres next to me. It’s beautiful, private, much cooler in the summer than southern AZ.
How much snow do you get up there at 6 k ft and is there enough snow to catch an abundance of rainwater in the winter? Or do you go south for the winter. That's cool that your son is next to you.
Can you please elaborate on them letting you live in your van? Are there any restrictions? I looked into it, but seemed like only 6 months at a time were allowed. Thank you!
The problem is with getting older, is that we need doctors, medications, and hospitals. If one is aging, and not in peak condition being so far from services is a problem. I had a serious accident in a rural area and was over an hour away from an emergency room. Luckily there was someone to drive me. But living alone out there or even nomading alone out there comes with some risky issues.
So there’s a shortage of rural doctors. So the med schools are only accepting a tiny fraction of the med students who apply. Solution… how about lots of retirees get medical training overseas where it’s affordable and then join communities that need such people. With the healthcare system in a state of failure anyway, outside-the-box solutions are already necessary.
I know this sounds odd, however they now make med alert buttons that have gps, so would be an alternative choice to get one if alone and remote as would be a literal lifeline if something went wrong.
Yes and where Bob is, there is no medical. You pay so much per year ($150?) to pay for a medical helicopter to come get you. Aside from that, according to Coconino & Yavapai Counties, you can only get a legal address -after- you install a septic and have proof of water. About water, where they get the water to haul is at high risk. The aquifers under Coconino & Yavapai are dropping fast. Also, the hot summers and freezing winters don't appeal to me, but then I want a place that's more comfortable year round. I'm looking for rural property outside AZ. There is a lot of it.
You can also build a simple pole barn on the cheap and have extra stealth living quarters and your van inside. The pole barn won't be taxed like a home.
I bought my 5 acre home base 11 years ago. 7000' in New Mexico. I am delighted with it. I set up rainwater collection early on. It is forested, I added raised beds, and grow edible natives.
Growing my own food will be crucial. Not compatible with full time nomade life though😂. More like my next movev is: land, trees, water and 2 large dogs and cats of course. Probably learning to use a gun too😂. A LOT of research and planning. All aspects of that land choice have to fit together. Living on the road has been very simple and trouble free for me the last 4 years. Kept it simple and focused on getting healthier/stronger every day. Hiking and photography. Have not watched a single video on nomadic life because I know my priorities. They are not at all what most people are looking for😂. I dont want to waste time making more vanlife videos either.
Sounds like a fine life, good for you. I am starting out on a path towards my version of the same thing. Probably get something in Maine first, but Missouri has a nice balance of resources\climate for the price. Spent time in both places, like the Maine culture more. Having 3 patches would be the ultimate. Maine for the summer gardening and tree crop harvest, then Missouri for spring and fall and more tree crop harvesting, then onto a desert patch to relax through the worst of the winter. I'm 43 now, fully dedicated to getting at least one patch asap, likely have it within 2 years. That gives quite a lot of potential time to save for other patches. At some point I'm gonna have to stop working for money all the time and settle into the rhythm of living on these patches, but I want to get a few pricey things like storage container and off-grid power. So I'm willing to work until I meet those financial goals.
My son bought a 4.3 acre parcel near Mountainair, NM for exactly this use. He passed away unexpectedly last September. There’s not as many trees as you have but it’s very much like the land you got. Same vegetation, terrain, limitations on water. We hope to eventually get to use it for a private family campground in my son’s honor.
so sorry to hear about your son. Glad he got to buy you some land before he passed so that the land is now part of him and your entire family, much love to you
Bob I have fallowed you for years now and it really hit home. I bought an acre and a quarter 2 years ago 5 miles from the river out in the country. Here in Alabama everything is trees and green. I’m from st George Utah. I’m 63 and am retiring at the end of the year, I’ve worked real hard to pay off my land. I also poured an rv pad, set up power and septic. I live in a no-nobo 16.8 on this land. When I retire only bill I’ll have is my Gladiator. I’ll be set to travel, I’m so excited to finally be free after working 12hr nights for 23 years. Thanx for all the knowledge and inspiration !!!!
Please plant more trees! Branch out to unoccupied land, and plant more trees there! It will help to reverse Climate Change: will attract rainfall, make oxygen, and COOL your lot, while the neighbors with their Forrest Gump yard are sweltering.
There's a guy near Phoenix Arizona that had wood chips distributed on his land, about 3/4 of an acre. He had about 3 feet of wood chips. Two years after he dug in the wood chips, about a foot and discovered a nutrient rich black soil. Just on three quarters of an acre he had over 200 fruit trees. Never needed to water his land because the wood chips retain a lot of water. You can see his video on UA-cam. It's called " From dirt lot to food forest."
There was a guy in Washington State that was doing that 30 years ago he was on land that had been strip mined and it was the same story deep black humus and he called it building down because all those microbes also transformed the subsoil and he would just keep laying in the wood chips and plant straight into it❤
You can hook a dehumidifier to a solar panel to reclaim some of the moisture that evaporates from it too. Every bit of water you can reclaim in the desert is water you don’t have to truck in.
Thank you Mr. Bob. I have land with a home I cant live in cause the roof leaked for 8 years and it is emploding. Shelves falling off the walls, enough mold to kill a horse but it has been paid off for the past 20 years. My mechanic says, "As long as you have land, you'll never be homeless. Buy a tent & live in the yard." Well, I bought the tent but I'm also buying a portable building that was deliverer on Thursday. I figure if that one male nurse can live in his car and work his way up, I can live in a car in a garage until I figure out my next steps.
Just to let you know that Cindercrete is by far the best building material on the planet Cindercrete is a mixture of cinder cement and water mixed and poured into a set of reusable forms walls are poured from 12"to 24" thick Cindercrete is fireproof termite proof rust rot and mold proof non toxic and has a high R value and good sound attenuation solid poured walls means no critters can live in your walls Cindercrete can be built for a fraction of the cost and time and cinder is a local building material Take care Ray
I jumped out of my car in January 2019, saw you in Quartzite, shook your hand and was gone. This was at a fast food place. When I got home to Minneapolis my wife let me know her health was getting worse, so I sold my Scamp and she died in 2022. My health took a hit in 2023 so I need to stay closer to home (doctors), but am thinking of buying a Can-Am spyder for little 1 to 3 week trips here and there. Thanks for all your videos!
So sorry for your loss. Best wishes for good health. There's lots of natural remedies that can improve lots of issues, like daily cayenne can really help heart issues, castor oil can help other things. It just takes research and trial for what works for you. I'm living pretty will with a severe autoimmune issue of 50 years. Doctors were no help. I fixed it myself.
Four yeas ago I bought 2 pieces of land with old buildings on them as my base. Renovating one and demolishing the other. A great project when not on the road. The taxes are small and it gives me a sense of 'home' even without a big debt.
