What would YOU do?

[MustangGal]

Looking for opinions. Ideally we would love to move to a very rural location, but I am currently in school and not working, so we are living on DH's income. We own the house DH's mother lived in until she went to the nursing home. She is not going to be able to come home.

Background:
Years ago, we put in a mobile home on the property and they deeded us an acre. Both of DH's parents were in poor health and they needed some help. I never dreamed they would last more than five years. DH's dad lived another eleven years and his mom only recently went to the nursing home.... twenty three years after we moved in. We never really wanted to live here permanantly, so we didn't build a traditional home. We own both properties, free and clear.

The house: It has an odd layout, but lots of storage room and a cellar (a big plus this time of year). It would need new flooring (carpets are ancient) and paint, but it is in pretty good shape. The kitchen would need remodeled, but we can do that ourselves.

The mobile: We have remodeled every room in the home. It looks pretty nice, but it is still a 23 year old mobile home.

The occupants: DH is 48, I am 42, and the Man Cub is 7.

Now that we are no longer tied to the property, we have some options.

a. We could sell the house, use the proceeds to buy land or down payment on another home and continue to live in the mobile home until we see that process through then sell it.

b. We could rent out the house and use the proceeds to fund the purchase of another property.

c. We could move into the house. Sell the mobile (must be moved), or keep it and rent it out.... don't really want the hassle of being landlords. The property has two large pole barn style garages. One at the house is a three stall and would be used as such. The extra long two stall at the mobile with an addition on the side could be converted to a traditional barn. Property is about 4 1/2 to 5 acres - not sure of total, and there might be additional ajoining land available for purchase some time in the future.

The location: Small town of fewer than 400 people. We like most of our neighbors. There are many elderly in the community. There is a small population of thugs, just like anywhere you live, I suppose. But, given that DH is a LEO, we pretty much know who the problem people are. We are away from most main roads. The town is at the intersection of two minor state highways and quite a ways from most major highways. We are within a few miles of the lake, and just a couple miles from a very cold, clear creek that never runs dry in the summer. There are multiple ponds within easy walking distance. DH's family owns and resides in most of the properties for approximately 1/4 to a 1/2 mile down the road. There are several properties on our road and in the area that have large gardens - some people still know how to grow food. The town is small enough that there are no city streets, just county roads.

Restrictions on property: No commercial chicken operations. I can have my hens and rooster, but I can't "profit from them." Same with hogs. I can raise a hog or two for myself, but no commercial operations. Cows, horses, goats, dogs, and cats - no restrictions - not even leash laws.

Feel free to ask more questions. I will try to answer them as best I can without giving out our actual location. LOL

Sorry this is so long, but I do value the opinions of board members. Thanks for looking!

[rice paddy daddy]

That sounds like a good set-up you already have. Why move?
It sounds like a good location, you have a decent size piece of property, good outbuildings (or potential thereof), fairly good zoning.
I would not rent the mobile home, I personally would not want the hassle. If you could sell it (the buyer to move it) for enough cash to either renovate the house or put away as a nest egg, that would be a good thing. Otherwise, maybe hang onto it and use it for a guest house if out of town family ever comes for a visit.
You do realize, don't you, that there are many, many city folks who would love to be in your position?
We moved from a large metropolitan area to a dirt road in the country, 6 miles outside a one-stoplight town of 2,000 people. I used to wish we had more property, but took a look at we had in another light, and realized we really had it made. Horses, chickens, dogs, lots of woods around the property, deer in the back yard, etc. Now I'm humbly grateful to the Lord for what He provided for us.

[EX121]

Personally I think you are describing a slice of paradise. My vote would be to fix up the house and rent out the MH. You don't say what type of terrain they sit on, which would be the easiest to defend?
Could you sell & move closer to family to create a Small community?
I think the questions are variations of the basic survival questions modified a bit, can you have adequate shelter/security, food self-sufficiency, water (ponds & streams possible food source) etc.
Good luck, I'm envious. Wish I could live in the country, but I like my small town.

[MustangGal]

The land is on the top of a plateau (not the type in the southwest). It is very flat, but there is no danger of flooding! There are some woods, but most of this part of the county is farm land, mostly cattle/chicken operations. My folks live in the southern part of the county, which is where we would look for land if we decide to purchase. The southern part of the county is more heavily wooded, the terrain is much rougher, but there are still quite a few farms, again mostly cattle/chicken operations. My parents are my only family in the county that I could stand to live near. :D DH has a sister that lives in the county, but they are not really close and she lives too close to what could be an evacuation route.

The house also has a new septic system.

Nearest towns: We are about 12 miles outside two towns. One has about 5k, the other just under 3k. The next biggest towns are 30 miles away (10k) and 35 miles (13k). After you get out to about seventy miles, there are some midsized cities. ~160K.

