noahfor

Anyone know the cheapest way to establish a permanent residence? In my opinion, modern homes are mansions compared to the types of homes people lived in for 99.99% of human history. They were real people who lived full, rich, rewarding lives, I think, so I don't see why I need anymore than they had. Plus, I don't want to be a slave to a mortgage. But, paying for a small apartment ends up costing almost the same or more than a house, so that's just as bad. I thought about getting an airstream trailer and just parking it on a piece of land and living out of that, but when I looked at the price of land I was surprised to see that it costs almost as much as a house. I'm pretty naive when it comes to these sorts of things. I'm not against living in a trailer park, if a trailer park were just a place to park a trailer, but I associate them with people that I wouldn't want to associate with. Am I right about that? Are there nice trailer parks? Where? Electricity is a must, enough to power a guitar amp, and I'd like to have some modern conveniences like a stove and a refrigerator. I'd like to have running water and a sewage system, but if those things make a huge difference in the cost of living, I think I could find a way to manage without. Any ideas?

noahfor

So, I've been looking into it and it seems ecovillages are the way to go.

GreyWolf

There are nice trailer parks, but the cost may still surprise you. Housing isn't cheap, but it's necessary. Houses tend to be more than simply shelters, however. You seem only to see the cost side of the issue. Houses provide shelter, a stable base, a social situation, and a semi-forced-savings sort of investment (if you have a mortgage). Yes, the sub-prime mortgage crisis has taken all the value out of a lot of houses, but in the long run, real estate can still provide you with some equity. Houses are NOT a good investment from the traditional, investment perspective, but they do provide some emergency/fall-back equity if you need it.

It almost sounds like you're prepared for a fairly bohemian, unconventional lifestyle. But if you want modern conveniences, I would suggest that you decide what is a reasonable amount (for you) to pay each month, and find a house in that price range. Look only at starter homes. These tend to be more modest in space and obviously price. Pay it off as fast as you can, stay there as long as you can, and then enjoy the greater cash flow and freedom from financial worry that comes with it.

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JStrider

only one thing to say man... VW Vanagon!

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dlish

you could move to china or mongolia, or any other third world country where land is cheap as chips and park a trailer there, then again with labour so cheap in those parts of the world you could probably buy something for a tenth of what it costs in the US of A.

in the country sides they have the hole in the ground shitters that you're after, some go straight to a pit that you will need to clean out after a matter of time...right down your alley i guess. some of these countries have the luxury of electrcity, but others dont, whilst others countries ive visited have their electricity cut in and out all day long.

if you're serious, i give the thought of moving countries some serious consideration.

just curious as to what kind of job you hold...sometimes it matters depending on the type of job you hold and your current standing in life

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Lindy

Truly amazing! People lived for 99.99% of history without electric guitars! Do you really think running water and a sewage system are less important than your guitar?
Seriously, try looking into small towns if you want a low cost of housing.

Manhattan, Kansas is a lot cheaper than Manhattan, New York.
Austin, Minnesota is cheaper than Austin, Texas.
Hartford, Iowa is cheaper than Hartford, Conn.
etc.

Lindy

girldetective

Buy land, and then buy a used shipping container.

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Plan9

Bingo. Stack two and get a ladder. Bedroom and study upstairs, kitchen and living room below. You'll be a Maersk Mansionaire!

/flashbacks to Afghanistan

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kinsaj

Shipping containers are great but if you want some more open areas, engineered steel buildings can be had for really cheap. Also look into pole barns.

You need to do your own work though. Apart from the largest things like pouring a large slab or erecting a steel frame, you can do everything yourself with some pretty basic tools.

Those are going to be your cheapest options for permanent buildings. As far as trailers go, you need a tow rig as well. Again the only real option is you needing to do at least a little work or labor will kill the concept either way. For around 10k you could likely have a decent tow rig and trailer but you need to know what to look for, where to look, and how to maintain them.

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noahfor

Yes, but they didn't have a choice. I do think it's more important than running water and sewage, but I'll go acoustic if I have to.

Thanks for the suggestions. It seems a lot of people build homes out of straw bales. That looks promising.

What are the options when moving to another country? Does a person usually need to become a citizen in or to live in a foreign country permanently?

The_Jazz

In the cities. Not so much in everywhere that's not a city. It's possible to get huge tracts of land if the government will sell it to you. Just don't expect any amenities, like water. Or roads.

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Stare At The Sun

Move to Detroit.

genuinegirly

Speaking of shipping containers...
SG Blocks Container House Debuts at West Coast Green | Inhabitat
You can find a construction company who is willing to alter shipping containers and make them into a home like this one.

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absorbentishe

Can't remember the exact web site off hand, but small homes? Can be built relatively cheap, just enough room.