Where to settle down?

Let it be known that I currently live as off-grid as you can nomadically, like I do.

I have roughly 8 committed, capable friends with many well-rounded skill-sets for homesteading, here with me now ready to start an intentional community.

We are looking to purchase around 10 acres, but do not know where would be best to settle down.

Right now, for many factors, the PNW, Colorado, Utah, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, the Virginias, and the Carolinas are our options. As well as Belize and New Zealand.

We are looking for land that is rural, has a long growing season and mild/moderate winters, with good soil and easy access to water.

Politics, economics, and social conditions are of no concern. Cheap land is ideal, but we will not limit ourselves.

We will have roughly $20-60k to work with, by 2017.

Any thoughts, regions, cities worth investigating?

We have no need to be on-grid or near any populated area, as we have our own resources.

Christian, for what it's worth, if you want to be left alone and have the least amount of red tape to live off grid, politics, economics and social conditions are the Number One consideration. Your neighbors, if they don't like what you are doing, or you seem to be getting away with something they didn't (like illegal buildings unpermitted wells or 10 people living without a permitted septic tank), and you all seem kind of odd to them, they will be the first to turn you in. Now that Google Earth keeps any eye on everyone from the sky, anyone can see what you are up to, doesn't matter where you are.

Buying land may not be difficult, and the land may be paid for or get paid for in time, but taxes are forever. You want the least amount of property taxes, but the minute you improve it by building the taxes will go up.

Not sure how old you are, but my guess is 10 friends now, may not stay together forever, or partners will come and go shrinking or swelling your ranks. People grow and change, so whomever is left paying for your situation needs to be able to afford it well into the future without the help of the original 10 friends. And, of course, all the legalities of who owns the land ought to be written up before the money is spent. In fact, agreeing on and buying land may be your first indication of how well this group actually gets along under real life conditions

For some of the best land at a cheap price, look at West Virginia. Try Landwatch or Landandfarm.

http://www.landandfarm.com/search/?StateIDs=63&MinAcreage=10&MaxPrice=50000&Sale=True&Lease=True&Auction=True#/search/?StateIDs=63&MinAcreage=10&MaxPrice=50000&Sale=True&Lease=True&Auction=True&SortBy=Price&CurrentPage=1

Colorado has a lot of water laws.

I live in southwest Tennessee. There is a lot of land for sale around here. Much of it is being offered on land contract at very reasonable prices. Check out West Tennessee Landman. They are really nice to work with.

Christian Huble wrote: Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, the Virginias, and the Carolinas are our options.

Well yes, those are good options. I chose the Deep South when it came time for me to make a choice because of the wet climate and long growing season. I am so glad I did not stay out west where they are in the midst of a drought of historical proportions.

Almost every month of the year (except December and January) there is something that I can be planting, and every month of the year there is something that I can be harvesting.

Christian, another issue is that foreign countries don't always accept people who aren't citizens, especially Australia and New Zealand, unless there is a big company transferring you there and can vouch for you, that they will return to the country they are a citizen of when their stint is up. You need to find out what is required to stay in another country when you're not a citizen.

New Zealand I do not know as much about, but 2 in our group have already lived there for several years as foreigners. My partner is an Australian native.
Belize... laughable, they'll accept anybody, you just have to worry about the government selling you land they don't legally own. We have friends living there now, we know what we'll be up against.

These friends I have, we all live, work, and spend pretty much all of our time together, we travel together, we have fun together we go to the doctor together. Social isn't easy, but I'd say we make for a solid foundation.

The ownership will technically go under my name, which ideally means I'd like to pay for it myself, if the land isn't obtained by other means, (it wouldn't be the first time for us...) I want it under my name because ownership means nothing to me, and I am the most diplomatic and compromising.

We all have basic building and farming and community experience. But I know I will be the one to get it all pulled together and started. Sometimes you have to build the field before they come!

Location is the only concern I have right now, all the other things are logistics to me, and trust me do I have a NOVEL of logistics to consider. It starts with land.

This is not a pipe dream, runnaway plan we hatched over night. It's the only option. It's the end game. But I know I need to put a lot of research into this next step. It's just daunting looking at an entire planet and trying to find a little nook to call a future.