Sell house to become "self sufficient!" Kind of!!

izzwizz_2

I think getting out of the city would be very wise at this point (for lots of reasons that I won't go into). You are, however, going to need somewhere to live. Have a look on right move and search area by area looking at properties under 50k. I had a quick look and came up with a couple of acres with planning permission in scotland - there's bound to be other stuff. Also worth having a look round at the grants available for doing up houses.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about keeping too much in the bank (although it's nice to have a bit for emergencies). I should mention that we did something like this ten years ago, and have managed to make a living for ourselves for all this time (it's amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it!). You obviously have good internet skills and you could use this to your advantage. Also, chickens are very good for your sense of humour

Anyway, best of luck and the best advice I can give is go for it - if you don't try you'll never achieve anything.

geoffky

i would use the money to set myself up in my own company and work like hell to make it work then plan to sell it. i think you need to think long and hard on how the money will work hardest for you and im afraid it could be a very very long time before property will be a money earner again so look at setting your own company up maybe...good luck with what you choose....ps i retired at 35 with enougth for the rest of my life so it can be done, im now 43

Strapped

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

As a couple of others have indicated, this is never going to happen - sorry

The only land you can put a caravan on is land already approved for residential use - so it would either have a property on it or Planning Permission for a property.

Any other land - especially agricultural or woodland - has strict planning controls that mean you have to demonstrate that a viable agricultural business is such that a property is needed to house a full time agricultural worker. So you would need 3,500 chickens - and a business plan showing that you have a market to sell the produce. Something like this.

Even then, permission for a mobile home (caravan) would only be granted for a temporary period whilst you build the house for the agricultural worker.

Sorry to dash your dreams, but the idea of living in a caravan in a field is an urban myth. People living anywhere near fields know that siting a caravan there is a planning breach and they'll be on to the Local Planning Authority as soon as the wheels hit the field! :eek:

Sutherland in NW Scotland might get you a crofter's cottage for £50k

Yep, that's true. It's absolutely stamped on around here (Devon), apart from the official travellers' sites.

Strapped

Ephemera wrote: »

Hi all,

I did sell my house just over a year ago with the same intention, after a few months of looking I managed to find an acre of land in Devon (on eBay of all places!!) and after finally becoming the legal owner of it I now have the unenviable task of trying to get PP to build a modest low-impact dwelling on it.

My intention is to live off the land as much as possible too, my OH is supportive but am not sure if he thinks I'm all there and I'm also sure he thinks I won't go through with it! We're not married and I have no kids so we'll see..

It's a beautiful spot, very close to town so I have a slim chance, 2008 is going to be an interesting year. Any tips or hints on putting my case to planning would be greatly appreciated, and I do know that I run the risk of not getting PP. Nothing ventured....

How come your location says "Doset"?

Anyway, are you inside a development boundary? Also, are you "local" to Devon before buying this acre - I ask because there are schemes where you can get PP in spots where it wouldn't normally be granted if you are willing to designate the accomodation for "locals" in perpetuity. Might be worth investigating, although normally that scheme would be used to provide a higher density of housing than 1 on 1 acre

Seakay

Your caravan idea sounds lovely, but perhaps a little lonely wwith so many new things to learn at once? Somewhere like the Cente for Alternative Technology might give you some ideas, and if you got work as a volunteer then while you were there you would pick up skills which could help you in the future
http://www.cat.org.uk/volunteers/vol_content.tmpl?subdir=Volunteers&sku=VOL_LTV
or you might be put off living so close to nature. Either way, I think that a taster would be a good idea before you commit to anything.

Ephemera

Hi Strapped, darn you spotted the obvious mistake

Can't afford to live in Darzet, where I am at the mo, so bought land as near as I could.

Mind you, with all this MoneySaving who knows? Might be able to get a one bedroomed flat in Boscombe some day

Thanks for the info tho - might be useful if I don't move down there!

Eph.

wigglebeena

I had a mate who lived in a Camphill community for a couple of years, she was ok with it although I think it was a bit incestuous and she had trouble with a 'housemother'. I think everybody's theoretically equal there but in practice some are 'more equal than others', esp. old-timers. I'm under the impression it was also a bit sexist i.e. the housemothers and other wimmin did the work while the housefathers sat in their studies and read and were high-minded and absent-minded (and absent when any work needed doing).

Have you looked in The Lady magazine? (Is it still going?) Maybe you could find an old person who just wants someone to live in, to keep an eye on things without specially onerous duties (if they would just be giving you houseroom or maybe a bit of pocketmoney as well). might be agencies for this kind of thing i suppose.

secondtoughest

I lived in Canada and absolutely loved it, but it was expensive. I did live in BC which is particularly expensive though. Minimum wage over there is the equivalent of £4 p/h (2005). From my experience it's a lot more relaxed than the UK, and the people on the whole are progressive.If my firm opened up there I would ask for a transfer!

For the UK I would suggest a smaller town or village in the north. The possible wages aren't as good but it's a great place to bring up a child: much more orientated towards family and community, providing you make the effort to socialise. I've lived in Leeds and it's a lot 'harsher' than some smaller towns, and overpriced (no disrespect to anyone from there, just my opinion).

Good luck with everything.