# Family community idea



## RNprepper (Apr 5, 2014)

My kids live in their own homes, but pretty close by. We all get along, help each other with animal and child care, share meals, and eventually the day will come when my husband and I might need more care or help with chores. We have thought about combining the resources of the three units into one. We found a 9 acre piece of land with a home, barn, irrigated pastures, large well. It is next to state land and is walking distance from National Forest. We would build 2 other homes on the property so that each unit would have their own space.

The advantages are obvious - greatly reduced utilities and taxes. Easier to defend and easier to help each other. All labor is directed toward one property instead of 3. It's the way families used to live, and I'm having a hard time finding something not to like. Disadvantages? Money of course, initially. Are any of you doing this already? What are your comments.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

I am going to give you negatives...

Potential issues with kids divorce - future
Who owns the land
will you deed house to kids
who get money for any crops
who works land

next to public land is good BUT remember they public is allowed to come right next to your land


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Sounds like a great idea, but M-M did raise some valid concerns. Wish you luck.


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

I currently do this with 5 families living on one very large land called referred to as "The Farm".

*Negatives*:

Issues, if my father passes before my step mother, she will sell in a heartbeat, leaving a "stranger" on the land.

If my uncle passes, then we are thinking the aunt might move to FL leaving the stranger again moving in on the land.

We have tried to consolidate utilities in a number of different ways, but it just doesn't work out or one family feels like they have to have their own "trash" bin or Internet provider.

Right of ways are an issue IMO, where driving through one families land to get to my home is an issue.

My brother passed away and his wife (my sister in law) has brought in "strangers" on the land that just hangs out and acts like they own the land, which half of the family likes and half of the family despises. This has caused family issues.

I'm a A#@ hol in real life and I have fights with neighbors because they run me off the road, throw litter out on our land, hunt without permission, or they are taking resources (wood, dirt, old stones) off our land without asking, thus I let the loafer neighbor know with confrontations, the other family members are skittish on me doing that. lol.

*Positives*:

Security.... someone is at least at home all the time to watch or question someone going to another home.

Packages by FedEx, UPS and USPS are left at one of the family members homes if were not home or can be signed for. Or if put in the wrong mailbox, at least its still the same families.

Gun range, at least once a week we hit the gun range (several family members) on our private gun range, which is a blast.

4 wheelers, UTV, ATVs, motorcycles are all done on the "farm" with family members. There is always someone riding and fixing something (tree branch fell, cleaning up the land etc).

If one of us is sick, most family members will come by to check in or bring soup or medications. Its amazing how many times someone in the family is always sick or broke a bone or something, big plus.

Pet care is a big plus in case one family goes on a trip another family takes care of the dogs, cats, livestock etc.

Car issues are a plus if one of our cars doesn't start for whatever reason, another family will have a spare car to drive.

Community garden is a plus but some of the "other" family members don't contribute, but its more a plus than a negative.

My cousin and I share the "trees" for our ham radio antennas.

Huge 4th of the July and other family events because everyone is consolidated on one land.

Cooking dinners is good and turns are taken, but one family hardly cooks and comes to all the 'other' families homes to eat (freeloader!). Also, its became a habit that they will come in the home when a family is not there and get something they need instead of going into town. For example getting a bag of sugar and not returning it.

My father and I share the beehive and livestock tasks, however I do most of the work and he is always "busy doing something else".

Tools are always shared or heavy equipment, however I feel like I buy the most tools and my father never returns them or if he does I find them out in the rain.

We are next to state land "National Forest", about 1/2 mile away, but covers a ginormous area.

Half the family are preppers, the other half thinks were nuts.

*Netural*

We all pay our own taxes (each of us is around $1000/year), the land is divided out in case one family member passes or goes bankrupt, then it doesn't bring the others down.

We all pay our utility bills (trash, cable, water, electric, propane, phone etc).

When my son and my wife's son gets older, we would want them to move in and help us on the land and with our olden age, but as my wife puts it "Fat chance in hell they'll help us", which is true, they don't give a rats behind about us.

Mainly everyone tends to themselves but there is a sense of peace around us knowing family is on the land instead of strangers. If I had to do it again, I wouldn't change a thing because there are more positives than negatives. The biggest part is to make sure the land is in your children's ONLY name, not their spouses just in case there is a divorce or a death. We paid a couple of hundred bucks to have this worked out with a lawyer.

