Posted: 9/8/2026 8:49:00 PM EDT
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if you were going to buy or sell one, where would you go, how would you list it? how would you attempt to mitigate the following challenges: -bank loans and insurance may be difficult for non-cash buyers -any opsec stuff is out the window for you and the buyer once property is advertised -lack of standardization for key systems (solar / battery, water collection and filtering, any sort of non-septic tank based sewage from composting to outhouses to incinerator toilets) means inspections are critical but difficult, and difficult to value -transfer of animals, equipment etc may complicate things (how do you get rid of your 87 meat rabbits) (i'm sure this just scratches the surface... feel free to add others |
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Originally Posted By taliv: if you were going to buy or sell one, where would you go, how would you list it? how would you attempt to mitigate the following challenges: -bank loans and insurance may be difficult for non-cash buyers -any opsec stuff is out the window for you and the buyer once property is advertised -lack of standardization for key systems (solar / battery, water collection and filtering, any sort of non-septic tank based sewage from composting to outhouses to incinerator toilets) means inspections are critical but difficult, and difficult to value -transfer of animals, equipment etc may complicate things (how do you get rid of your 87 meat rabbits) (i'm sure this just scratches the surface... feel free to add others How big/expensive are we talking here? Because of all the things you note, prepper stuff is not always a good investment towards future selling price. If large, I'd try to find the biggest prepper youtuber to try to get the widest exposure to a sympathetic audience. You could keep the location somewhat opaque in that format until someone has a real inquiry. I don't know the loan details but wouldn't it be like any rural property? I suppose the appraisal might be difficult if the cost includes a bunch of prepper stuff that would not be on the comps. Opsec... I've seen a place advertised as a regular house that just happened to have a lot of elements that would be more attractive to preppers than to random people. Emphasized the isolation, off-grid features, garden and livestock potential, etc. Then after indications of interest, the seller showed the hidden rooms and some other things not in the listing. It's not perfect but better than having it in the listing for Zillow to remember forever. Standardization, hard beyond just knowing it was high-quality brands, or having records of parts and performance. The buyer could get one of the homestead consultants to act as a home inspector, or the seller could do that in advance. Equipment and animals could be on a separate list, that's often done for machinery. You can write whatever you want in the contract. But barring transportation costs etc, it's probably better to sell off separately and maximize the neutral appeal of the property. |
I would like to remind everyone that disorganized violence is never the answer. - John Carter
| These days I would be looking (am looking) for the land, buildings, and neighbors. All the prepper stuff can be added, and is usually getting better in price/performance all the time (e.g., solar). If there was a property with prepper elements then it could be good that you might get a deal, but it also could be a rats nest of half ass stuff. Think of the challenges just figuring out the systems/prior repairs of any regular house. |
I would like to remind everyone that disorganized violence is never the answer. - John Carter
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Originally Posted By mPisi: How big/expensive are we talking here? Because of all the things you note, prepper stuff is not always a good investment towards future selling price. question is currently academic, so whatever size you want to comment on. however, i may be moving out of state and having initial thoughts about how i would go about selling the 80ac and cabin in my cabin-build thread. |
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Don't know real estate laws, etc. but if you could do a "fee" for a general tour of the property that was large enough to dissuade lookey loos but was applicable to the purchase price. As far as supplies on property, I think selling or moving them would be your best bet. "Includes 20 years of freeze dried food and 100K rounds of ammo" may not be a selling point to some. The infrastructure that is built up on a retreat is what I would assume would be the selling point to a smart buyer. As you know from doing this, it takes years, decades in some instances to get some serious infrastructure set up on a retreat. The newer "academic" type "preppers" won't understand this, they will think it's easy like they think everything else they have never done is easy. |
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Lookey-loos: as much as I hate to say it, this is where a high quality RE agent brings value. The guys like that I've worked with have an idea of list prices they are interested in, but they have an image to protect of representing their sellers well. They will vet buyer's agents and their clients. Improvements that add monetary value at sale while also being relevant to somebody with a prepper mindset; 1. Fences 2. Water; sources, storage and distribution. You get your money back on a well. 3. Established perennial ag; producing orchards, not talking about a nice garden plot here. A clean coastal field. You need to think in terms of what can be appraised, not what you put sweat equity in to. You have got to get real unemotional with animals. Don't expect to get anything for a bunch of rabbits or even their hutches. Same for chickens and coops. Put in the listing materials 'animals will be removed from the property prior to sale, but may be available for purchase separately.' Don't allow the purchase contract to be dependent in any way on there being 30 laying hens or some such nonsense. I've never seen that in a contract, but I've seen some silly stuff. Note: This does not include large ranches with high quality cattle, working pens, and water. Ranches do sometimes trade as a package deal with a herd. I hope that helps. Sort of a stream of consciousness. |
