Off-the-Grid Rural Properties for Sale
Off-the-grid properties for sale review
Living off the grid means living in a self-sufficient manner without public utilities. This means producing your own electrical power, but also sourcing your own water supply, gas, heating and sanitation.
If you're looking to get back to nature and become self-sufficient with an off-the-grid rural property, it's important to do your research before you buy. The first decision you need to make is whether to look to buy an existing off the grid rural property, or instead to look for a blank canvass and develop it from scratch. There are pros and cons to both options, and the budget you have available will shape the outcome.
Buying an existing off the grid rural property
The beauty of buying an existing property is that most of the hard work has been done.
The vendor will know the strengths and weakness of the house, the land, and the region, and will have adapted to them over time. Understanding the seasonal challenges of living off the grid and making adjustments around power, water supply, heating, waste etc can be the difference between success and failure. However, here the hard yards have been done for you - the property's owner will be able to give you invaluable advice.
With existing infrastructure in place you also have an understanding of what (if any) future capital expenditure is required to maintain the lifestyle. If you decide to buy an existing property and have shortlisted the region and have a clear budget, it's just a mater of remaining patient until you find the right property. Specialist rural websites such as Farmbuy.com provide the ideal place to start your journey.
Building an off-the-grid rural property
If you decide to build your dream off-the-grid property, it can be a challenging but also incredibly rewarding experience. The research required needs to be detailed and extensive.
Clearly, the local climate has a significant impact on the selection process. Having enough rainfall to supply you with water throughout the year is vital. The size and aspect of the land are also key factors to the decision-making process. Does the aspect provide the opportunity to capture the maximum sunlight hours? Is there a dam or the potential to build one? Is there a well, stream or spring on the property?
Understanding what you can and can't do to the property is important. This link will help you understand the many pitfalls of buying a bush block and building your off the grid dream. The recent advances in the technology have made a considerable impact to off the grid living. Solar power energy storage and domestic wind turbines are two areas of significant improvement in recent years.
The Government website yourhome.gov.au provides some excellent information to start your research. This site also provides valuable information on sanitation options such as septic tanks, dry toilets and composting toilets etc.
We've curated some of our favourite off-the-grid properties in this article - check them out below!
