Homestead Location Recommendations?

[Mc_B]

Hello all! An amazing opportunity has come up for my family and we have an opportunity to move with an adequate sum of money. I would like to start homesteading and would like your recommendations for states to start. Right now I'm really looking at Southern Missouri in the Ozarks area. Others have been eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, etc.

 

[Pacman]

Hello all! An amazing opportunity has come up for my family and we have an opportunity to move with an adequate sum of money. I would like to start homesteading and would like your recommendations for states to start. Right now I'm really looking at Southern Missouri in the Ozarks area. Others have been eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, etc.

Southern Missouri is probably one of the best areas from the research I have seen.

 

[NickF]

Well, I’m a consultant and advise people on this subject as my profession and full time income. I’m looking at property in Tennessee. Actually looking at a multi-million dollar piece of property right now. Might be buying it to subdivide into homestead lots with an integrated cooperative extension built into the community.

So my personal opinion is Tennessee.

 

[Mc_B]

Well, I’m a consultant and advise people on this subject as my profession and full time income. I’m looking at property in Tennessee. Actually looking at a multi-million dollar piece of property right now. Might be buying it to subdivide into homestead lots with an integrated cooperative extension built into the community.

So my personal opinion is Tennessee

May I ask why you think Tennessee? Over other places?

 

[NickF]

It would be a multiple hour analysis to do a thorough job but I’ll hit the high points.

1. Political trajectory has maintained relatively positive course
2. Low taxation and cost of living
3. Relatively rural, poor, independent and low population density. Translates to less upheaval in really bad times.
4. Favorable climate and growing conditions
5. Relatively cheap land that’s difficult to monocrop

Most of the drawbacks to those points are reduced by technology in good times, or become positives during bad times.

 

[Bria]

My husband @mando222 and I have been looking Tennessee for sometime too. We also found they are more relaxed when it comes to marriage laws and what not.

 

[Bartato]

Hello all! An amazing opportunity has come up for my family and we have an opportunity to move with an adequate sum of money. I would like to start homesteading and would like your recommendations for states to start. Right now I'm really looking at Southern Missouri in the Ozarks area. Others have been eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, etc.

I'm looking at the southern Missouri Ozarks myself. Other than being far away, it's definitely the top of my list.

I've spent most of my life in the irrigated dry part of the northwest (Eastern WA, and Southern Idaho). It's home, and I love it out here, but land has gotten prohibitively expensive, and Washington state (where I live) is being run by insane communists.

 

[The Revolting Man]

Missouri is a great choice, but especially southern Missouri for Torah keepers. There is a vibrant Torah community spilling out of northern Arkansas. The politics in Missouri are phenomenal right now.

Tennessee is great, I live about 45 minutes south of Tennessee and everything @NickF says is true. South Carolina is also a great option. The politics are very solid, and it is also very rural. Western South Carolina is an undiscovered gem, very inexpensive but in the mountains while still being usable, look as far west and as possible.

 

[Bartato]

It would be a multiple hour analysis to do a thorough job but I’ll hit the high points.

1. Political trajectory has maintained relatively positive course
2. Low taxation and cost of living
3. Relatively rural, poor, independent and low population density. Translates to less upheaval in really bad times.
4. Favorable climate and growing conditions
5. Relatively cheap land that’s difficult to monocrop

Most of the drawbacks to those points are reduced by technology in good times, or become positives during bad times.

I'll agree with NickF that Tennessee has a lot going for it. Still, most of the good things about Tennessee also apply to the Southern Missouri Ozarks

 

[Bartato]

I'll agree with NickF that Tennessee has a lot going for it. Still, most of the good things about Tennessee also apply to the Southern Missouri Ozarks

On my trip to Missouri last fall, I was also quite impressed how nice Northern Missouri looked. It reminded me of the Shire in LOTR. Western Iowa also seemed nice.

On the other hand, Northern Missouri is more big Ag Midwestern corn and soybeans than homestead land (good for me professionally as an agronomist, but lacking some of the good traits NickF mentioned).

Northern Arkansas is pretty, but I think the soils being a little more sloped and rocky aren't quite as conducive to farming as in S. Missouri (which also has slopes and rocks, but a little less).

Eastern Oklahoma is also nice, but I am concerned about possible implications of being on tribal reservation land, which most of OK technically is. I do love Braums ice cream.

Tennessee and Arkansas have pretty good politics, but Oklahoma and Missouri are a little better.

Revolting man brought up a good point about South Carolina (especially the Western part). It is nice, and the politics are good.

North Carolina is lovely, but the influx of liberals and Yanks in the Research Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) and Charlotte has shifted state politics badly in the wrong direction.

North Georgia is also pretty awesome, but Atlanta

Florida has some perks, but farming on sand takes some getting use to (lived there six years).

 

[Bartato]

Well, I’m a consultant and advise people on this subject as my profession and full time income. I’m looking at property in Tennessee. Actually looking at a multi-million dollar piece of property right now. Might be buying it to subdivide into homestead lots with an integrated cooperative extension built into the community.

So my personal opinion is Tennessee.

I just thought of something else. That multi million dollar property in Tennessee (or one equivalent) would probably considerably less expensive in Missouri.

 

[Bartato]

Missouri is a great choice, but especially southern Missouri for Torah keepers. There is a vibrant Torah community spilling out of northern Arkansas. The politics in Missouri are phenomenal right now.

Tennessee is great, I live about 45 minutes south of Tennessee and everything @NickF says is true. South Carolina is also a great option. The politics are very solid, and it is also very rural. Western South Carolina is an undiscovered gem, very inexpensive but in the mountains while still being usable, look as far west and as possible.