Greets and love from Hamburg in Germany where the Hamburgers came from! I am a facility manager building expert and Expedition-truck lover. Allow me to give some tips: 1: Build your outdoore kitchen plattform over the earth if you have material there. When storms bring floods of rains you can save your kitchen and you can work in it even if the earth is "flooded"- 10 cm or more. Check up the former rain ways on the land. strong rains leave traces that you can see. 2: Also a good thing: As a prevention dig drainages around the kitchen with some %%% to lead water away from the place. ist old school boy scout trick for tents. We learned that in the 70ths. We slept and lived in tipis for 12 souls with fire in the mitle. around the tent we diged a drainage 30 cem x 30 cm to keep the floor dry. Rain was always there but we had a dry floor in the tents. In Germany army you do this also around the tents. 3: The foundament for a plattform of the kitchen coud be used bricks minimal10 centimeter high or higher on that used palets. 2 sides of the kitchen windproove- against the storms from the norths? Also palets with tarp. 4: IBC cons must be protected from UV sun. The plastik gets poröus dry and the water devolops fast bakterias. 5: Hose- security: After using the ose for water transvere- blow the water out of them! Heng some in a way that the drops can get out of the hose. Bakterias viruses legionellas can devolope in 24 hours if sun hits the hose! That can kill. We had some cases where people got the legionella sickness and are handycupt today. Blow it out dont use old hose or buy "food safe hoses" without cancer- softener and bigger once so that you can cleen them desinfection... 6: Kitchen- why not buying a bigger expeditions tent for the kitchen? It protects the kitchen when you are gone from the dust sand and rain..and over the tent the structure with metal rove.. 7: A car port would be a good thing you could build solar on it and your car is protected from the heat... Frank
I lived for many years in a somewhat "Arizona-esque" region. If you were to be Rebuilding your "outdoor kitchen" with simple corrugated roofing iron and with rain capturing gutters, what you call "20 by 20" (feet) I would call about 6 by 6 metres. Which is 36 square metres. Mrs Google told me that Apache County gets 12.6 inches annual rainfall, on average. So let's call that 333 millimetres (yes I rounded it up slightly, I'm doing the maths in my head here buddy). So in an "average" year, the roof of an outdoor kitchen that size will collect (decimal point) .333 of 36 cubic metres of water. Simple math tells us that's 12 cubic metres or 12,000 litres, weighing 12 metric tonnes. Isn't the S.I. Metric system great ! (In dinosaur units that's approx 3,000 USA gallons or a few less in British Imperial Gallons). That's about 12 times that large water container you showed on your trailer. In many areas it is safe to drink rainwater stored in tanks without any extra treatments, but in some areas, some form of purification or sterilisation is recommended to avoid certain "desert fever" or other illnesses, spread by pathogens in those areas. Rainwater harvesting system can be designed with an automatic overflow so that after the storage containers or tanks are full, any extra water is simply diverted onto surrounding trees. (Especially beneficial if you have planted and cultivated some more new trees, to improve he environment. Remember also, the difference between a One Acre plot of land WITHOUT established trees, and a One Acre plot WITH trees, is that somebody hasn't been and done the task of planting and cultivating the trees on that plot yet.
Get yourself a 3,000 gal black water tank and build a shed style roof over the kitchen and harvest rain and snowfall. You'll have more than enough water for use.👍
Congratulations! Great advice on buying land. There is a caveat, make sure the land doesn’t have restrictions that prohibit RV living full time. Some counties do not welcome RV living.
I bought a couple lots for my motorhome to vacation on about an hour from my home after my husband died. It was too big for me to drive. Unfortunately, I didn't pay attention to the township rules and was forced to move the mh off as, even tho the lots were wooded and in a country setting, it was a subdivision and I was forced to move the mh off. Buyer beware.
This is a HUGE concern and the main reason I've never done this. I looked into it for a while, and every area I would've been interested in, doing this was banned. Not even just RVs. Tiny homes are banned many places too.
Bob, I think it's a great idea to have land for many reasons and I will share mine. We own an acre in Pahrump. We actually are building a house, and our land was 25k , but we have water rights, and you can easily build on this property. Believe it or not, we have an awesome well. The guy that did our well said there must be a river going through our property. We bought this 3.5 years ago, and we live in a 30-foot shuttle bus on our land as we build our house. Our plan is to build our house and hold onto it for a few years since property values are going up fast in Pahrump and then sell and use the money to travel in our bus. Unfortunately, I ended up getting sick, and I ended up having 3 major abdominal surgeries. I'm so glad we had this land as a home base while I went through my surgeries and my recovery here. It would've been a nightmare if we were traveling while this happened and didn't have a home base to go to. For many reasons, it's good to have a home base, whether it's family you can go to or land. You never know when an emergency like mine could happen. I am very healthy, and I've always worked out and ate healthy and I was only 46 when I started getting sick, and this came out of nowhere. Be prepared for a medical emergency or any type of emergency as a nomad because you never know what life might throw at you.
Awesome news! Several rural counties in Florida (I'm in Dixie) still allow a full time RV zoning exemption if your property has a well and septic. I bought 5 acres that had a delapitated old mobile home that just needed demolished for next to nothing in 2020. I have stayed off grid, built an outside kitchen and bath house and a 40' container was finally acquired this season for an emergency storm shelter/storage/platform for a killer deck overlooking the lakebed (deer stand if anyone asks) when I return next season. See you down the road Bob, congratulations on your new dirt and trees.
Congratulations, Bob! I am so very happy for you! I am enjoying the small acreage I purchased a few years back. I also enjoy gardening and eating food I've grown. Above all, I've enjoyed the peace of having a place to call HOME!
Were you able to get your land on low payments I have looking for a small piece of land in that area myself. Congrats on getting your land. Tenkiller lake is nice.
I bought in Baja by the sea of Cortez where the desert meets the sea thus no threat of fires like California. Is just a 30’ trailer that never moves, I don’t need more specially since you practically live outdoors, built a ramada for extra comfort and plan to relocate there, in summer months come back to the States and camp in high altitude for a few months until it cools down over there. Is a small sleepy fishing town but there are doctors and one hospital if needed, only about 2 hrs from the border. Delicious fresh inexpensive seafood.
Congrats on buying land with trees. Pine Bark Beatles are a serious problem usually attacking trees stressed by drought. Have your larger trees evaluated and preventativily treated by an arborist. Treat any downed trees so beatles don't just move from dead to live trees. We lost trees and I learned the hard way to be proactive.
love seeing people evolve over the years as needs and circumstances change. thank you for being transparent and showing where the next step after van life could possibly be.
Interesting to see all the UA-cam vanlifers and RVers now buying land in Arizona. I'm in Yavapai country and after years on the road it is nice having a home base.
You should look into solar-powered atmospheric water generators. Zero Mass has a model that could be of use to you. There are plenty of videos on how they work as well as how to make your own. This would let you pull moisture right out of the air 24/7/365 to supplement your water use. But if scaled up, it could entirely replace your need to buy water or have it hauled to your location. There are industrial and community sized machines to look into.
Solar powered water generators are a scam. Main issue with them is they produce very little water and cost an arm and a leg cause you are basically buying a bunch of solar panels and a dehumidifier. You are not going to have enough water for washing dishes and bathing, lucky if you have enough to drink. And the units cost thousands of dollars. Also because of the way the water is generated condensing on coils you have to take precautions not to allow bacteria to grow in water generated.
I’ve lost 2 homes in OR & 1 in CA to wildfires. Arthritis has gotten worse as I’ve aged in WA/OR. I’ve decided I’m a plant without deep roots. More of a dandelion blowing in the wind. I would, however, like a small patch of land with a shed or old trailer to just breathe. Nothing exciting. Few trees. Fire pit. Good to go. Love your land. Absolutely love Flagstaff. Reminds me of PNW. Take Care Bob
That is so heart breaking I am sorry 😔 it feels like it fallowed some people ...my mother in law lost everything in the talent Oregon fire ( Alameda fire )
The one thing to watch is zoning. A few years ago people were buying land. Remote land. And the towns started to require a 14 days camping permit. Even on your own land if you lived in a van and not in a house. And they started to limit the 14 day camp permit. So people need to check the zoning.
Congratulations, Bob. Your outdoor kitchen will be fantastic once you get it all put together like you'd like. Your property looks so nice & inviting. I know you will enjoy it for years to come.
When I was in Colombia I visited a family who had the outdoor kitchen set up and it was very nice and cozy! It was built with some kind of sticks and had a grass type roof that offered great shade and cooling.
You are brilliant! I moved overseas and came back to - no home base. It was the worst mistake I have ever made. Always have a home base! You never know when you need to go home.
Bob, I want to thank you for your years of beautiful and lovely content but I took this time that we admit that most of us can’t do this lifestyle forever. With everything that’s going on in the world right now I don’t think we have very long left so the best thing that we can all do is probably have a homebase or a small house that we can store a bunch of food water And other supplies to survive in case things go down. I started in life at first because I was homeless but then I continued it as a lifestyle to save money to live freely but now I see that it’s not going to be feasible for much longer. That’s why I bought the house and I’m working on it. I hope everyone’s well in the comments, be safe
Congratulations, Bob, beautiful spot. It's a smart choice having a larger piece of property because the smaller parcels, a couple of acres and smaller, often are part of "developments" and consequently have CC&Rs. With aging, a consideration is "where is the nearest decent hospital?" Also, a lot of counties are cracking down on nomads such as us and limiting the amount of time you can "camp" on your property. You covered water, sounds like you have a decent community well and some plans for cachement. Again, really happy for you
I haven't been keeping up with you lately, because van dwelling never worked out for me. I'm very happy for you buying this land. You have done so much for so many people, you deserve to have a home base. I'm 72 this year and I think too old to be a full-time nomad, so I understand you wanting to have a stable home. Congratulations and thanks for everything you do!
