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I've followed several nomads these past few years, most of them are seniors (55 and older). Most are in their 60's. These are people who have a big following on YouTube and due to the excellent quality and popularity of their channels, they have made not a small amount of money. Not just Bob Wells, that wonderful guy.
Anyway, they are buying land and putting down roots and planning to just to camping here and there. I think it's a smart idea if they can do it. So many nomads can't.
One former nomad I've followed for years just posted today that she is looking for land (will probably "park it" there until she can slowly build it up). Rent in her mobile home park east of Phoenix is going up 10% per year while Social Security only goes up 3% per year. She is a very industrious and creative nomad who's had different vehicles and tricked them out. I have no doubt she'll be successful no matter what she does. Her latest is to put a recliner in her minivan (she's had Class C's and other vehicles). What an ingenious idea to create more space and still be comfortable. I slept in a comfy recliner while I was living with and taking care of my dad.
It's not for everyone. The midnight -2am knocks, the chance you may run into those who aren't picky about how they get money, drugs or sex. Limited food storage and such. Laundry in different towns, various costs.
Bright side, seeing the USA, different states, vistas. WFH, meeting various people (nice ones) and realizing that 96% of the population, is pretty much laid back
It's a HARD LIFE... starting from a vacant land with no water, no electricity and no sewage. You're essentially building an off-grid home from scratch. If you can afford it, it maybe much easier to just by a small condo in town. It's much easier to just lock it up to go be a nomad for 6 months.
Being a retiree, I am not sure how physically fit you are to face this kind of challenge.
In Bob Well's case, I can see as minimum, he needs to dig a well for water, put in a septic, put up solar for electricity, not to mention to put up (or purchase) a structure for home. But then the biggest question in my mind is.... WHY? Why build a home in such remote location with no access to neighbors, grocery, medical care, not to mention starting everything from scratch. The obvious answer came to mind is because it's CHEAP! He purchased the one acre of land for $2K.
I drove in SoCal desert (from Palmdale to Victorville) and there's a lot of vacant land for sell, down to $1K per acre. There's a fantasy in my head to purchase 10-50 acres to be my "homestead" but then the reality settles in and... WHY? There's a reason why it's so cheap because it has no water, no grass, no tree and no wild life. It's a "desert" because it's a barren land.
Given the same choice, I'd much rather to buy the same size land in TN (smoky mountain) or north AL, preferrably with a creek or a pond on the property. Heck, I'd just go buy a piece of land by lake Gunterville, Wheeler Lake, or Weiss Lake, or the Smith Lake.
I wouldn't be a nomad in California's Central Valley or the American Southwest anyway. Reason? Two words: Valley Fever. Anyone with lung disease needs to take care.
doing this will give them a lot of fodder for their blogs and videos.
I wouldn't call it "fodder." These are intelligent, nice people with great, creative content. The ones I follow have money to work with. They are helping their other nomad friends as they can, because they can. For instance, friends can come and stay and they all pitch in toward a common goal. I see these kinds of things as growing in the near future because of what's happening in the economy. Also, they are tired from years of being on the road. Wanting something different for a while. Having a home base.
It's a HARD LIFE... starting from a vacant land with no water, no electricity and no sewage. You're essentially building an off-grid home from scratch. If you can afford it, it maybe much easier to just by a small condo in town. It's much easier to just lock it up to go be a nomad for 6 months.
Being a retiree, I am not sure how physically fit you are to face this kind of challenge.
In Bob Well's case, I can see as minimum, he needs to dig a well for water, put in a septic, put up solar for electricity, not to mention to put up (or purchase) a structure for home. But then the biggest question in my mind is.... WHY? Why build a home in such remote location with no access to neighbors, grocery, medical care, not to mention starting everything from scratch. The obvious answer came to mind is because it's CHEAP! He purchased the one acre of land for $2K.
I drove in SoCal desert (from Palmdale to Victorville) and there's a lot of vacant land for sell, down to $1K per acre. There's a fantasy in my head to purchase 10-50 acres to be my "homestead" but then the reality settles in and... WHY? There's a reason why it's so cheap because it has no water, no grass, no tree and no wild life. It's a "desert" because it's a barren land.
Given the same choice, I'd much rather to buy the same size land in TN (smoky mountain) or north AL, preferrably with a creek or a pond on the property. Heck, I'd just go buy a piece of land by lake Gunterville, Wheeler Lake, or Weiss Lake, or the Smith Lake.
In Bob Wells's case he's close to Williams, which is a great little town, and only an hour from Flag. There's another nomad, Pandemonium, with great content as well. Her homestead is looking mighty good. She works hard planting, landscaping, etc. But she has quite a bit of money to work with (evident from what she's purchasing, etc.)
I'd be nervous about Lancaster/Palmdale. Might be good as an investment only. Tennessee is nice, it's a lot like Alabama, as you know.
As for being physically fit, I lived on a homestead in New Mexico without electricity and only a generator and a water pump. It was hard work. Always something to do, neverending. I had to give it up. I sure miss the terrain and the animals, though.
I wouldn't be a nomad in California's Central Valley or the American Southwest anyway. Reason? Two words: Valley Fever. Anyone with lung disease needs to take care.
Spoken like the over the top worrier and hypochondriac we've long been familiar with.
3% of Phoenix/Tucson residents get valley fever. The majority don't even know they are infected. However, dogs get it frequently and it can be expensive to treat.
We lived for 25+ years in Phoenix, DH has COPD. And IIRC you own a condo in Scottsdale, right? :Smack:
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