I think I am trying to convince myself that the smartest thing to do would be to stay put, but our intent has always been to move further out and it is kinda hard to let go of that. KWIM?

[SCinPNW]

I agree, I think your setup sounds great! Do you like the basic structure of your in-law's house? From what you describe, it sounds like it could be remodeled into a really nice home for you and your family. What I might suggest is that you write down all of the pros and cons of each option you have to help you see what makes the most sense, and then pray about it.

Good luck with your decision.

SC

[MustangGal]

I agree, I think your setup sounds great! Do you like the basic structure of your in-law's house? I don't love it, but it is do-able. It has a tiny living room, which we would likely change to a dining room. Only one bathroom, but it would be fairly easy to add a bath in the huge utility room (it is bigger than the living room!) We could make it ours. From what you describe, it sounds like it could be remodeled into a really nice home for you and your family. What I might suggest is that you write down all of the pros and cons of each option you have to help you see what makes the most sense, and then pray about it.

Good luck with your decision.

SC

Thanks for the encouragement.

I appreciate all the responses. Sometimes people with no stake in a deal have a much clearer view than you might have.

[610Alpha]

So if you were in a WROL/PAW situation how would you heat your home? Would you use what available wood in the area in the first winter (is there enough woods to be sustainable)?

Maybe there is enough to last for several years and you start transplanting trees from other areas to become more sustainable. If you won't be able to heat your home in the winter very long look at how much it would cost to store up heating fuel several years worth.

Definitely do the pros and cons list and I would recommend the book "The Secure Home" by Joel Skousen, I am still reading it and will update that thread with chapter reviews but it looks at all of this stuff from what I can tell.

Just a couple of quick thoughts.

[MustangGal]

Both homes are currently heated with propane - I would guess between the two tanks, there is more than a years worth - maybe two. We try to keep them filled. Some wood is available on our property, we currently have close to a years worth cut, possibly more. If we needed more, the ajacent property is ownd by my husband's uncle and I'm sure we could cut off that land. (He has been very generous with us. We call him the "Farm Fairy." DH was telling him we were going to fence off a section of the property. Later that week we came home to find a pile of t-posts and some used fencing. We keep him supplied with goat's milk and a few rabbits here and there.)

If we needed to we should be able to trade for wood. We would be able to store at least another year's worth of wood in the barn.

Cooking is also propane, but hot water heaters are electric.

[goatlady]

Sounds to me like you already have a really good "support community" in place where you are. You are very familar with the land and situation. Considering the poor real estate market these days for selling property, and being already established where you are, it just might be best to stay put, revamp and keep on trucking where you are.

[rice paddy daddy]

One thing you need to think about, MustangGal, is later on as you get older. My wife and I kid that maybe we didn't buy "far enough out", and that if the county ever paves our road it WILL be time to move (further out).
But that was then, now we are mid sixties, and the wife having both knees replaced with metal ones made us see things in a different light. We really have no one we can depend on. Her kids live 4.5 hours away, my kids live 8 hours away, and things are going to get increasingly difficult as time goes on. Not to mention my surgeries. We are not young and bullet proof anymore.
As goatlady mentioned, it sounds like you have a good support system in place, ON TOP of the other positives concerning your situation.
Just another thing to think about.

[MustangGal]

Thank you all for your thoughts!

[JUSTIFIED]

Don't think I can add much to the good advice you're getting MustangGal but we're actively looking for a country setting too. Sounds like you've got a good setup. Unless you need the proceeds from selling one home to remodel the other you might consider keeping both so when the economy collapses you will have a separate home for family member(s) and/or friend(s). Will give you two more privacy.

Concerning firewood, if you're wanting to stock up you might talk to the country commisioner in your district and ask if it's ok to cut down trees in the right-of-ways on your roads. I'm a county worker and they allow us to where I live but it's up to your commissioner. If you do get permission, cut them level with the ground so the county mowers don't damage their blades on the stumps.

If you decide to plant trees for future firewood research trees that are fast growers like poplars etc...Here's a link for fast growing trees:

http://www.fast-growing-trees.com/Arkansas.htm

You might make a list of trees you like then visit your local nursery or Lowes/Home Depot like store. They would likely be cheaper than ordering them online.

[610Alpha]

@Justified - thanks for that link on fast growing trees.

Use that site in conjunction with a list of Hardwood Trees and their BTU output and hopefully you will be able to find some decent firewood trees...wish they had that as an option on that site. Maybe they will add a check box for firewood...LOL

[MustangGal]

Thank you all so much for your thoughts. DH's mother passed away last night. We have decided we will likely stay put, now if we could just find some like minded type people to rent the mobile.

[610Alpha]

My condolences to you and your family.

Good luck with the mobile home renter.

I did find this: http://www.ehow.com/list_7302666_fas...-firewood.html

This is a list of fast growing firewood trees.