That's the one of the bigest things I miss about van dwelling, the other is privacy. Having your own space to go outside where you know no one else will be walking through to disturb your thoughts. I grew up in places where my parents owned between 15-22 acres. I didn't really like it because I would get lonely, but I always found something to discover. Now that I'm older I find I miss the peace, wildlife and nature. Even parks have people wandering around. I haven't gardened for the last 30 yrs, but I did have potted flowers and trees up till I became nomadic. It's becoming harder to find places to park because people are so intolerant even if you don't make a mess or even if you clean up after others. 🤷🏼 I don't understand why people can't just leave us alone. I do nothing to bother anyone, but apparently just the fact we exist bothers them? 🤦
Congratulations Bob I also bought 5 acres in Coconino County minus the trees I love it. Put a cabin shed on it Put a portapotty and a plastic shed for my shower house with a propane shower. I put plastic containers with cornmeal and baking soda and the mice eat it up and also put bucket traps with peanut butter Mice are under control here. Also make my own spray with Spearmint clove and garlic oil and spray around cabin and rv once a week
Did you have problems getting an address for the land? I tried to do the same but in NM and had issues because I didn't have a house that I was living in. So trying to find a more nomad friendly place
Congratulations Sir! From what you shared here, your new property is beautiful. Love the trees. Now you have safety and security no matter what life brings.
Acquisition and complexity seem to be the "thrust" of the human condition. Even minimalism eventually gives way to these forces. However, with forethought and consideration we can channel these impulses into avenues that actually work for us. You have put much thought into living a mobile lifestyle that will not only serve you now, but into the future. None of us know how politics, climate change, and even aging will bring change into our lives. You have melded the best of the possibilities into what looks to be a sustainable life plan for now into the future. Thank you for being a guiding light for many of us.
As I was watching the video I was thinking about something along the same lines. It struck me that even the most steadfast of nomads, the King of Nomads himself, Bob Wells, has gravitated towards the homestead. It seems our desire for comfort (Nature is a relentless matron) drives us to settle down and acquire more things. Yet the acquisition of more things and settling down creates anxiety because the management and care of those things along with the settling down takes us away from our natural proclivity to wander. Humans are complex beasts. Forethought and consideration are paramount, I agree. Thank you for your comment.
Note that sometimes land policies don’t allow for camping on your own land more than half of the year. So you get two plots and move your off-grid rig back and forth between them.
You can get a long term lease if you can't buy something. Easy to get on undeveloped land. Just make sure there us a road near enough so you always have access. I had a 30 year renewable lease for 400 a year. Check for how the county has it coded for land use. Example agricultural, or recreation, mixed use etc.
Develop your own prospects. Decide on your criteria. Location elevation, distance to amenities. Go to the county property appraisers office and look to see who owns it. Go knock on doors and ask. You just may strike gold. Good luck.
I bought land in Florida, $4000 cash. It’s just a quarter acre and I put in a food forest so when I drive up I can forage for food and camp. Put in a well too. A driveway and stealth shack to store shit.
Don't be deceived, Bob's a tough cookie! I live in the state to the East. I see people come and go! Homes, trailers left because of water, alot of municipalities stop giving out bulk water permits, which leave you to small containers. The wind is relentless, the roads will murder your vehicle, they'll be no one to haul your vehicle to town, no one coming to work on your place. Unless you have the patience of Job, the ingenuity of Mcguiver and the grit of Grizzly Adam's! You might look for a milder climate and closer to civilization.
What do you mean by "bulk water permits"? If you haul your own water who is going to find out you have a 275G tote of water in your property? thanks for sharing.
My advice to those who don't want to become a touph cookie is this! The world is changing fast and it's going to crush anyone who isn't a touph cookie in the very near future. In fact it already is! Time to think about becoming a toupher cookie
Own 5 acres in Nevada, Winnemucca address but in Pershing County. Have owned it for about 10 years. Out in the middle of nowhere. Love going out there to just chill
It totally depends on the zoning rights of the county. A lot no longer allow trailers on the property even if you bought the property. It’s all about the zoning.
Zoning are theft of rights from property owners and most zoning outside of medium to larger towns and cities, and especially on rural lands should be outlawed. A quite recent SCOTUS ruling may stop most communities from stopping people living on their own land, or make excessive requirements for them to do so.
Some solid reasons, and it is easy and relatively cheap to get a piece to call your own. Having a nest to go back to can help with one's outlook as well. A place to recharge when the road gets too crazy.
Smart of you to think ahead for yourself and those you care about because all your points are valid. You're such a nice fellow and your friends are lucky to have you. Looks like a nice place and your 40' seacan is certainly a bonus. Some people build lean-tos on the sides for extra covered storage. Congrats!!
Hello Bob, I am so happy for you. Bob I have a sincere question. I would like to do something along the lines like this also. But I worry about possible potential violators/intruders while snow-birding. Have you given any thought of some kind of time share like in general principle with your closest family/friends to be there while away? To make sure nothing walks off? That’s what concerns my wife and I; gone any length of time. The reason we ask is my wife and I had a chain link fence, shed and contents all padlocked. While we were gone, we came back Seven days later to find everything stolen. Literally the fence, shed and contents inside.
Do you have any advice about what you could have done differently? I would worry about theft too -- Do you think having the locked container would be a better idea?
We are very happy for you! We too are looking for land to purchase! Being self sufficient & sustainable is our goal! Thank you Bob! Getting a clear title on a surveyed property in a friendly county is essential!!
Congrats on your land purchase! Northern AZ is a beautiful area. As former Alaskans, the first structure my husband/I always build is a sauna/steam bath!
Congratulations! Fun to get a tour from a nomad legend. I'm just starting to work on my minivan so love seeing the path of build outs, nomad life, and also what some do as they find a place for part or full time living. The security of ownership and/or and a place to settle for at least a while seems an important thing to consider especially for one's older years.
Congratulations! A base camp is always a great investment. You can improve the land to suit your needs. Outdoor Kitchen, a nice shower house, a Outdoor sitting area with a cover and maybe a tiny house for when you just want to stay a while - maybe a carport or building for a garage. That would make doing repairs easier for vehicles.
When you paint that tote of water put a strip of masking tape first so you can tell how much water is in it stick the tape back so you do not get alge !
Hi Bob, met you several years ago in Q at one of your RTRs. I also bought just over 20 acres 2 years ago up in that same general area at 6300'. I'm doing the very same thing you are. Seems there are a lot of folks doing the same thing. Nothing more freeing than being off grid. And just a couple of months ago I bought 4 acres in rural Texas, an hour from the Gulf. I like having options. Lol. I'm still nomading, but it is good to have a home base. In the words of Mark Twain, 'Buy land, they're not making it anymore.' Anyway, congratulations on your new home base, best of luck to you, and happy trails.
I’m in Vegas and REALLY want to leave ASAP but want to stay in the state and gonna start researching different areas of the state...Nevada is a beautiful state and after living in Vegas for 46 years it’s time to get away from here and get somewhere where there are more animals that people 😂😂😂😂any ideas or suggestions would certainly be appreciated 👍👍👍☮️
I agree! And it's hard to beat having a good-sized piece of "green" land where you can enjoy and appreciate nature (and, to me, creation) and rejuvenate-all under the stars! And land is "gold" if you know how to turn it into one. Just don't be lazy! Plus exercise out in the open, such clearing out dead matter and gardening, has no comparison! I work out all the time in my home gym, but there's something about being outside that's healthy, inspiring, and even uplifting. So, yeah, get that piece of land-for your peace of mind!