In addition to the Torah Keepers in the Ozarks, there are a lot of God fearing, Bible believing, Jesus loving people in general.

It seems like there are a lot of pentecostal and holiness type churches (like Assembly of God and Nazarene church). That's good, but I might prefer a few more Calvinist Baptist types like myself

Most of the people I've known from Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri are friendly, generous, hard working, and all around decent. They are the kind of people I want around if the world falls apart.

 

[NickF]

I just thought of something else. That multi million dollar property in Tennessee (or one equivalent) would probably considerably less expensive in Missouri.

Find me one that's a thousand acres and we'll talk.

 

[Keith Martin]

Not 1000 acres, but, other than Montana, one can't beat Nacogdoches County TX for being off the beaten path, and your representative in Congress is Louis Gohmert. It's one of those areas where staying out of one another's business is the rule of the day. Lots of colorful history. High humidity, but, then again, so are all these other locations y'all are mentioning.

466.38 Acres, Nacogdoches County, Texas

These 466 acres have a combination of superb recreational opportunities, excellent timber and a diverse ecology. The timber assets have an immediate cash flow opportunity and excellent future timber g

www.landsoftexas.com

 

[Bartato]

Find me one that's a thousand acres and we'll talk.

How big are the individual properties that you all looking at dividing that into? I might seriously be interested in anything between 5 and 50 acres (20 probably perfect).

Tennessee is pretty great, even if it isn't the Missouri Ozarks.

 

[Bartato]

Not 1000 acres, but, other than Montana, one can't beat Nacogdoches County TX for being off the beaten path, and your representative in Congress is Louis Gohmert. It's one of those areas where staying out of one another's business is the rule of the day. Lots of colorful history. High humidity, but, then again, so are all these other locations y'all are mentioning.

466.38 Acres, Nacogdoches County, Texas

These 466 acres have a combination of superb recreational opportunities, excellent timber and a diverse ecology. The timber assets have an immediate cash flow opportunity and excellent future timber g

www.landsoftexas.com

I agree with you. That is my favorite part of Texas.

 

[NickF]

Not 1000 acres, but, other than Montana, one can't beat Nacogdoches County TX for being off the beaten path, and your representative in Congress is Louis Gohmert. It's one of those areas where staying out of one another's business is the rule of the day. Lots of colorful history. High humidity, but, then again, so are all these other locations y'all are mentioning.

466.38 Acres, Nacogdoches County, Texas

These 466 acres have a combination of superb recreational opportunities, excellent timber and a diverse ecology. The timber assets have an immediate cash flow opportunity and excellent future timber g

www.landsoftexas.com

Nope, I've gotta get far enough north to get away from fire ants. Not going to Texas. I was born there, will always be a Texan, but alas, it's going the way of Austin and I'm not putting my roots there.

 

[NickF]

How big are the individual properties that you all looking at dividing that into? I might seriously be interested in anything between 5 and 50 acres (20 probably perfect).

Tennessee is pretty great, even if it isn't the Missouri Ozarks.

Depends on a few factors but I'm guessing some 1 acre plots, 5 acre, and 20 acre. Might be several sizes between depending on layout. I'd lay things out from a holistic regenerative ag / permaculture approach. Ridgeline access roads would set boundaries and thereby dictate plot sizes, nothing would be cookie cutter or square.

 

[Bartato]

Find me one that's a thousand acres and we'll talk.

Keep in mind that the original post did not ask about 1000+ acre properties for development. He asked about homesteading locations. A homestead doesn't require 1000 acres, and few of us can afford that amount of land anyway.

That's where the Ozarks excel. There are a lot of smaller rural properties with modest homes on them, that aren't as expensive as elsewhere.

Here is one example. Two modest homes on six acres for $178k.

8468-8470 Highway 17, Bucyrus, MO 65444 | MLS #60221578 | Zillow

For sale This 1305 square foot single family home has 3 bedrooms and 2.0 bathrooms. It is located at 8468-8470 Highway 17 Bucyrus, Missouri.

www.zillow.com

Another. Modest house and barn on 3.6 acres for $140k.

13058 W State Highway 14, Ava, MO 65608 | MLS #60211057 | Zillow

For sale This 1190 square foot single family home has 3 bedrooms and 1.0 bathrooms. It is located at 13058 W State Highway 14 Ava, Missouri.

www.zillow.com

Or just land

3 acres of pasture for $25k.

Murr Rd, Graff, MO 65660 | MLS #60209983 | Zillow

For sale This is a vacant land. It is located at MURR Rd Graff, Missouri.

www.zillow.com

The project you are working on does sound awesome, and the smaller individual properties will surely make awesome homesteads in the future. I really would like to learn more about them.

Missouri aldo has these sorts of large properties. Here are a couple examples.

1100 acres for $2.4mil

413 County Road 112, Wasola, MO 65773 | MLS #60215444 | Zillow

For sale This 1700 square foot single family home has 3 bedrooms and 2.0 bathrooms. It is located at 413 County Road 112 Wasola, Missouri.

www.zillow.com

Over 2000 acres

0 Highway V, Myrtle, MO 65778 | MLS #60196915 | Zillow

For sale This is a vacant land. It is located at 0 Highway V Myrtle, Missouri.

www.zillow.com

 

[Bartato]

Depends on a few factors but I'm guessing some 1 acre plots, 5 acre, and 20 acre. Might be several sizes between depending on layout. I'd lay things out from a holistic regenerative ag / permaculture approach. Ridgeline access roads would set boundaries and thereby dictate plot sizes, nothing would be cookie cutter or square.

That does sound really promising. I really am interested in learning more.