Need help finding a homestead.

[thebeav]

We’re starting our search for our new home (stead). I’m going to list the things important to us and would appreciate any help you fine folks can add. Please don’t think you’ll hurt my feelings. I want straight shooters. I have big shoulders and tuff skin.
Well here goes:

Location:
East of New Mexico, west of North Carolina. About 200 miles north to 100 miles south of 35 degrees north latitude.

Land:
40 – 100 acres
Pasture
Fenced
Tillable
Timber


Water:
Good well. Enough water for garden and livestock.
Pond / ponds
Spring
Stream

House / Buildings:
2 bedrooms / 1 bathroom
Garage
Barn
Shop
Machine Shed
Chicken coop

We’d like a place rural enough to be able to site in a rifle and not have the local sheriff called. But not have to drive 100 miles to town. I want to be as self sufficient as possible. Raise most of our food and hunt and fish, if not on our property close by. I’ve worked with my hands my entire life. I’m a General Contractor and an electrician by trade. I’m proficient in framing, plumbing, and concrete. I’m sure I could do 99% of any building / repairs my self and am willing to trade my labor for help around the place. I may not be liquid enough to do this for a couple of months. I’m not crazy about looking in the dead of winter. The plan is to make a list and take a (possibly one month) trip to look at different places and meet with realtors. I’ll be pulling a 5th wheel trailer that holds the Harley in the back with my Dodge Diesel 4X4. If I’m not on the road by September should I consider waiting til spring? I hope one month is enough.
As for finances, we’ll pay cash. I think I’ll still have enough money after the original purchase to live on, but I’m not apposed to taking on part time employment at a local farm / ranch / dairy to keep the savings healthy and help out with taxes, insurance and the like. I’ve been reading this board for a long time and as smart as you folks are some hands-on experience would never hurt. None of the list above is in stone. The items under each category are in order of importance. Even the location is negotiable. I was just trying to find a place that had a fairly long growing season, four seasons, and not nine months of winter. I like to look out my window and see green not desert.
What do you folks think a place like this would cost? I understand a turn key operation would be more than vacant land, and a good bargain never hurts.
Don’t be afraid to show me the error of my ways.
Beav

[uyk7]

If you can state in a few sentences what you want and email me at Stuart.Lynch@homesteadhunter.com I will place it on the Website for more people to look at.

Stuart

[Terri]

Your best bet will probably be in the area of one of the SMALL cities.

Near a large city means that you cannot shoot your gun without getting attention, and the land prices will be VERY high.

Being TOTALLY in the boonies means that it WILL be 100 miles to most of the conveniences. Oh, everywhere has grocery stores, but, you may have trouble finding dress shoes, theaters, and OTHER pleasures of modern life without it being a major trip.

Alas, I live in Kansas, so I am afraid I cannot be more specific than that.

[thebeav]

One more item that I hope dosen't hinder finding a place. My wife wants a Corgi.
Beav