Congratulations Bob and love all the comments from your followers but very surprised you are not responding to some of the pertinent questions. Could you please make another video answering them 🙏🏻
There really needs to be a legal way someone can get around requiring owning or renting to have a domicile address. The law needs to be changed to accommodate nomadic living. I'm sure owning this land seems like the right thing, but with it comes responsibility, property taxes, and a few other things. It does give peace of mind knowing that you have a place to go where people can't kick you out for no good reason. 20 acres is a lot of land, it should be fun but you're now a caretaker of that land too and with that there are legal requirements. Enjoy.
He's going to get too old to drive, just like every human being who doesn't die first, so having a place to live is common sense. Arizona property tax is cheap, less than $1200 on a $200,000 property, and Bob's land is way less than that. What are you going to do when you're too old or sick to drive? Hope family takes you in? Be neglected in a state facility? Not being funny but everyone needs to figure this out. Bob said he was going to buy land years ago and he has. He's a smart man.
A famous Beat poet bookstore in San Francisco kindly offers up its address (with a wall of cubby holes) to homeless folks for the same reason you bring up. Also UPS stores offer their brick and mortar address to mailbox renters since some places will not deliver to PO Box addresses.
Check out South Dakota's one-day process for establishing residency. It solves your vehicle registration problems (plus no vehicle inspections, and if I recall correctly, remote registration is allowed). South Dakota created this option specifically to solve some of the problems facing traveling salesmen, traveling nurses, truck drivers, etc. It will not however, solve your banking woes, if you have them. Most banks require an address with a residential RDI. Search USPS RDI. The fact that most motels have a commercial RDI is why banks often won't accept them as a valid residence, even after years of living in the same room. It sounds like Apache County may be an exception. Thanks Bob, for this tip. When I have time to look up my old notes, I'll try to post a link here about South Dakota's unique offering. It's fascinating though -- one night spent in South Dakota is the sum total of requirements for residency.
Congratulations Bob, I’m so happy for you. I watch another channel and he bought land and out a shed made tiny home on it and it’s nice . Wood burning stove and everything self sufficient. Best wishes to you and as always much love and many blessings
Bob, great progress! I lived in the eastern AZ mountains several years and love it. I’m back east now and miss it terribly. You will find winters cold, but tolerable. Historically a good bit of snow, but I hear not quite so much now. Summers should be nice there, but you will want to think of clearing a larger area for your rig in case of fire. Monsoon season gets VERY WET around there, and some roads can become difficult to use, so keep that in mind. The cedar gnats can be annoying at times, but not too bad. Maybe think about building that outdoor kitchen large and tall enough to park your rig under? Might come in handy sometime. You will enjoy the elk and deer, but don’t forget there are also cougar and wolves there, so be mindful of that with your dog. Bobcats and javalina can be a problem for dogs as well. Also be aware that rodents (prairie dogs, packrats, squirrels and others) sometimes have black plague that can be transmitted to humans by fleas. Of course hanta virus is also a concern. Watching the video brought back fond memories. I can almost smell the juniper and feel the wonderful dry air. Savor it all!
You could really make that container beautiful and do so many videos on the transformation. You could even use a part as a campsite for others and charge for that too! All kinds of possibilities come to mind.
AZ counties I've researched for land all have 30-day per year RV living restrictions UNLESS a septic tank system ($5-10K) is installed . . . . . What are your plans?
Depends on the regulations of the community, 6 months tops but that's if you are building a home, and most places like (parks,az) you have a minimum sq ft requirement @@SuperTrayk
@@Justin-jf4ub Coconino 120 days a year with no septic. Year around you would need a septic. Closer you get to an established area the more restrictions...
Bob, you have really been living the life. Everything you're doing looks to be smart, fun and practical. Now you have an address in a good looking location. Great video. Thanks.
Congratulations! I'm with you on needing to have trees. I'm not sure I'd want to haul water the rest of my life, though, so I do hope you can get a rain catchment system going. You can rig a shallow slanted roof over the Conex until you get your permanent kitchen done... or better yet, both. I would eventually build a shed for my rig, too, to protect from rain, hail, and sun, if it were my property. All roofs can be rigged with gutters for rain catchment... take advantage.
Congrats!!! I love that part of Arizona, pinon pine and juniper forest. Love that elevation. How are the bugs? In Utah around Moab they have Cedar Gnats that come out in May, I believe. Do the Cedar Gnats make it down into northern AZ where your property is? Other bugs?
welcome bob I started at your RTR in qiartsite and now have 1 1/4;acre in apache county with my family it works great I do have a tiny house though as I can no longer drive. you won't be sorry. welcome and thanks for your help on my journey over the years
Having a home base can also help fight off Nomad depression too. I have a home base. It's nice to know there is always a place to go "home" to, even if I rarely go home. It's a mental thing.
I totally agree! I was a bit ahead of the curve! I downsized and built a tiny home base 25 years ago! I had camped and traveled sporadically for years. I knew full time was out ! 👍
Bob as for me, this is the most relevant video of all van life videos If I was 35 years old, I probably wouldn't have watched the whole thing.
I have rewatched it and taken notes.
Thanks for all of this relevant info!!!
Love your land Bob so happy for you and Cody
It anchors you.
Out in the middle of nowhere, a prison with no walls
Howdy neighbor! I bought 18 acres in Apache County that allows van living. I love it! It’s also at 6,000 feet. My son, who is a van lifer nomad in his 30’s, bought the 18 acres next to me. It’s beautiful, private, much cooler in the summer than southern AZ.
How much snow do you get up there at 6 k ft and is there enough snow to catch an abundance of rainwater in the winter? Or do you go south for the winter. That's cool that your son is next to you.
What temperature year round
@jonathanbrotherton7769 You clearly didn't watch the video, and you sound about 12 years old.
Can you please elaborate on them letting you live in your van? Are there any restrictions? I looked into it, but seemed like only 6 months at a time were allowed. Thank you!
@@SheepishWilly In his other video, he says that Apache County doesn't really enforce the restrictions on the books.
Bob please do more videos on buying land that allows you to live on it in rv or tiny house,
That would be so much help for some guidance on that subject. Please do, if you would want to.
My exact sentiments
Search his vids. He's got a dozen land buying ones prior to this one.
Go to the description of this channel & he's got a podcast w/ 7 episodes on buying land.
Yes Please!
The problem is with getting older, is that we need doctors, medications, and hospitals. If one is aging, and not in peak condition being so far from services is a problem. I had a serious accident in a rural area and was over an hour away from an emergency room. Luckily there was someone to drive me. But living alone out there or even nomading alone out there comes with some risky issues.
So there’s a shortage of rural doctors. So the med schools are only accepting a tiny fraction of the med students who apply. Solution… how about lots of retirees get medical training overseas where it’s affordable and then join communities that need such people. With the healthcare system in a state of failure anyway, outside-the-box solutions are already necessary.
What if you had the attitude of "when my life is in its final chapter, I plan not to extend it?" Perhaps our fear of death is the issue?
I know this sounds odd, however they now make med alert buttons that have gps, so would be an alternative choice to get one if alone and remote as would be a literal lifeline if something went wrong.
No body ever stayed that fact!
Yes and where Bob is, there is no medical. You pay so much per year ($150?) to pay for a medical helicopter to come get you. Aside from that, according to Coconino & Yavapai Counties, you can only get a legal address -after- you install a septic and have proof of water. About water, where they get the water to haul is at high risk. The aquifers under Coconino & Yavapai are dropping fast. Also, the hot summers and freezing winters don't appeal to me, but then I want a place that's more comfortable year round. I'm looking for rural property outside AZ. There is a lot of it.
Congratulations, Bob. I’m so happy for you.
He definitely deserved it after all he's done for other people!
Yeah - me too.
Congratulations Bob
Congratulations..it’s beautiful.
You can also build a simple pole barn on the cheap and have extra stealth living quarters and your van inside. The pole barn won't be taxed like a home.
I bought my 5 acre home base 11 years ago. 7000' in New Mexico. I am delighted with it. I set up rainwater collection early on. It is forested, I added raised beds, and grow edible natives.
Growing my own food will be crucial.
Not compatible with full time nomade life though😂. More like my next movev is: land, trees, water and 2 large dogs and cats of course. Probably learning to use a gun too😂.
A LOT of research and planning. All aspects of that land choice have to fit together.
Living on the road has been very simple and trouble free for me the last 4 years. Kept it simple and focused on getting healthier/stronger every day. Hiking and photography.
