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Around here it is fairly common to see small homes set on blocks, with no foundation. Without a foundation their taxes are much lower.
When I was shopping for land, I looked at a few that had house-boats. Basically cabins set on pontoons. Some were on water, some were not. Either way, no taxes.
The initial process of 'buying' land can be a high hurdle to get over. But if you can afford $30k, then 40 to 100acres with water frontage is possible. Once on it property taxes in the $100 to $200/year range will keep your cost-of-living down.
Hey, I just wanted to live away from most everyone in peace and quiet where it's me and my dog.
I will suggest the quickest, perhaps cheapest and best (doable) route to ensure your success. Buy an older solid house (or even a barn) with 2X6 floor boards and frame. Even if it's a fixer upper: so what? It will make you happy, you will be out and away from most and you will always have something to work on and a strong basic structure.
In addition to a solid frame structure, the biggest things I would look for are:
1.) established water source
2.) ample resources (game, wood, trees, food plot area, etc)
3.) somewhat hidden or defensable - remote to your liking (so to speak)
4.) a basement / cellar or "cave" as they were once known - not with carpet: but nice and cool and dry (food storage area)
Think about it - the house might be old and run down but you can do what you want with it, zoning and other items are already established because its already a homestead & things that are very expensive (like a water source) have already been sought out.
I live in a town with no zoning or building codes. The national building code is voluntary. You can do what the OP asked about in many places in Maine. Be careful. Look before you leap. Some towns have severe restrictions, but there is still a lot of freedom in many places in Maine.
OP, even when you own your land and you have the house and everything free and clear, you will have bills that have to be paid. So "minimal income" is a relative term.
First, the land must be purchased, and it isn't cheap in an area that has good jobs available. Then, building is a long ways from being cheap, no matter how thrifty you are.
There aren't many places where you will not need building permits and must build to code.
I don't think there is anyplace that doesn't charge property taxes.
You have expenses that are not directly related to housing: medical, car, food, entertainment, insurance, internet...... add up your non-housing bills and see what they come to.
It can be cheaper to live if you own your residence free and clear. You have better control over your spending. However, it does cost big money to get it set up and it does cost money to maintain it. You need to get serious about running figures before you know how "minimal" you can get by with.
Quite a few actually if you fall below their "homesteading exemption"
...which often isn't hard to do.
I can live off my $1,503 pension and still have my weekly steak... Although yes, depending on how nice a sett up you want... It can be expensive to set up. (in the process now, well, now being when it warms up!!!)
I don't think any of this is as simple as what OP is proposing, but this woman is totally my hero. She started with nothing, no knowledge-learned everything she needed to know by reading and asking others- and here is what she came up with.
As many posters have mentioned, it is nearly impossible. There are lots of examples of people doing it, though. They are probably super geniuses.
But seriously, if you do research, research, research, it can be done. Research -where- you want to do it first. Then look into -how- to do it; building on a trailer, sourcing materials, etc. Many who live in small houses on trailers (to avoid minimum sq. footage codes and plumbing codes live in a populated enough area that they can join a gym for showering and laundry facilities.
Quite a few actually if you fall below their "homesteading exemption"
...which often isn't hard to do.
In this state, we have a selection of 'Current use' tax programs that land can be in. Each of them set a tax-assessment value for the land that is pretty cheap. So your taxes are very low.
It is common to see forest land [with water frontage] being taxed at around $1/acre.
Quote:
... I can live off my $1,503 pension and still have my weekly steak... Although yes, depending on how nice a sett up you want... It can be expensive to set up. (in the process now, well, now being when it warms up!!!)
Weekly steak, our freezer is packed with poultry and pork from this past fall's butchering.
In this state, we have a selection of 'Current use' tax programs that land can be in. Each of them set a tax-assessment value for the land that is pretty cheap. So your taxes are very low.
It is common to see forest land [with water frontage] being taxed at around $1/acre.
Weekly steak, our freezer is packed with poultry and pork from this past fall's butchering.
... But that's NOT steak.
For dinner I had scallops, grilled cheese sandwich, and made-from-scratch gumbo.... (just wanted all three at the same time)
Don't just put it on the back burner for some day--start now, like Chris said. Start by looking at what price you can afford now and where you want to be and what you want in a piece of land then reach toward that goal. No one says you have to build immediately. You can just hang on to it. You can even visit it, go camping, play boy scout and make a lean to.
There are also different housing ideas out there, as people have mentioned, all with pros and cons. We have thought about doing a yurt, which while not inexpensive, can still be done pretty inexpensive with minimal building know how. I also love strawbale houses. The price of these have gone up with the price of bales, unfortunately, but strawbale enthusiasts have created local networks where they meet up to help build each other's houses (the builder provides food and equipment). In the very least, the sites and books usually have some great tips on getting around zoning laws.
On that same note, if you could afford to purchase a larger piece of property and live in an agricultural area, you could possibly rent out your field to a local farmer, that way you can cover your taxes, possibly a little more. Although it does take a specific area for this to work, it is another way to think about it.
Good luck and don't forget to make your dreams happen!
My minimal income fear would always be, what happens if they jack up taxes. Since the vast majority of us don't own our land or homes, we rent them from the government, rent increases would scare me a little.
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