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| Many homes can be outfitted to be excellent preparedness homes. |
There are an abundance of high acreage homes available worldwide being sold as "Prepper Ready" or as Survivalist Homes. Some of them are stocked with multiple years supplies of freeze dried food. In fact, one of the most rapidly growing categories of real estate are "Prepper Homes" and this isn't just within the United States. However, none of these homes are inexpensive. They trade on the idea that "There is no time left and you have to get something completely outfitted for survival right now !" Of course, unless you have a great deal of money and you are in a job making a great deal of money, then you are probably wiser to select a home with some land that you like very much, and then make the additional changes and do the stocking you need to do, paying for these items yourself. Secondly, a place you buy with everything outfitted is likely to be known to everyone in the area from building contractors to the brother in law of the former owners, and they could show up during hurricanes or other tough times. In addition, a place you stock yourself offers the advantage of your knowing what the supplies are, where they came from, and remembering exactly where they are when stressful times emerge. Even the most devoted preppers misplace or forget important items they have purchased. Stocking yourself gives you and your family a better handle on your inventory of supplies.
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| A dry basement which is finished or could easily be, can provide space, storage, and peace of mind. |
The most important thing is not to overextend yourself financially when moving to a rural place. If you are moving to a place hours from a work hub, then you need to be able to sustain such a place with either a job with internet generated employment or sales, or through a little job in retail or service that could be done at your new location. A few of us have a retirement or a pension that would help also. Secondly, you should evaluate whether you should initially obtain a mortgage and then pay off the property later, or pay cash for such a property. Keep in mind that property taxes and homeowners would still need to be paid even if you are lucky enough to be able to pay cash. Property taxes don't ever really go down, and in the last few years, homeowners insurance hasn't either. Remember that homes can be added to, but land only rarely can be, so buy enough land from the outset. Remember that a small well organized house can be even more liveable than a sprawling one with no storage and without clear planning consideration of its interior. Remember that outbuildings can make a tiny house much more liveable because the items used intermittently can be stored outside. A lawnmower doesn't need to live in a garage attached to your home. It can live in an outbuilding. In fact, it is less of a fire hazard to you and your family, in the outbuilding.
Your next rural home might not actually be a "survival home". You might have a well there, but choose to add The Simple Pump later. It might have a basement but no storage shelving for emergency food. You may need to frame and shelve a room in your basement for such. It should be fairly private in that people foraging for food and supplies don't easily see it on the way out of town.
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| Solidly built outbuildings are a big plus. They can be used for storage or for housing animals. |
Before you sell your urban home and move to an area with fewer jobs and pay cash for your home, you should talk to your financial advisor. Chances are, he won't encourage you, because that isn't his job, however you should be aware of all of the financial implications of your choices. I did them anyway, but you need full awareness of the implications of such.
The most important thing in establishing a prepared home is location. You need a location in which you would feel comfortable sheltering in place for an extended period. It should feel like home, not a survival safe house. It should have adequate land in order to grow vegetables and fruit as best you can. It should have a place to raise rabbits or chickens, and no legal restrictions for such. It should be possible to keep a couple of dogs there as sentries.
If you are in a fire prone location, then it should have a fire resistant roof. Since you will be prepping and not as devoted to home maintenance as many were fifteen years ago, your new home should be easy maintenance. It should not require any structural improvements, only cosmetic ones.
In general, I don't think that a prepper home should share a driveway or other essential infrastructure, like a well. Of course, if the perfect affordable situation appears, then concessions are often made, but in general, it's best to avoid conflicts with neighbors who can change in an instant when someone dies or someone inherits and does not see eye to eye with you as the former owner may have.
Once you have moved in, do not announce to anyone that you are there to establish your "prepper home". Your holding on to your supplies depends upon your ability to stay quiet. You are simply organizing a new home.
Rather than encouraging your spouse of family to "shelter in place" or cocoon right away, let them gradually get to know people in your community. Let your children enjoy 4H and the education that will come with it. Encourage your spouse to fish or join the learning to can vegetables group at the local church. It is not possible to set up safe like minded connections in a flash, but learning about people and establishing trust takes time and must start somewhere.
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| You may not need as many hens as this. |
Although establishing a prepping home in a new location is always a leap of faith and a challenge, it can also be one of the most rewarding tasks a family takes on.