Have not watched a single video on nomadic life because I know my priorities. They are not at all what most people are looking for😂. I dont want to waste time making more vanlife videos either.
Sounds like a fine life, good for you. I am starting out on a path towards my version of the same thing. Probably get something in Maine first, but Missouri has a nice balance of resources\climate for the price. Spent time in both places, like the Maine culture more. Having 3 patches would be the ultimate. Maine for the summer gardening and tree crop harvest, then Missouri for spring and fall and more tree crop harvesting, then onto a desert patch to relax through the worst of the winter. I'm 43 now, fully dedicated to getting at least one patch asap, likely have it within 2 years. That gives quite a lot of potential time to save for other patches. At some point I'm gonna have to stop working for money all the time and settle into the rhythm of living on these patches, but I want to get a few pricey things like storage container and off-grid power. So I'm willing to work until I meet those financial goals.
My son bought a 4.3 acre parcel near Mountainair, NM for exactly this use. He passed away unexpectedly last September. There’s not as many trees as you have but it’s very much like the land you got. Same vegetation, terrain, limitations on water. We hope to eventually get to use it for a private family campground in my son’s honor.
so sorry to hear about your son. Glad he got to buy you some land before he passed so that the land is now part of him and your entire family, much love to you
That’s sweet…🕊🌹🇺🇸
May God bless you and your family. A family campground in your son's honor sounds great!
My sincere condolences
Sorry about your son! What happened!
Bob I have fallowed you for years now and it really hit home. I bought an acre and a quarter 2 years ago 5 miles from the river out in the country. Here in Alabama everything is trees and green. I’m from st George Utah. I’m 63 and am retiring at the end of the year, I’ve worked real hard to pay off my land. I also poured an rv pad, set up power and septic. I live in a no-nobo 16.8 on this land. When I retire only bill I’ll have is my Gladiator. I’ll be set to travel, I’m so excited to finally be free after working 12hr nights for 23 years. Thanx for all the knowledge and inspiration !!!!
Don't they require you pay land tax every year?
My dad always said. Buy land because we are not making any more. Great idea to have a place to land.
And having trees is definitely a wonderful thing
Please plant more trees!
Branch out to unoccupied land, and plant more trees there!
It will help to reverse Climate Change: will attract rainfall, make oxygen, and COOL your lot, while the neighbors with their Forrest Gump yard are sweltering.
There's a guy near Phoenix Arizona that had wood chips distributed on his land, about 3/4 of an acre. He had about 3 feet of wood chips. Two years after he dug in the wood chips, about a foot and discovered a nutrient rich black soil. Just on three quarters of an acre he had over 200 fruit trees. Never needed to water his land because the wood chips retain a lot of water. You can see his video on UA-cam. It's called " From dirt lot to food forest."
Thats amazing
There was a guy in Washington State that was doing that 30 years ago he was on land that had been strip mined and it was the same story deep black humus and he called it building down because all those microbes also transformed the subsoil and he would just keep laying in the wood chips and plant straight into it❤
Blessing
You can hook a dehumidifier to a solar panel to reclaim some of the moisture that evaporates from it too. Every bit of water you can reclaim in the desert is water you don’t have to truck in.
Congratulations Bob! You deserve this nice homestead, you’ve worked very hard for the van dwelling community.
Thank you Mr. Bob. I have land with a home I cant live in cause the roof leaked for 8 years and it is emploding. Shelves falling off the walls, enough mold to kill a horse but it has been paid off for the past 20 years. My mechanic says, "As long as you have land, you'll never be homeless. Buy a tent & live in the yard." Well, I bought the tent but I'm also buying a portable building that was deliverer on Thursday. I figure if that one male nurse can live in his car and work his way up, I can live in a car in a garage until I figure out my next steps.
Yes, I don't remember his name but he is very self reliant!
I’m a retired trucker. Those boxes are called containers. They have a hardwood floor. They’re good for locking up your belongings.
Just to let you know that Cindercrete is by far the best building material on the planet Cindercrete is a mixture of cinder cement and water mixed and poured into a set of reusable forms walls are poured from 12"to 24" thick Cindercrete is fireproof termite proof rust rot and mold proof non toxic and has a high R value and good sound attenuation solid poured walls means no critters can live in your walls Cindercrete can be built for a fraction of the cost and time and cinder is a local building material
Take care Ray
I jumped out of my car in January 2019, saw you in Quartzite, shook your hand and was gone. This was at a fast food place. When I got home to Minneapolis my wife let me know her health was getting worse, so I sold my Scamp and she died in 2022. My health took a hit in 2023 so I need to stay closer to home (doctors), but am thinking of buying a Can-Am spyder for little 1 to 3 week trips here and there. Thanks for all your videos!
So sorry for your loss. Best wishes for good health. There's lots of natural remedies that can improve lots of issues, like daily cayenne can really help heart issues, castor oil can help other things. It just takes research and trial for what works for you. I'm living pretty will with a severe autoimmune issue of 50 years. Doctors were no help. I fixed it myself.
Four yeas ago I bought 2 pieces of land with old buildings on them as my base. Renovating one and demolishing the other. A great project when not on the road. The taxes are small and it gives me a sense of 'home' even without a big debt.
Greets and love from Hamburg in Germany where the Hamburgers came from!
I am a facility manager building expert and Expedition-truck lover.
Allow me to give some tips:
1: Build your outdoore kitchen plattform over the earth if you have material there.
When storms bring floods of rains you can save your kitchen and you can work in it even if the earth is "flooded"- 10 cm or more. Check up the former rain ways on the land.
strong rains leave traces that you can see.
2: Also a good thing: As a prevention dig drainages around the kitchen with some %%% to lead water away from the place. ist old school boy scout trick for tents.
We learned that in the 70ths. We slept and lived in tipis for 12 souls with fire in the mitle.
around the tent we diged a drainage 30 cem x 30 cm to keep the floor dry. Rain was always there but we had a dry floor in the tents.
In Germany army you do this also around the tents.
3: The foundament for a plattform of the kitchen coud be used bricks minimal10 centimeter high or higher on that used palets.
2 sides of the kitchen windproove- against the storms from the norths?
Also palets with tarp.
4: IBC cons must be protected from UV sun. The plastik gets poröus dry and the water devolops fast bakterias.
5: Hose- security: After using the ose for water transvere- blow the water out of them!
Heng some in a way that the drops can get out of the hose.
Bakterias viruses legionellas can devolope in 24 hours if sun hits the hose!
That can kill. We had some cases where people got the legionella sickness and are handycupt today.
Blow it out dont use old hose or buy "food safe hoses" without cancer- softener
and bigger once so that you can cleen them desinfection...
6: Kitchen- why not buying a bigger expeditions tent for the kitchen? It protects the kitchen when you are gone from the dust sand and rain..and over the tent the structure with metal rove..
7: A car port would be a good thing you could build solar on it and your car is protected from the heat...
Frank
I lived for many years in a somewhat "Arizona-esque" region. If you were to be Rebuilding your "outdoor kitchen" with simple corrugated roofing iron and with rain capturing gutters, what you call "20 by 20" (feet) I would call about 6 by 6 metres. Which is 36 square metres.
Mrs Google told me that Apache County gets 12.6 inches annual rainfall, on average. So let's call that 333 millimetres (yes I rounded it up slightly, I'm doing the maths in my head here buddy).
So in an "average" year, the roof of an outdoor kitchen that size will collect (decimal point) .333 of 36 cubic metres of water. Simple math tells us that's 12 cubic metres or 12,000 litres, weighing 12 metric tonnes. Isn't the S.I. Metric system great !
(In dinosaur units that's approx 3,000 USA gallons or a few less in British Imperial Gallons).
That's about 12 times that large water container you showed on your trailer.
In many areas it is safe to drink rainwater stored in tanks without any extra treatments, but in some areas, some form of purification or sterilisation is recommended to avoid certain "desert fever" or other illnesses, spread by pathogens in those areas.
Rainwater harvesting system can be designed with an automatic overflow so that after the storage containers or tanks are full, any extra water is simply diverted onto surrounding trees. (Especially beneficial if you have planted and cultivated some more new trees, to improve he environment.