I wish you the best, its not as hard as you can make it seem, just think the legal issues over very carefully with "what if" scenarios. Like, what if he died, what if I died, what if they go bankrupt, what if we go bankrupt, what if the house burns, what if my son/daughter gets remarried to (insert type of person you dislike here) and lives on the land. What if my child passes and their child (your grandchildren) gets the land, are they responsible enough to maintain it.


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

My father passed and left my brother and I 3 properties. We share them equally. I bought a 4th and he bought a 5th property so all 5 are in the same immediate area (in fact some have connecting borders some don't). Now my dear brother had decided he doesn't need to pay for our government and refuses to pay his taxes. So I'm gathering I have a crisis in the near future when uncle sam becomes my partner in 3 properties, I'll still own my one and the 5th (my tax dodging brothers) will likely go up for auction. I am gearing up to be able to buy the IRS out of my brothers share when the time comes. See how much fun sharing land with relatives can be?


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## Makwa (Dec 19, 2014)

I guess, with the ideal family it might work. Not a chance with mine or the wife's................ so we just do our own thing. In fact, on our last move to the current ranch, we moved about a 1,000 miles away from all family. Now we have no family problems at all.


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## BagLady (Feb 3, 2014)

There is such a thing as a "Life Estate" deed. That's what my husband did for my Dad when he moved here.
So when my Dad died, that acre of land reverted back to my husband.

For anyone who wants to live in a "communal" style of life, I think it's important to have the common goals understood at the beginning.


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## RNprepper (Apr 5, 2014)

Thanks for all the input. Good ideas and lots of food for thought. The legal issues are certainly things to consider. The deed would definitely be in our name and our kids' names only - and we would have the majority holding since we would be putting in the most $. What I think is most compelling is that our kids want us to be able to live independently and they know they will have to facilitate that in the future. They want us to be close together so they don't have to drive so far to look in on us! Maybe a little selfish, but actually a wise way to look at a future possibility. 

There is a property directly north of the piece we are looking at: 3.5 acres, well, barn, guest house. Now if only another prepper family would buy it!


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## Diver (Nov 22, 2014)

Ripon said:


> My father passed and left my brother and I 3 properties. We share them equally. I bought a 4th and he bought a 5th property so all 5 are in the same immediate area (in fact some have connecting borders some don't). Now my dear brother had decided he doesn't need to pay for our government and refuses to pay his taxes. So I'm gathering I have a crisis in the near future when uncle sam becomes my partner in 3 properties, I'll still own my one and the 5th (my tax dodging brothers) will likely go up for auction. I am gearing up to be able to buy the IRS out of my brothers share when the time comes. See how much fun sharing land with relatives can be?


If you can afford to buy out your brother, maybe you can do it now.


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

There was a neighborhood here that one family owned. It looked like a regular block with houses but there were 15-20 of them. I think property lines should be kept separate. People like to move around. Living close together would be good though.

I was told if you pay someone's taxes for x number of years it can become your property.


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## RNprepper (Apr 5, 2014)

James m said:


> I was told if you pay someone's taxes for x number of years it can become your property.


Yup. 7 years. Lots of people make money this way - pick up properties for back taxes and then sell.


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

Assuming he answers emails.....its in the works.



Diver said:


> If you can afford to buy out your brother, maybe you can do it now.


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

My main issue would be space. 9 acres... not enough imo for several families.


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## RNprepper (Apr 5, 2014)

Arklatex said:


> My main issue would be space. 9 acres... not enough imo for several families.


Actually it is more than enough as far as food growing capability goes. I've grown fruit and veggies, pecans, plus goats, rabbits, poultry, bees in far less space. It supplied all our fruit, veggies, milk, meat, honey, and eggs each year. With a well we could grow corn and beans. We don't need wheat. I've got the mules - just need a plow if we'e talking more than a large garden. Firewood is not as critical here as it is in other places, as the winters area not that bad. I don't need a tree lot. There is plenty of dead mesquite to be had. So I'm not sure what we would need more land for. Tell me what you are thinking.


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## Boss Dog (Feb 8, 2013)

Would be nice. My family is too fractured and contrary though.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

This has come up at different times in my family. My Mother especially. Problem is I am the only one in the immediate family who owns property and has been stable for the last 30 years. My brother could swing it now and he is thinking of moving here to Texas from California which presents a couple of issues. He can be a bit unreliable in his work and I am not sure we want Californians here in Texas. LOL With my family being a bit disjointed and spread out all over the country and consisting of half sisiters and brothers who are just getting started I just don't think it would be viable. Maybe my Brother and I can go in on a place if he is allowed in the state ......and we don't kill each other.


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