# Buying a house



## warrior4 (Oct 16, 2013)

My wife and I have been apartment dwellers for most of our adult lives up to this point. However we're currently saving up as much as we can to buy our first house. Tentative plans would be to move in about a year from now. I've told her there are basically three things on my list as far as what I'm looking for; stay in the general area we are now, close to the outskirts of local suburbia, a wood burning fireplace, and a lot of storage space. From a prepping standpoint what are some other things that are useful to look into? Just trying to get more ideas and input.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

A basement, space for a garden, and most important no HOA.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

A defensable location, dead end street and the like. Good neighbors, they will become your fireteam in a SHTF. Elevation over the general population, for power-off sewage flow. Is there a nearby stream, or can you drill a well?


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## stowlin (Apr 25, 2016)

A roof line facing the south 180' azimuth so you can enjoy solar power at the best conversion rate possible.

A home with mature fruit trees is nice. If not at least the room for you to plant them. 

Neighborhood Neighborhood Neighborhood. You know how businesses say location, location, location well its the same in buying a house. If you are surrounded by thugs and criminals you're hosed.


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## Kron1 (Nov 18, 2015)

A free-standing wood burning STOVE would be a far better choice than any "FIREPLACE". Also consider where the fuel for a woodburner would come from (in a long-term SHTF situation).


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Clear field of fire, your own water supply, high ground.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Location is the biggest concern. Having a wood stove on 2 acres with no wood is pointless. Water is the biggest resource, can't live long without it. Security is next on the list. Neighbors or better lack of neighbors. 

I see your in MI which is great IMHO. The cold winters will quickly rid the area of lowlife that can't or aren't prepared to survive. Don't move into southern states with warmer climates. Think of the millions that will head down to warmer weather to survive. Once they travel down south the sheep won't relocate back up north. Prepare for this and enjoy.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Clean water source, not having sewage flowing to you. More acrage, the more food sources and/or firewood. A neighborhood that has a low crime rate. How far out are you willing to go?


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## warrior4 (Oct 16, 2013)

Camel923 said:


> Clean water source, not having sewage flowing to you. More acrage, the more food sources and/or firewood. A neighborhood that has a low crime rate. How far out are you willing to go?


Right now we're only about a 5 minute drive from being out of suburbia and into farmland area. I like the area we're in as it gives us all the resources of the city but with the ability to make a quick exit if needed.


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## Jp4GA (Jan 21, 2016)

We are currently looking for a place too and our criteria includes all of the things listed above and either a barn or area for a barn to be built. We want to have a few animals so that we can produce our own food.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Great tips your getting here. I would start out considering only those facing due South Minimal windows on the North and preferably none on the West side. Leave room for a green house where a person can grow their own medicinal herbs..rope and tomatoes etc


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Look for a place that you can strategically place a Pike near the entrance. Studies show that 9 out of 10 roving bands of thugs will bypass a home where a bloody head is firmly placed upon a Pike.


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

bigwheel said:


> Leave room for a green house where a person can grow their own medicinal herbs..rope and tomatoes etc


Bigwheel, It seems you prefer the "grow your own" method over buying that good mexcan weed from down south?


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Too chicken to try it..lol.


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

Water access. Garden space. Access to woods. Not in city.


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## NotTooProudToHide (Nov 3, 2013)

What I would do is find your top 2 3 or 5, how every many are in contention based on whatever standards you have on what you want in a home, then I would go find a local police officer or a police dispatcher and ask them about the area's each house is located in. They know where the problem spots are in the city and they could save you a big headache and years of dissatisfaction.


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## warrior4 (Oct 16, 2013)

Thanks for the ideas everyone. Slippy I'll be sure to put up that pole in short order first as a reminder of your expert guidance and concern for your fellow forum members and also for the aforementioned deterrent effect. 

We're still about a year and a bit out so right now the big this is saving as much as we can for a down payment while paying off our student loans as quick as we can. Doing pretty well on that regard if I do say so myself. I'd love to have a south facing driveway as it helps melt snow faster, a basement with a lot of storage/shelter space, the wood burning fire place, my wife actually wants a storage shed in the back yard so that's handy.


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## New guy 101 (Dec 17, 2014)

warrior4 said:


> My wife and I have been apartment dwellers for most of our adult lives up to this point. However we're currently saving up as much as we can to buy our first house. Tentative plans would be to move in about a year from now. I've told her there are basically three things on my list as far as what I'm looking for; stay in the general area we are now, close to the outskirts of local suburbia, a wood burning fireplace, and a lot of storage space. From a prepping standpoint what are some other things that are useful to look into? Just trying to get more ideas and input.


Are basement allowed there? if so, looked for one with an unfinished basement...so that you can make it as you like for storage, safe room, etc. Also gutters, for collecting rain water. Look for one that has a southern orientation so that you can get the most out of solar panels on the roof if you want to add them later.

I'd recommend a lot more if I knew the type of area and size of plot etc. But I'd look for a place with good easy access to the older state highways/roads that would get you to a safe zone (BOL or other) in the event of an emergency.

My 2 cents.


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## hag (May 19, 2016)

Slippy said:


> Look for a place that you can strategically place a Pike near the entrance. Studies show that 9 out of 10 roving bands of thugs will bypass a home where a bloody head is firmly placed upon a Pike.


That's some Damn good advice right there! Haha


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## dmet (Jun 5, 2016)

Chipper said:


> Don't move into southern states with warmer climates.


My plan was to move back closer to home in retirement. Home is Louisiana. I was considering Arkansas, Texas, or Louisiana. Just not too close to the gulf...

Now I'm rethinking that.... : |


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

A thread where it would be easy to like every post, all make sense. Buying a home latter in life you must consider condition. You do not want to be trying to make a lot of improvements or have one that needs a lot of work. Size is another thing S may not hit the fan in ways we think. Don't be trying to pay for or maintain to big a house.
Location is a big thing avoid where others will head to both during SHTF and just because it is a good place to move to.
In my way of looking a Preping major things must work both ways if SHTF and if it don't. I personally am more concerned with all out civil unrest.
Good luck buying a home is a major life changer.


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## stevekozak (Oct 4, 2015)

Kron1 said:


> A free-standing wood burning STOVE would be a far better choice than any "FIREPLACE". Also consider where the fuel for a woodburner would come from (in a long-term SHTF situation).


This! Very muc this!


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

My current home was built with no wood stove or fireplace. The 2nd owner bad 2 wood stoves with brick pads and back walls for thermal mass added. They had to add support for the additional weight in the crawlspace. I seriously wish I had a basement but the 3' high concrete and brick walled crawlspace does help keep the temperatures lower for my food preps stored down.


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