Remember also, the difference between a One Acre plot of land WITHOUT established trees, and a One Acre plot WITH trees, is that somebody hasn't been and done the task of planting and cultivating the trees on that plot yet.
@@KiwiCatherineJemmaHi, with the trees you mentioned…is that a bad thing?
Great advice!!!!! Important considerations all.
Fantastic list and extremely well thought out.
Get yourself a 3,000 gal black water tank and build a shed style roof over the kitchen and harvest rain and snowfall. You'll have more than enough water for use.👍
How do you keep it from freezing in the winter time?
Rain? Arizona has rain?
You can bury it.@@polloggertie4376
@@polloggertie4376 I don't think it will freeze completely, but the valve on the tank and the water hose will definitely freeze.
@@polloggertie4376put it in Arizona
I wish you only the best all your days, Bob. You have made such a positive difference in so many lives. ❤
Congratulations! Great advice on buying land. There is a caveat, make sure the land doesn’t have restrictions that prohibit RV living full time. Some counties do not welcome RV living.
He's on his own 20 acres and but likely going to bother anyone.
I bought a couple lots for my motorhome to vacation on about an hour from my home after my husband died. It was too big for me to drive. Unfortunately, I didn't pay attention to the township rules and was forced to move the mh off as, even tho the lots were wooded and in a country setting, it was a subdivision and I was forced to move the mh off. Buyer beware.
This is a HUGE concern and the main reason I've never done this. I looked into it for a while, and every area I would've been interested in, doing this was banned. Not even just RVs. Tiny homes are banned many places too.
@@thecircledance Zoning is out of control. We tried to buy 5 acres in Red Springs near Lumberton NC but had the same problem. So many restrictions.
@@thecircledanceVery true.. you've definitely got to do a thorough research.. but it IS possible.
Bob, I think it's a great idea to have land for many reasons and I will share mine. We own an acre in Pahrump. We actually are building a house, and our land was 25k , but we have water rights, and you can easily build on this property. Believe it or not, we have an awesome well. The guy that did our well said there must be a river going through our property. We bought this 3.5 years ago, and we live in a 30-foot shuttle bus on our land as we build our house. Our plan is to build our house and hold onto it for a few years since property values are going up fast in Pahrump and then sell and use the money to travel in our bus. Unfortunately, I ended up getting sick, and I ended up having 3 major abdominal surgeries. I'm so glad we had this land as a home base while I went through my surgeries and my recovery here. It would've been a nightmare if we were traveling while this happened and didn't have a home base to go to. For many reasons, it's good to have a home base, whether it's family you can go to or land. You never know when an emergency like mine could happen. I am very healthy, and I've always worked out and ate healthy and I was only 46 when I started getting sick, and this came out of nowhere. Be prepared for a medical emergency or any type of emergency as a nomad because you never know what life might throw at you.
Awesome news! Several rural counties in Florida (I'm in Dixie) still allow a full time RV zoning exemption if your property has a well and septic. I bought 5 acres that had a delapitated old mobile home that just needed demolished for next to nothing in 2020. I have stayed off grid, built an outside kitchen and bath house and a 40' container was finally acquired this season for an emergency storm shelter/storage/platform for a killer deck overlooking the lakebed (deer stand if anyone asks) when I return next season. See you down the road Bob, congratulations on your new dirt and trees.
Where do you find out about places like that?
Congratulations, Bob! I am so very happy for you! I am enjoying the small acreage I purchased a few years back. I also enjoy gardening and eating food I've grown. Above all, I've enjoyed the peace of having a place to call HOME!
Bought a place in the sticks in Oklahoma. Much smaller than 20 acres! Septic, water, and electric are in and it's near Tenkiller lake.
OK is a great homesteader state. Better than az imo.
but can you legally just park an RV there
I love the lake ten killer area. I thought land would be to expensive there.
Were you able to get your land on low payments I have looking for a small piece of land in that area myself. Congrats on getting your land. Tenkiller lake is nice.
Bought land in OK mainly because mine has no restrictions. 😎👍
I bought in Baja by the sea of Cortez where the desert meets the sea thus no threat of fires like California. Is just a 30’ trailer that never moves, I don’t need more specially since you practically live outdoors, built a ramada for extra comfort and plan to relocate there, in summer months come back to the States and camp in high altitude for a few months until it cools down over there. Is a small sleepy fishing town but there are doctors and one hospital if needed, only about 2 hrs from the border. Delicious fresh inexpensive seafood.
Congrats on buying land with trees. Pine Bark Beatles are a serious problem usually attacking trees stressed by drought. Have your larger trees evaluated and preventativily treated by an arborist. Treat any downed trees so beatles don't just move from dead to live trees. We lost trees and I learned the hard way to be proactive.
Absolutely. Pine bark beetles over the course of time will destroy all your trees.
you are living the dream, Sir, I'm so so happy for you
love seeing people evolve over the years as needs and circumstances change. thank you for being transparent and showing where the next step after van life could possibly be.
Interesting to see all the UA-cam vanlifers and RVers now buying land in Arizona.
I'm in Yavapai country and after years on the road it is nice having a home base.
Congratulations Bob!! There's no place like Home 🙏👍 Home is where the Heart is.♥️
You should look into solar-powered atmospheric water generators. Zero Mass has a model that could be of use to you. There are plenty of videos on how they work as well as how to make your own. This would let you pull moisture right out of the air 24/7/365 to supplement your water use. But if scaled up, it could entirely replace your need to buy water or have it hauled to your location. There are industrial and community sized machines to look into.
Solar powered water generators are a scam. Main issue with them is they produce very little water and cost an arm and a leg cause you are basically buying a bunch of solar panels and a dehumidifier. You are not going to have enough water for washing dishes and bathing, lucky if you have enough to drink. And the units cost thousands of dollars. Also because of the way the water is generated condensing on coils you have to take precautions not to allow bacteria to grow in water generated.
I’ve lost 2 homes in OR & 1 in CA to wildfires. Arthritis has gotten worse as I’ve aged in WA/OR. I’ve decided I’m a plant without deep roots. More of a dandelion blowing in the wind. I would, however, like a small patch of land with a shed or old trailer to just breathe. Nothing exciting. Few trees. Fire pit. Good to go. Love your land. Absolutely love Flagstaff. Reminds me of PNW. Take Care Bob
That is so heart breaking I am sorry 😔 it feels like it fallowed some people ...my mother in law lost everything in the talent Oregon fire ( Alameda fire )
Oh my gosh. So sorry. Hope insurance helped you get back on your feet?
Goddess Bless you and may you Be Watered and Nourished by Life
maybe your arthritis would do better with dryer weather.. i live near vancouver b.c same type of weather..
The one thing to watch is zoning. A few years ago people were buying land. Remote land. And the towns started to require a 14 days camping permit. Even on your own land if you lived in a van and not in a house. And they started to limit the 14 day camp permit. So people need to check the zoning.
Congratulations, Bob. Your outdoor kitchen will be fantastic once you get it all put together like you'd like. Your property looks so nice & inviting. I know you will enjoy it for years to come.
When I was in Colombia I visited a family who had the outdoor kitchen set up and it was very nice and cozy! It was built with some kind of sticks and had a grass type roof that offered great shade and cooling.
I just bought a beautiful piece of land 10 minutes walking to town and 10 minutes walk to the beach for 26k...in Mexico . Love it !
Yeah, but you gotta deal with the surrounding poverty, misogyny, and cruelty toward animals. No bargain deal will make me sacrifice my soul.
@@BrokenBrain100 Hi. Please explain. Thank you.
You are brilliant! I moved overseas and came back to - no home base. It was the worst mistake I have ever made. Always have a home base! You never know when you need to go home.
Congratulations Bob! You really found a natural paradise in Arizona! Best Wishes Always!
Bob, I want to thank you for your years of beautiful and lovely content but I took this time that we admit that most of us can’t do this lifestyle forever. With everything that’s going on in the world right now I don’t think we have very long left so the best thing that we can all do is probably have a homebase or a small house that we can store a bunch of food water And other supplies to survive in case things go down. I started in life at first because I was homeless but then I continued it as a lifestyle to save money to live freely but now I see that it’s not going to be feasible for much longer. That’s why I bought the house and I’m working on it. I hope everyone’s well in the comments, be safe
Congratulations on your 20 acre property, so cool!
