So we've decided to go with a bug-in plan and put off setting up a retreat until we're able to move west (We're in NC) But I'm still getting some land offers from an agent (good guy) in VA who is finding me some very cheap land between Richmond and the VA mountains which is actually one of the least populated areas on the east coast. Really tempted to buy and set one up anyway, it could serve as hunting / recreation land until we're ready to move west and a retreat just in case. My concern is that it would be VERY hard to sell as this is basically no-man's land (or as close as you can come to that in the east). BUT... I'm pretty sure that there are some people in DC who are high $ earners who realize that TS will HTF. So what if I sell it as a ready - made survival retreat (after it is all set up of course)? So here's how an ad would sound (approximately): Stocked Survival Retreat 3 hours from DC 110K When things go from bad to worse - leave DC and have a place to start anew. Pre-stocked for one year. JUST PACK UP AND DRIVE. Accommodates 4 people 20 acres - PRIVATE. Insulated Cabin with wood heat Composting commode 300 ah solar electrical system installed 2000 watt generator 1 year supply of fuel 1 year supply of food Surface water with pumps and filtration supplies gravity fed plumbing. Medical supplies Basic tools Great hunting etc. etc. etc. Heck, at $110k, I might make a fine profit! Anyway - what do you all think? Sellable? Appeal? Worth the investment and effort?
There is a major problem with your plan, It's called OPSEC, I would never buy a so-called bugout retreat knowing that someone else knows about it and what it has. Hear is the situation, TSHHTF, you have basically lost evrything, where would you go? The answer is pretty obvious, and on top of everything, it would be a hard sell if you even had any offers. For those that want to prep will do it ourselves and not rely on anyone else to do all the work for us. IMHO buy the land with no intentions of selling period. It will still make a good backup to your current plans of bugging in. There are just to many variables to place all your eggs just in one basket.
Barren 20 acres is worth more than 110k alone. Just a hypothetical price, or actual? And I agree with RC -that property will be worth more in late 2011 than nuclear secrets did to Russia in the 1940's-50's.
No actually, in that area, you can chew down the price to ~$2,000 / acre. Of course, you're talking about land that no developer would ever want and may have other problems like non-deeded access, no power, etc. IOW, GREAT for survival. As far as OPSEC. I see your point. But a few comments: 1. I might buy it myself If I knew it could be easily defended and knew the situation of the prior owners. For example - was it owned by a retired couple moving west, or a biker gang? Not airtight of course but it all depends on what your resources / time, etc. 2. If someone is a serious prepper, they're not likely abandoning all their plans for something worse. Little risk of them coming back. 3. You've got to put yourself in the point of view of the potential purchaser: City dweller, likely has no mechanical abilities let alone survival skills. Has little time, but plenty of money. Lots of people like that who are just now waking up to the situation and have no time to learn the skills we've acquired over the years. Anyway - playing devil's advocate here. I may or may not go forward.
Well, all property price is really about location. In and around the cities, it can go for millions per lot measured in feet, to less than 5 grand for an entire building -my point is that this wooded acreage (20 acres) is worth far more than 100k, even if you clear cut it and sell for timber and build a tar paper shack on it. In Pennsylvania, land isn't terribly expensive either, but try to find a remote wooded area by acreage the size YOU described? LOL. For 150k or less x 20 acres? NO WAY> I am no expert, just saying...it's worth a lot more. Maybe the remote areas of Nevada I can buy 20 acres for $10 - $15 thousand....but NC? I doubt it very much to be around 2 grand per acre -and be able to BUY IT at that.
I once considered this idea as a small side business. Spec Survival Retreats. Not kidding. Buy it cheap, set it up and put it up for sale right away. If you still own it and you need it, your covered. If you sell it in a couple months, find another one. It's a no-brainer if you've got the cash to play with. I understand the OPSEC concerns. Be vaguish in your Craiglist/survivalblog ads regarding the exact location. Meet a prospective buyer for a cup of coffee somewhere away from the property so you can feel them out. Maybe do like some auctions do and require a financial statement from a bank before showing them the property. Surely a buyer would understand the OPSEC nature of the requests and like the fact that you didn't have an open house out there. As far as you knowing where it is after selling it to someone else?- that's the buyers problem. Somethign to keep in mind: Your idea of remote may vary from Joe Sophisticate-would-be-buyer and may limit the pool of buyers if it's way too boonied.
Too limited IMHO. Those who would buy would want to 'set up their own' Now if you built a 'hunting/fishing cabin'... Not your 1,000% preped place... but beats the city! Problem is site security... It'll get trashed with no one living there.
Therein lies the problem - and another reason that i haven't gone forward with it. Maybe and underground storage bunker would do it, maybe a self storage unit nearby would be better - don't know.