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Some guy tried to build the ultimate prepper retreat a few years ago outside of Leakey TX Concrete tilt slab construction, reinforced concrete roof, outbuildings, around 40 acres centered on a hilltop, nuke shelter. Cannot remember if he drilled a well and installed power, but he would have had to at some point. He went broke before he finished out the interior. It's probably still on the market. |
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in my case, I have zero ag and zero animals (if you don't count the bear, coyotes, foxes, bobcat, etc). But those are good suggestions for someone who does. Also in my case, most of the improvements I've made are dirt work. Building roads to make the property accessible where it was previously not. and you're absolutely right about the time it takes to get something sorted out. I've had to redo quite a few things over the years. It's nice having it finally all working. The irony of potentially selling now that it's finally sorted is humorous but really, prob 90% chance I'll stay and 10% chance of moving for a job, so again, it's mostly just curiosity how others have dealt with that sort of non-standard stuff, no comps, unconventional, etc. |
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Originally Posted By TexCorriente: Lookey-loos: as much as I hate to say it, this is where a high quality RE agent brings value. The guys like that I've worked with have an idea of list prices they are interested in, but they have an image to protect of representing their sellers well. They will vet buyer's agents and their clients. Improvements that add monetary value at sale while also being relevant to somebody with a prepper mindset; 1. Fences 2. Water; sources, storage and distribution. You get your money back on a well. 3. Established perennial ag; producing orchards, not talking about a nice garden plot here. A clean coastal field. You need to think in terms of what can be appraised, not what you put sweat equity in to. You have got to get real unemotional with animals. Don't expect to get anything for a bunch of rabbits or even their hutches. Same for chickens and coops. Put in the listing materials 'animals will be removed from the property prior to sale, but may be available for purchase separately.' Don't allow the purchase contract to be dependent in any way on there being 30 laying hens or some such nonsense. I've never seen that in a contract, but I've seen some silly stuff. Note: This does not include large ranches with high quality cattle, working pens, and water. Ranches do sometimes trade as a package deal with a herd. I hope that helps. Sort of a stream of consciousness. That was well put Tex. |
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I'm a real estate appraiser with 26 years of experience. I have a few comments: Many of the things that make a homestead into a homestead (or bunker, bug-out location, etc) are just that; things. The food, ammo, animals, equipment, etc. are all what we call Personal Property. The tractor may be included in the sale, but it is personal property so it does not contribute to the value from a real estate perspective. I wholeheartedly agree that the equipment, animals, stores of fertilizer, well maintained vegetable gardens, bee hives and equipment, etc. are all valuable and in many ways essential to the rural lifestyle many of us live. But the are not something that can go onto my appraisal or into a sales contract without an addendum for that personal property. The problem there is that the bank will not lend on the personal property in the mortgage. Leased solar panels are personal property. Valuing owned solar is a little more difficult. I have taken a lot of classes and have a lot of experience valuing solar, and I can say that owned solar panels typically contribute value. Wells and septic are really a requirement if city utilities aren't available. Water catchment and composting toilets have obvious appeal to the off-grid community. They also will limit who can buy. Those sources are not eligible for financing through VA, FHA, USDA, Fannie, or Freddie. If your buyer is using a credit union or bank with in-house lending then they may be able to get manual underwriting to allow for these sources. I say this as a caution, because I have to indicate the water source and the sewer source in my report, and that will stop a loan cold in it's tracks. Building the ultimate concrete bunker is cool. But it takes a very specific buyer. Those are often rare, and often the buyer for that sort of property is financially challenged. The idea of charging a fee to allow a showing is well intentioned, but won't fly. Realtors will not show that property, and buyers who have scrimped and saved a down payment won't pay to see the property. It's a great theory, but it won't work in practice. Many people who want the rural life may already have some of the equipment. Selling the machinery and animals that make your homestead into a homestead separately will bring a higher price. Example: If you were selling a property that you have been raising goats on and have set up accordingly, I may not be interested if I want to raise cattle. The shelters built for those two animals are different. I have no personal desire to raise any animals, but I love my workshop for antique cars. You may see my workshop as a wasted building if it can't house livestock. To maximize the value of your property, separate the real estate from the personal property. There may be another person willing to pay $20k for your tractor, but if you put it in the sales contract you may only profit $10k for example. |