OKOKOK. Just saw your One Acre Video. And now. here you are on 20 Acres. Wow. Thanks so much for sharing all of this. Just great.
lol @ “Bobville”. You are such an inspiration!!
I recall seeing those 20-40 acre lots in Arizona on the LandWatch website. Its looking like a good idea.
Congratulations, Bob, beautiful spot. It's a smart choice having a larger piece of property because the smaller parcels, a couple of acres and smaller, often are part of "developments" and consequently have CC&Rs. With aging, a consideration is "where is the nearest decent hospital?" Also, a lot of counties are cracking down on nomads such as us and limiting the amount of time you can "camp" on your property. You covered water, sounds like you have a decent community well and some plans for cachement. Again, really happy for you
I haven't been keeping up with you lately, because van dwelling never worked out for me. I'm very happy for you buying this land. You have done so much for so many people, you deserve to have a home base. I'm 72 this year and I think too old to be a full-time nomad, so I understand you wanting to have a stable home. Congratulations and thanks for everything you do!
Great piece of property! I’m sure you’ll have a lot of lovely times there. I appreciate the information you share.
Great advice Bob, something I’ve wanted to do for quite a while now. Please make more videos as you develop your project. Thanks
Congratulations Mr. Bob! Can't wait for this adventure for you and hope you will take us along! Congratz!
Congratulations on owning dirt.
I love my van, but I love my lot too.
The garden makes me happy.
That's the one of the bigest things I miss about van dwelling, the other is privacy. Having your own space to go outside where you know no one else will be walking through to disturb your thoughts. I grew up in places where my parents owned between 15-22 acres. I didn't really like it because I would get lonely, but I always found something to discover. Now that I'm older I find I miss the peace, wildlife and nature. Even parks have people wandering around. I haven't gardened for the last 30 yrs, but I did have potted flowers and trees up till I became nomadic. It's becoming harder to find places to park because people are so intolerant even if you don't make a mess or even if you clean up after others. 🤷🏼 I don't understand why people can't just leave us alone. I do nothing to bother anyone, but apparently just the fact we exist bothers them? 🤦
Where did you find land. I am trying to decide where to go
Congratulations Bob I also bought 5 acres in Coconino County minus the trees I love it. Put a cabin shed on it Put a portapotty and a plastic shed for my shower house with a propane shower. I put plastic containers with cornmeal and baking soda and the mice eat it up and also put bucket traps with peanut butter Mice are under control here. Also make my own spray with Spearmint clove and garlic oil and spray around cabin and rv once a week
Can I ask what an acre costs there? Do you think it's prohibitively expensive for an area with trees like Bob found?
Did you have problems getting an address for the land? I tried to do the same but in NM and had issues because I didn't have a house that I was living in. So trying to find a more nomad friendly place
This is my plan. I have 1.27 in Coconino. I want to do the shed and RV combo. I just get so ugh about the extreme weather
Congratulations Sir! From what you shared here, your new property is beautiful. Love the trees. Now you have safety and security no matter what life brings.
Acquisition and complexity seem to be the "thrust" of the human condition. Even minimalism eventually gives way to these forces. However, with forethought and consideration we can channel these impulses into avenues that actually work for us. You have put much thought into living a mobile lifestyle that will not only serve you now, but into the future. None of us know how politics, climate change, and even aging will bring change into our lives. You have melded the best of the possibilities into what looks to be a sustainable life plan for now into the future. Thank you for being a guiding light for many of us.
As I was watching the video I was thinking about something along the same lines. It struck me that even the most steadfast of nomads, the King of Nomads himself, Bob Wells, has gravitated towards the homestead. It seems our desire for comfort (Nature is a relentless matron) drives us to settle down and acquire more things. Yet the acquisition of more things and settling down creates anxiety because the management and care of those things along with the settling down takes us away from our natural proclivity to wander. Humans are complex beasts. Forethought and consideration are paramount, I agree. Thank you for your comment.
Note that sometimes land policies don’t allow for camping on your own land more than half of the year. So you get two plots and move your off-grid rig back and forth between them.
Silly rule
You can get a long term lease if you can't buy something. Easy to get on undeveloped land. Just make sure there us a road near enough so you always have access. I had a 30 year renewable lease for 400 a year. Check for how the county has it coded for land use. Example agricultural, or recreation, mixed use etc.
Is there a source that lists land for lease, or any tips on how to find available properties?
Develop your own prospects. Decide on your criteria. Location elevation, distance to amenities. Go to the county property appraisers office and look to see who owns it. Go knock on doors and ask. You just may strike gold. Good luck.
I bought land in Florida, $4000 cash. It’s just a quarter acre and I put in a food forest so when I drive up I can forage for food and camp. Put in a well too. A driveway and stealth shack to store shit.
Don't be deceived, Bob's a tough cookie! I live in the state to the East. I see people come and go! Homes, trailers left because of water, alot of municipalities stop giving out bulk water permits, which leave you to small containers. The wind is relentless, the roads will murder your vehicle, they'll be no one to haul your vehicle to town, no one coming to work on your place. Unless you have the patience of Job, the ingenuity of Mcguiver and the grit of Grizzly Adam's! You might look for a milder climate and closer to civilization.
What do you mean by "bulk water permits"? If you haul your own water who is going to find out you have a 275G tote of water in your property? thanks for sharing.
My advice to those who don't want to become a touph cookie is this! The world is changing fast and it's going to crush anyone who isn't a touph cookie in the very near future. In fact it already is! Time to think about becoming a toupher cookie
Bob is different due to his extensive support network. He'll always have help around.
@@campnoutdoors1621agree
Own 5 acres in Nevada, Winnemucca address but in Pershing County. Have owned it for about 10 years. Out in the middle of nowhere. Love going out there to just chill
It totally depends on the zoning rights of the county. A lot no longer allow trailers on the property even if you bought the property. It’s all about the zoning.
Zoning are theft of rights from property owners and most zoning outside of medium to larger towns and cities, and especially on rural lands should be outlawed. A quite recent SCOTUS ruling may stop most communities from stopping people living on their own land, or make excessive requirements for them to do so.
Some solid reasons, and it is easy and relatively cheap to get a piece to call your own. Having a nest to go back to can help with one's outlook as well. A place to recharge when the road gets too crazy.
Fantastic Bob. Good for you. I hope to become a Nomad in about 3 years. Maybe sooner.
Congratulations on Bobville USA enjoy your new space.
I'm really happy for you, Bob, congratulations!!
Smart of you to think ahead for yourself and those you care about because all your points are valid. You're such a nice fellow and your friends are lucky to have you. Looks like a nice place and your 40' seacan is certainly a bonus. Some people build lean-tos on the sides for extra covered storage. Congrats!!
Hello Bob, I am so happy for you. Bob I have a sincere question. I would like to do something along the lines like this also. But I worry about possible potential violators/intruders while snow-birding. Have you given any thought of some kind of time share like in general principle with your closest family/friends to be there while away? To make sure nothing walks off? That’s what concerns my wife and I; gone any length of time. The reason we ask is my wife and I had a chain link fence, shed and contents all padlocked. While we were gone, we came back Seven days later to find everything stolen. Literally the fence, shed and contents inside.
Do you have any advice about what you could have done differently?
I would worry about theft too --
Do you think having the locked container would be a better idea?
Wow
Im so happy for you! You found a lovely piece of land for sure WOW 20 ac NICE find.
We are very happy for you! We too are looking for land to purchase! Being self sufficient & sustainable is our goal! Thank you Bob! Getting a clear title on a surveyed property in a friendly county is essential!!
Congrats on your land purchase! Northern AZ is a beautiful area. As former Alaskans, the first structure my husband/I always build is a sauna/steam bath!
Good job! Having bladed drive along with a 40' Conex is a big plus. 😎
Congratulations! Fun to get a tour from a nomad legend. I'm just starting to work on my minivan so love seeing the path of build outs, nomad life, and also what some do as they find a place for part or full time living. The security of ownership and/or and a place to settle for at least a while seems an important thing to consider especially for one's older years.
