Blue Ridge Mountains Roll Call

[Kevin]

I've been reading this forum and the various build blogs for 6 years. I see so many current and future log builders in the beautiful mountains of NC/TN/VA/GA that I thought a thread centered on the Blue Ridge might just explode with activity and encouragement. For those reading who don't know yet, the mountains are awesome! The secret is getting out, and everyone from everywhere is moving here. Retirees, families, hipsters, Obama, and some mega big employers are trying to snatch up a piece of the Blue Ridge. Google it, it really is that good :)

I am going to take the class within the year but don't plan on breaking ground for another 3-4. The LHBA inspired me to sell my big downtown house and in October. I bought a couple acres south of Asheville to build a badaz-butt&pass! I got a piece on top of the ridge with some cleared flat, that came with a double wide to live in and a 1950s 2br cottage to rennovate and airb&b while I prep for the big house. Then the cottage is quarters for LHBA members who wanna help. I dropped 15years off my mortgage and 20% off the payment! (I know it's not classy to talk about $ but I'm a "Mr Money Mustache" follower, and I feel that open conversation about debt and finance has to happen for our culture to stop being "consumer sukkas".)

I plan on a couple years offering my help to the LHBA in the mountains before I start my build. I am excited to join this community in earnest, and devoure the knowledge of the members side.

Elsworth, Steve, isn't Las Vegas getting dull? Maybe come to " Ash-vegas" now and then?

And my people of the mountains, who are you? where are you? What is your plan? Blue Ridge Roll Call- Go!

Kevin

[Prissy Pink]

We're bulding on a small moinuntain in Cottontown, Tennessee close to Nashville. LHBA is the way to go. We hope to be finished by spring with no mortgage. Yay. Tried to post a picture but it was too large.

[Kevin]

Finished by spring! Awesome! And no debt- double awesome!! Post a pic!!?!?

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/16/01/23/f47abb646814a819d60186b65b1b96d0.jpg

[Prissy Pink]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160124/de4940db26803892d93dad01a916df60.jpg

Ok. This is our build.

[donjuedo]

Niiiiiiice.

[eagle]

That place looks nice, Prissy.
Kevin, I always liked the Blue ridge area, I am almost tempted to sell my NY place for a place down there, however, I'm not sure they get that much snow, which I want. Still possible....

[Mosseyme]

Ken,
We might be cycling to a colder more snow era like it was when I was a kid growing up in Haywood county NC. I remember one year we had snow every Weds, and Sat. for six weeks 6-10" at a time several times. Also if you get up in the mountains there will be more. You also have to deal with the southern ice and snow mix on the roads that you northerners like to rib us about. We got 6" over here in TN on Weds.
then another 6" last night and today. Of course a lot of it melted in between then we have to deal with the ice that refreezes on the roads ect.
Kevin,
We are building in WNC.

[EMC45]

I am covered up in snow right now over by Newport Tn.

[rckclmbr428]

Here's my place with the recent snow, and yes, those are my Christmas wreaths still up
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk122/rckclmbr428/20160122_102032_zpsdklviplb.jpg (http://s279.photobucket.com/user/rckclmbr428/media/20160122_102032_zpsdklviplb.jpg.html)

[rckclmbr428]

Double post

[eagle]

Here's my place with the recent snow, and yes, those are my Christmas wreaths still up

Great pic, that's what I'm talking about, one of my favorite builds so far...

[blane]

In WNC haywood county. No debt and loving it!

[Kevin]

Blane, your story is super inspirational to me. Thanks for blogging it!... Now if I could just make myself wait to build... 15 years or so for my boys to get bigger and I might be lucky to have a good right hand man or two as you did!

[loghousenut]

It'sa great way for a kid to grow up. Came in useful for our homeschooled Son.


http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t55/loghousenut/Rafters9-2010220.jpg (http://s157.photobucket.com/user/loghousenut/media/Rafters9-2010220.jpg.html)

[Prissy Pink]

My homeschooled kids learned many life skills while helping us build our first kit log house 18 years ago. This past year my grown up son and daughter helped us work on our LHBA house. Next year my son is preparing to build his own LHBA house.3046

[edkemper]

Blane, your story is super inspirational to me. Thanks for blogging it!... Now if I could just make myself wait to build... 15 years or so for my boys to get bigger and I might be lucky to have a good right hand man or two as you did!

Don't wait to long. I still remember well the time I spent with my dad, helping to build a new Church back in the very early 60s and a few other family building projects we worked together on.

[Cloud]

Hey everyone - I live in Virginia, near Charlottesville now but I'm looking for land in the Shenandoah too. I'm trying to start a diversified farm with veggies, fruit, pigs, chickens, bees, and whatever else strikes my fancy! Farms can't survive with debt, and so far all the farms I've found would require a mortgage. I figured a simple log cabin would help keep me from freezing my butt in the winter in a camper trailer. Even if I do end up buying a place with an existing house, once the cabin is up, the house can be rented out to pay off the rest of the mortgage.

[StressMan79]

Hey everyone - I live in Virginia, near Charlottesville now but I'm looking for land in the Shenandoah too. I'm trying to start a diversified farm with veggies, fruit, pigs, chickens, bees, and whatever else strikes my fancy! Farms can't survive with debt, and so far all the farms I've found would require a mortgage. I figured a simple log cabin would help keep me from freezing my butt in the winter in a camper trailer. Even if I do end up buying a place with an existing house, once the cabin is up, the house can be rented out to pay off the rest of the mortgage.

Don't get a mortgage.

Sent from my VS986 using Forum Runner

[Cloud]

Don't get a mortgage.

Sent from my VS986 using Forum Runner

I know that's the standard advice, and believe me, I want to avoid a mortgage if I possibly can. But I'm looking for a minimum of 5 acres of good productive land within reasonable driving distance of a small city/ big town, which in my area typically means about $8k per acre (if you weed out the people who overprice their land). Ideally I would like to have multiple families living on the land together to create community (we've been talking with some other people interested in this idea too). Rome was not built in a day, and having land with an existing house opens up more possibilities. My partner can afford the mortgage by herself as long as we find something within our budget. Then, once more housing gets built, other people can come on board to help. Honestly if it were just me, I'd be happy living in a tipi (well, until the cabin gets built).

[rckclmbr428]

We had a guy on here living in a tipi, I was just over in your neck of the woods today picking up my forklift in Orange, VA