second home for shelter

[platinumdude]

Anyone have a second home out in the country for a shelter incase things start getting real bad?

Must you have utilities running to your property, or are you using solar or no power. Would it be better to have an underground shelter so no looters can easily spot it if you are rarely there? Or better to build a cheap looking cabin that hopefully people wouldn't care to waste their time there. I wonder if either dwelling can be built for under $30k (not including the land cost).

My alternative is to fortify my current home with a taller fence (6ft) and smash proof windows.

[Canadian-guerilla]

i read about one couple who, when TSHTF
they're gonna burn down their house
and live in the basement underneath the rubble

would looters/thugs think there may be anything valuable in a burned down house ?


go for a second INVISIBLE shelter

" out of sight, out of mind "

[MNeagle]

even if you fortify your existing place, as C-g mentioned, fire is always a concern...

as are any other mandatory evacuations or natural disasters...

[Dvrumo]

Yes, I have done this. In 2009 after the crash, I was able to pick up a very nice property for very cheap (it was being dumped). I don't know if financially it will ever work out as a smart choice, but it is insurance. I will tell you the things I have learned. First, I think it is a much better deal to buy an existing place than building new. You can find existing properties very cheap, but building is getting more expensive (due to cost of materials for one). I dont know what part of the country you are in, but in mine, there are dairy farms going out of business and you can get the barns and equipment for very little mark up on the price of land.

My situation has worked well thus far. The key was teaming up with a local person. The property I bought had two homes. He lives in one and I keep the other for vacations. ( I gave him a very low rent and full use of the property). He keeps a few cows in the pasture and I get some of the meat. Also, it was like magic. When I bought the property, somehow all the locals knew and they swarmed the property. They were using it as access to the lake and parking on it etc. My friend would go and talk to them each time and now everyone knows that he is watching over the place and they leave it alone.

So, on the positive side, I have a bug out location where I can fish, raise food (and have some stored in the form of cows in the field). I have a nice place to go in the summer where I can really kick back and feel at peace with the world (somehow my house in the burbs is not so satisfying). I now have my long term goal and dream of where I want to retire. This also seems to contribute to my overall sense of well being. I have physical assets in the form of timber and quarry rock. I have a physical place that my kids and their kids could build homes if they want and not go thru the endless cycles of each generation starting new.

On the negative side, this sucked up a lot of capital that would have made me money if I had bought PMs. I pay taxes and up keep on a property that does not generate income. I do have electric that I keep on. I turn everything off except the fridge. This costs me $20 per month.

I think it is key to work with someone local. It would be even better if they were family or a close relation. However, there are lots of country folk, with lots of know how, that are hurting right now and you can probably work out pretty nice mutually helpful situations. My friend had a ranch that went bust several years ago. He then worked construction until he hurt his back and jobs became scarce. I have started talks with him about whether he wants to give the cattle business another go as a partnership (probably some small niche market). We will see how things go.