I think I've bit off more than I can chew! I am buying a dilapidated but liveable cabin on four acres in the Missouri Ozarks. I live next door in my school bus and between the two properties have a nice little homestead. BUT fixing up the cabin is more than I can handle at seven months pregnant! I could just put it out of sight out of mind until next fall when I'm more able bodied and my baby will be able to be watched while I do work on the building.
I would like to offer the cabin up for someone else to live in if they are willing to make repairs and fix it up. You could have use of the garden area and
chicken coop too, but some of the four acres I have
perennial plants and other animals on. Perhaps paying in only sweat equity if you make
enough progress. Or if little gets done and I pay for all supplies then I'd have to charge some rent. Of
course if there are major rehab expenses we would have to split them or I would pay for supplies over time. I can not afford to replace all the walls at once, or do all the plumbing at once etc.
The timber frame is sound, the metal roof is waterproof, there is wiring but no electric, some old
solar batteries, there isn't any working plumbing but there is some PEX and PVC under the cabin. The walls and floors are all rotting out plywood and molding insulation. The insulation, walls and floors all need replacing. The roof needs to be extended and it needs gutters so the rain won't keep seeping through the walls and floors.
Right now I'm just throwing the idea out there and am not sure if I'd rather just wait and do it myself next year. Ideally you'd be a small family that aspires to homestead, but not sure of the off grid lifestyle is for all of your family members without giving it a try. There are quite a few kids in the neighborhood and most of the neighbors and I all homeschool, so hopefully you homeschool too. There are very few job opportunities in this rural area, so having a savings to support yourself until you can find work is necessary.
