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Thread: Current home

  1. #11
    LHBA Member DanS's Avatar
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    There's no truly wrong answer.

    I can tell you that my wife and I are currently renting a ridiculously cramped, inefficient mobile home about 20 minutes away from our property. We are hustling to get the utilities in so that we can haul up a trailer (cheap/free if possible, but even new trailers cost less than our rent, so we'll go that way if we have to) and get to living on the property as soon as humanly possible. Couple of reasons for this:
    • We bought the land because it's awesome. Living on it is the goal, even if it's in a mobile home while we build.
    • Even living 20 minutes away, it is a pretty big time committment to go up to the land to work on it. I generally need half a day to make it worth my while to go up there.
    • We have yet to involve a bank (but have a loan from my parents for about half of the land--and have saved enough to nearly pay them back, or build the house first and then pay them back), so building with cash is mostly a function of how fast we can make that cash, and how much of the work we can do ourselves--which is largely dependent upon our ability to get hours in on the project.
    • Once the house starts going up, there's a lot of smaller jobs that will be easy enough to get done before breakfast, after dinner, etc… If it's a 150 foot walk away, I tend to get a lot more done.
    • Once the house is built, we will probably build a guest cabin. The trailer will provide a lot of things that will go into the cabin (like a small heater, stove, etc…) if we want to part it out, or we can sell it to fund the cabin depending on how much we could get for it.
    • It's REALLY nice to get my firewood without the need for a truck ride to retrieve it.


    That's the thought process we used. If we owned a place 20 minutes from our property, we'd probably stay in it and build with cash. That way, you avoid paying rent, and can get some equity back when you sell the house eventually. Building with cash can be slower to get the house up, but you'll pay it off faster.

    Like you are likely figuring out from the other answers, there's no right or wrong answer. The right answer is the one that gets you into a house without the burden of a massive mortgage.

    Dan

  2. #12
    Guys,

    I am building a 36ft in diameter yurt to live in while I build. Trailers give me clostrophobia. The yurt will be 1000+ sq ft.

    Blondie

  3. #13
    LHBA Member edkemper's Avatar
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    I bought property 6 hours away, before taking the class. It sits and grows with no forward progress, until now. We bought a 1993 modular home 45 minutes away from our property. No financing because it was so cheap. It's also 2 miles away from the community college for my daughter. As soon as we get moved and settled, we will finally be able to start working on getting a 14x14 shed built and then be able to start our house. Now that we have a local address with enough room to secure all my equipment, I will be able to stop dreaming and start getting in shape. Being so far from our property has been very hard on us.
    Last edited by edkemper; 11-21-2012 at 11:23 PM.
    edkemper

    Class: Valentine's Day weekend 2009

    Feel the Bern!

  4. #14
    LHBA Member loghousenut's Avatar
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    I agree with everyone else. If it was me I'd put the property up for sale for top dollar but be careful that you don't end up with "that place that has been for sale for years".

    When you two decide to go to class, it'll probably change the way you think you think about everything you think about. Keep reading and looking at kit homes til you can't stand it and you finally make that trip to Vegas for class. Then you'll finally start aiming toward your future. There's time... You're still young.

  5. #15
    LHBA Member ivanshayka's Avatar
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    I live in Northwestern Michigan, Traverse City. My wife and I bought property outside of town, 5 acres with pine on it. I am planning on using that pine, cutting it myself, and building 2200 sf log home. It is doable with or without trees on the property. Good luck. You will love the class.

  6. #16
    LHBA Member BoFuller's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by edkemper View Post
    I bought property 6 hours away, before taking the class. It sits and grows with no forward progress, until now. We bought a 1993 modular home 45 minutes away from our property. No financing because it was so cheap. It's also 2 miles away from the community college for my daughter. As soon as we get moved and settled, we will finally be able to start working on getting a 14x14 shed built and then be able to start our house. Now that we have a local address with enough room to secure all my equipment, I will be able to stop dreaming and start getting in shape. Being so far from our property has been very hard on us.
    Awesome news Ed! Sounds like you're close to getting started.

    We bought our land before class because we loved it and it was a great deal. It is covered with trees but nothing useable for building. Great for firewood though. The land is 200 miles from where we live and work, so it's pretty much a whole day for traveling each way for us ( loading the truck, driving, stopping to fill a dozen diesel cans, driving, and then unloading everything). That's why we try to make it for a week at a time. We bought a 25 foot travel trailer to live in while we are here.

    Like the previous comments stated, too many variables to give you a good recommendation. Maybe look for a trailer but stay in the home until you get a good price.

    Try to hold off on major decisions until you go to class!!!! Check out local building codes! If I knew how hard this permit process was going to be, we would have looked in the neighboring county.

  7. #17
    Thanks for all the advice everyone! I think our game plan for now (while we're waiting for the next class to be announced) is to keep the house on the market, and if it sells before the next class we'll find somewhere to rent until we're able to take the class. We're all for the idea of living in a trailer on the land we want to build on....but we don't want to purchase the land until we have the classes advice on what kind of land to get. (And where...) Thanks again for all your help!

  8. #18
    LHBA Member loghousenut's Avatar
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    Go Team! Your heads are in the right spot. Happy Thanksgiving.

  9. #19
    LHBA Member AkChas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zehnteam View Post
    ....but we don't want to purchase the land until we have the classes advice on what kind of land to get. (And where...) Thanks again for all your help!
    Right On! You got it! Bottom line -- Take the Class. In the mean-time -- read all you can here; research owner/builder permitting in the areas you're thinking of building; check zoning; talk to builders; Read all you can here; Take the Class (oh, sorry, I already said that.....didn't WE : )

    Happy / Safe / and Blessed Thanksgiving to All here!

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