Hey Vorian's Revenge & momtype!
I have also had the same concern of weather we should stay in California at all or not. My parents property is just a plan B just in case my parents can't pay for the loan on the property (which could be a good possibility in the near future) and if someone here has enough extra cash to pick up on it. I agree that it would be safer to go higher and more out in the hills even if it means leaving California.
I wish I had the extra money to be able to pay for property but I can't even afford to pay to stock up on food.
I have talked to my parents about my idea for the property yesterday and they seemed to be ok with the idea but obviously expressed their intent on trying to keep it. I don't know the exact size but I believe that it is a couple of acres and they have one two story shed (The biggest size that you can get without a permit) and a couple of smaller storage sheds. They have paved a dirt road to the big shed and have rod iron fencing put up in places and my mother has done a bit of landscaping here and there and of course there is the well and there is also a lake nearby.
The loan my parents are paying for is basically for a building permit. Don't know too much about how it works but from my understanding they need a building permit to keep the property and they have to renew it every couple of years or something like that. From what they have told me, they have paid thousands and thousands on fees and permits to build their house and a bunch of other stuff. California really rapes you when you want to buy a property. Their loan is for $50,000 and so far they have only paid the interest.
Vorian's Revenge,
I saw your post in the skills thread and you say that you can build houses and that you got a crew that is ready to go. Boy that is awesome, we will be very lucky to be grouping up with you. Now I am not a construction guy but I am a full bodied man that can handle just about anything, especially when it comes to something as important as this.
Yes, we need to meet up soon. Should we meet up this weekend or should we give it a little more time? We could meet at a restaurant and talk things over dinner and a drink. What do you guys think?