Congratulations, Bob. We are happy for your beautiful find. 🤗
Congratulations! A base camp is always a great investment. You can improve the land to suit your needs. Outdoor Kitchen, a nice shower house, a Outdoor sitting area with a cover and maybe a tiny house for when you just want to stay a while - maybe a carport or building for a garage. That would make doing repairs easier for vehicles.
Wow! What a dream! So cool to think of going that route!
Congrats!
“Keep making memories & adventure on!” ~Karen & Shannon WOY
When you paint that tote of water put a strip of masking tape first so you can tell how much water is in it stick the tape back so you do not get alge !
Hi Bob, met you several years ago in Q at one of your RTRs. I also bought just over 20 acres 2 years ago up in that same general area at 6300'. I'm doing the very same thing you are. Seems there are a lot of folks doing the same thing. Nothing more freeing than being off grid.
And just a couple of months ago I bought 4 acres in rural Texas, an hour from the Gulf. I like having options. Lol. I'm still nomading, but it is good to have a home base.
In the words of Mark Twain, 'Buy land, they're not making it anymore.'
Anyway, congratulations on your new home base, best of luck to you, and happy trails.
Love you, Bob. You're such a humble soul, and a source of inspiration to so many. ❤
Congratulations, may you enjoy having a home base to go back to and keep extra stuff you don’t wish to carry around.
Congratulations Bob. I did the same,12 acres in Northern Nevada for my home base. And travel with weather as I want.
I’m in Vegas and REALLY want to leave ASAP but want to stay in the state and gonna start researching different areas of the state...Nevada is a beautiful state and after living in Vegas for 46 years it’s time to get away from here and get somewhere where there are more animals that people 😂😂😂😂any ideas or suggestions would certainly be appreciated 👍👍👍☮️
Thanks!
Your enthusiasm is infections and you deserve it brother! Great job on the purchase, may you enjoy it for years to come.
I agree! And it's hard to beat having a good-sized piece of "green" land where you can enjoy and appreciate nature (and, to me, creation) and rejuvenate-all under the stars! And land is "gold" if you know how to turn it into one. Just don't be lazy! Plus exercise out in the open, such clearing out dead matter and gardening, has no comparison! I work out all the time in my home gym, but there's something about being outside that's healthy, inspiring, and even uplifting. So, yeah, get that piece of land-for your peace of mind!
Very happy for you, Bob! ❤🎉
Congratulations Bob and love all the comments from your followers but very surprised you are not responding to some of the pertinent questions. Could you please make another video answering them 🙏🏻
There really needs to be a legal way someone can get around requiring owning or renting to have a domicile address. The law needs to be changed to accommodate nomadic living. I'm sure owning this land seems like the right thing, but with it comes responsibility, property taxes, and a few other things. It does give peace of mind knowing that you have a place to go where people can't kick you out for no good reason. 20 acres is a lot of land, it should be fun but you're now a caretaker of that land too and with that there are legal requirements. Enjoy.
He's going to get too old to drive, just like every human being who doesn't die first, so having a place to live is common sense. Arizona property tax is cheap, less than $1200 on a $200,000 property, and Bob's land is way less than that. What are you going to do when you're too old or sick to drive? Hope family takes you in? Be neglected in a state facility? Not being funny but everyone needs to figure this out. Bob said he was going to buy land years ago and he has. He's a smart man.
A famous Beat poet bookstore in San Francisco kindly offers up its address (with a wall of cubby holes) to homeless folks for the same reason you bring up.
Also UPS stores offer their brick and mortar address to mailbox renters since some places will not deliver to PO Box addresses.
Check out South Dakota's one-day process for establishing residency. It solves your vehicle registration problems (plus no vehicle inspections, and if I recall correctly, remote registration is allowed). South Dakota created this option specifically to solve some of the problems facing traveling salesmen, traveling nurses, truck drivers, etc. It will not however, solve your banking woes, if you have them. Most banks require an address with a residential RDI. Search USPS RDI. The fact that most motels have a commercial RDI is why banks often won't accept them as a valid residence, even after years of living in the same room. It sounds like Apache County may be an exception. Thanks Bob, for this tip. When I have time to look up my old notes, I'll try to post a link here about South Dakota's unique offering. It's fascinating though -- one night spent in South Dakota is the sum total of requirements for residency.
Congratulations Bob, I’m so happy for you. I watch another channel and he bought land and out a shed made tiny home on it and it’s nice . Wood burning stove and everything self sufficient. Best wishes to you and as always much love and many blessings
Congrats Bob! Happy for you!
Bob, great progress! I lived in the eastern AZ mountains several years and love it. I’m back east now and miss it terribly.
You will find winters cold, but tolerable. Historically a good bit of snow, but I hear not quite so much now. Summers should be nice there, but you will want to think of clearing a larger area for your rig in case of fire.
Monsoon season gets VERY WET around there, and some roads can become difficult to use, so keep that in mind.
The cedar gnats can be annoying at times, but not too bad.
Maybe think about building that outdoor kitchen large and tall enough to park your rig under? Might come in handy sometime.
You will enjoy the elk and deer, but don’t forget there are also cougar and wolves there, so be mindful of that with your dog. Bobcats and javalina can be a problem for dogs as well.
Also be aware that rodents (prairie dogs, packrats, squirrels and others) sometimes have black plague that can be transmitted to humans by fleas. Of course hanta virus is also a concern.
Watching the video brought back fond memories. I can almost smell the juniper and feel the wonderful dry air. Savor it all!
Your home base is awesome. A place to go to rest awhile & a permanent home for down the road Good for you. Looks awesome. Happy for ya
Awesome! Good for you Mr. Wells.
You could really make that container beautiful and do so many videos on the transformation. You could even use a part as a campsite for others and charge for that too! All kinds of possibilities come to mind.
AZ counties I've researched for land all have 30-day per year RV living restrictions UNLESS a septic tank system ($5-10K) is installed . . . . . What are your plans?
Apache and coconino have longer stays
He can easily install a septic tank. Bob makes a great living from UA-cam, plus he was in that movie, and he hasn't had any serious bills in decades.
Depends on the regulations of the community, 6 months tops but that's if you are building a home, and most places like (parks,az) you have a minimum sq ft requirement @@SuperTrayk
@@Justin-jf4ub Coconino 120 days a year with no septic. Year around you would need a septic. Closer you get to an established area the more restrictions...
@@Justin-jf4ub 600 minimum sq ft.. or 200 sq ft or less no permits needed. It's a good deal lol 😁
Bob, you have really been living the life. Everything you're doing looks to be smart, fun and practical. Now you have an address in a good looking location. Great video. Thanks.
Well done Bob , it's nice for you to have a safe place where your friends can bring their rigs to visit too
😂🤣
Maybe put down another metal container parallel to the existing one, and place a shed roof inbetween for a kitchen . I
Outdoor kitchen looks great! ❤ Time to tune in to Kent Rollins for some great outdoor cast-iron cooking!
Yup! He's a master of the craft for sure! 😁
Maybe get an old chuck wagon!!
Chef corso is awesome for ultralight cooking
Suggest you should be soaking any section of timber going into the ground in oil first to prevent rot and pests.
Excellent choice Bob, you have a great place there.
Congratulations! I'm with you on needing to have trees. I'm not sure I'd want to haul water the rest of my life, though, so I do hope you can get a rain catchment system going. You can rig a shallow slanted roof over the Conex until you get your permanent kitchen done... or better yet, both. I would eventually build a shed for my rig, too, to protect from rain, hail, and sun, if it were my property. All roofs can be rigged with gutters for rain catchment... take advantage.
Congrats!!! I love that part of Arizona, pinon pine and juniper forest. Love that elevation.
How are the bugs? In Utah around Moab they have Cedar Gnats that come out in May, I believe. Do the Cedar Gnats make it down into northern AZ where your property is? Other bugs?
welcome bob I started at your RTR in qiartsite and now have 1 1/4;acre in apache county with my family
it works great
I do have a tiny house though as I can no longer drive. you won't be sorry. welcome and thanks for your help on my journey over the years