fundamentals- junk land

FRIDAY FUNDAMENTALS-JUNK LAND


I understand that you are all lusting after forty acres. Half in hard wood forest for heat independence, a quarter in pasture for meat independence, the remainder planted in grain for calorie independence, a garden for veggies, a fortified bunker. Year round stream for water independence with a micro hydro-generator for energy independence. Why…yes. And people in hell want ice water. My ex-wife wants me to be her financial serf until I die. I want a million ounces of gold bullion, a harem and a few HK-91 rifles would sure be swell. People don’t always get what they want. If you were to go in debt for thirty years, perhaps, just maybe you could have your forty acres. But you wouldn’t be independent, would you? You would be the bankers bitch.

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I can’t buy into the Yuppie Survivalists wet dream. It is the preferable way to surf the sewer tidal wave that will carry away western civilization, the American Empire and Life As We Know It. But it isn’t very realistic. We don’t have thirty years. But you can be sure that outside a few low probability events such as Yellowstone blowing, a massive solar flare, or the Chinese nuking us back to the Stone Age ( a few computer viruses to cripple our computerized defenses, then bombing us from what appears to be North Korean launch sites just in case we detect the origins-if we retaliate the winds blow the atomic ashes of NK out to sea ), the bankers will have plenty of time to take back your dream retreat when you get laid off. As has already been pointed out by others, when the only way to cut expenses and still keep your credit rating is cutting payroll, the civil servants will be let go. No job is safe anymore. Hell, not even the President, what with Hillary waiting in the wings, forth in line of succession and plenty of practice in murder from the nineties. But I digress. The point is that to bet on the perfect retreat being viable you are betting your job is bullet proof, the economy will last thirty years and that such things as divorce will never happen to such a wonderful person as yourself.

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Being self sufficient is indeed a lifetime achievement. It isn’t available instantly to anyone other than the rich. Yes, if you had started decades ago you would be sitting pretty. Good for you and congratulations. But if you are just starting I doubt you have either the time or even the resources. The end of cheap oil happened a long time ago and as a result not only is the economy sucking ass but the cost of living and prepping has gone up quite a bit. And almost no one gets credit anymore to charge card the prepping ( not that it is a good idea, but it certainly isn’t an option anymore ). It is time to downgrade your expectations. I’m sorry, but don’t hate the messenger. Your only option most likely for a piece of land the banks can’t touch is junk land. This is your ultimate form of homelessness insurance. If you care about such things, it is peace of mind to spend a grand or two ( or, hell, only $300 if you want my lot in east Texas ). If you only use it for vacation, if you eventually buy a better lot, fine. It is insurance.

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My preference is E-Bay for junk land ( crap no body else wants because it is off grid with a dirt road or far from town ). The owners finance it. You can see if their selling history is actual land or just Chinese plastic crap to establish a good rating ( I know everyone needs to get started somewhere, but I don’t trust first timers ). The lower the price, the less likely you will be ripped off ( I would go through a realtor for tens of thousands sell price, but who is going to bet on jail over a grand? ). It isn’t perfect by any means, but it sure is a vast improvement over buying land pre-Internet. Go to E-Bay, look under real estate, then land. I prefer “Buy Now” over the auction price. Set in your minimum and maximum price. Or set by state. Or both. It usually takes weeks of checking but something fitting your needs shows up.

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Junk land is not a place to become food self-sufficient. It isn’t a place to impress your friends ( unless your friends just want a target range to drink beer at ). It is a place to live without being harassed by the landlord or the banker. It is yours, free and clear. You might be used to paying rent as I was, but the feeling of being clear of an expense that was once up to 70% of my paycheck is something I won’t give up. Near financial independence makes for a beautiful view, even if the only thing outside your window is dirt and scrub brush. Junk land is mostly an intangible. Security, or insurance, not an investment ( other than financial for frugal living, but don‘t expect to sell it at a profit ).

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Your priorities are different than others. My choice was any road ( biking a rutted snowed in road isn’t as difficult on bike as car ) and nearby surface water ( to alleviate the need for a well or the worry of dropping water tables ), and within biking distance of employment ( since more than likely I’ll never be self-employed ) and tolerance in zoning for trailers. You might hate the desert, prefer trees. Not care about a place to employ you ( once the pension checks go, no employment will be available anyway ). Whatever. You can find your preference on E-Bay. As long as you keep in mind what you bought. Junk land. No one wanted it for a reason. Which is why it was cheap. Which is the only land you can afford prior to the apocalypse. It is like an old bolt rifle. Within its limitations, and considering the cost, it is a great buy. Just don’t expect it to perform like anything other than a surplus bolt rifle.
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END FUNDAMENTALS-MY LOT FOR SALE BELOW
I am selling my lot in east Texas. Very small, suitable for a cabin or trailer. I am selling below my cost. Factoring in inflation alone I should be selling it for twice what I paid. However, as I can never realistically expect to see the lot it seems foolish to keep it. Plus, I bought it sight unseen. I have no way of knowing how good or bad they are. I don’t know if the claims made about them are true. So, by selling them cheaply I am pricing in the possibility of misrepresentation from those I bought from. My description below is as I was told, not as I have seen or can guarantee. Also, part of the price is you are required to do all paperwork. You must figure out how to get a deed filled out. You do the paperwork, send it to me to sign, I send it back to you. You file it, you pay all fees. If I wanted to be bothered figuring out how to do the paperwork I would have listed these on E-Bay for a lot more money. The last time I checked the areas had lots in excess of a thousand dollars, at a minimum. I paid $400 for the Texas lot, but I bought title insurance for it ( which I got ripped off on from First American ) so I have a total of $700 into it. I’ll sell it for $300. Go on E-Bay, I don’t think you’ll find land anywhere as cheap.


The Texas lot is in Henderson County, about sixty miles east of Dallas/Fort Worth. It is next to Cedar Creek Lake, just off the junction of roads 334 and 274. Gun Barrel City is five miles away ( has a Super Wal-Mart there ). It is two trailer lots, end to end long ways. I don’t have the measurements anymore, just imagine a mobile home lot in a park for the dimensions. I have been taxed both by Henderson County and Kaufmann County. I don’t know if Kaufmann is a scam or if there is a weird duel county property tax for schools of something. I paid it since it’s under $5 a year. Just something to be aware of. The lot is supposed to be zoned for trailers, with the utilities available for hook up on a dirt road alongside the lot. Beware that the area has double the national unemployment rate, and that was years ago before the current Troubles. Tax # 3715-0000-3410-500. Lot 341 and 341A, Oak Tree Estates.

I have maps, but they are fuzzy Xerox copies. I’ll send them with purchase if needed. Let me know if you have questions, but I think I’ve given you as much as I know. Jim
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My e-mail is jimd303@netzero.com
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