My wife and I are going on a trip next week to Idaho to look at land for a homestead. We will be between Coeur d'Alene and Bonners Ferry. So my question is this;
What are the most important things to look for/at in land for homesteading, in your opinions?
We are taking all advice. Also we will be there between the 8th and the 12th if anyone would like to get some coffee and let me pick your brain.
I have looked at the North Idaho area for over ten years. I currently own 3 parcels of land (two will be for sale soon). I currently live in the North Idaho area.
Things to looks for are the following:
Check the access for both good and bad weather.
Many areas (counties) have water well information online. You can check the well data for other wells in the area (gallons per minute, depth, etc).
FYI - some areas are no longer allowing connections to existing water infrastructure until upgrades are made (i.e, other wells drilled, etc).
Check with the county/city planning if you are going to build on the permit processes. Some are taking longer these days due multiple reasons. You also want to check if they have information on the lot/parcel being buildable.
Contact builders and see their availability if you plan to build. Some builders are currently overwhelmed and some supplies are taking longer to get (but not impossible, just delayed)
If you are planning to build make sure you include in your offer for land to make the offer contingent on available septic. Pay for the perk testing prior to closing the deal.
Those are highlights I can think of off the top of my head.
Be aware, that currently there are people in the North Idaho area that are not super excited about people moving into the area. If you are flying in try to at least get a rental car with Idaho plates. It will make you stand out less. Although I would add in Idaho locals can tell what county you are from by the format of the license place. Its also possible to tell a rental from a personal vehicle.
Feel free to reach out if you have question or want to know about a specific area. I can also recommend a fantastic real estate agent if you need it. She is a person that I have used to purchase in the area several times. I would also be willing to provide details on the two parcels I will have for sale. One of them is 5+ acres and the other is nearly 25 acres.
Best of luck to you, keep us posted on where your journey leads you.
Thank you so much for your insight. I'm sure Idahoans feel the same way about Texans as we do Californians. Though I hope Texans make better neighbors. I would gladly get the details of the two plots and the real estate agents contact. Thank you again.
Sent you some private messages with contact info and details on my properties. Let me know if you need anything Or have other questions.