Moving into a new home was very destabilizing for me about two decades ago — it was my first time changing homes anyway. My finances were not very buoyant & the move was mandatory. I moved into my new home feeling challenged.
However, my next change of home was planned, and with it came something great. I ensured that I moved to a place that could withstand whatever SHTF or TEOTWAWKI event that may come my way.
Truly, changing homes can be challenging. For most people, it’s a major wedge in their plans. Think about it: you have to work at a new job, your spouse has to establish new connections & the kids have to cope with a new school. Disruptive, but there’s a plus out of all the minuses.
While changing homes can destabilize your plans for the year & cost you a major setback from a financial perspective, you can make a positive out of it. The main way to do this is to see that you’re moving to a place that’s a lot better than your current location — particularly from a prepping perspective.
Pointers for Choosing Your New Home
Whether you’re being coerced out of your new home or you’re making the move yourself, it is only logical (and fair to yourself) that you make an improvement on where you’re moving to. There’s a good chance that your existing home has (or does not have) some things that you’d like to change.
This means your new home has to have the changes you’ve always wanted. However…
The main focus here is this: which of what you’ve noticed about your old home could affect your ability to survive should SHTF?
The City, a Smaller Town or a Rural Community?
While different theories have been introduced to the prepping community, the fact that prepping is easier in a homestead or a small town than it is in the city has not changed. I daresay it will never change.
The city must have its fair share of distractions that keep you from achieving your prepping goals. No?
This is your chance at doing better. Most times, big cities have smaller towns surrounding them, although you may have to drive about 30 minutes on a trip. Getting a home in any of these subordinate towns will take you out of the city’s toxicity while still giving you access to work & bigger stores. Also, homes in such areas are more affordable & the prices of commodities are typically cheaper.
If you’d rather purchase in a rural community, it’s an even better win for your prepping skill sets. You’ll get a bigger house for the same amount. That’s sufficient space for stockpiling & keeping your gear. Plus, you’re free of the problems associated with the city. This is the right place to be a homesteader.
Factors to Consider When Selecting Your New Home
Buying a new house or even moving into a rented one is a huge decision that you need to make right. For preppers, this can be more challenging as we have needs others ordinarily do not. And it’d be silly to move into a place that doesn’t offer what you’ve always desired.
Picking the ideal location is usually the biggest of all challenges, particularly when we consider that there’s a limited number of houses to choose from. I believe you may need to compromise on some standards to get an apartment where you want. But ensure not to make compromises that’ll make prepping & survival more difficult.
Here are things to look at:
Land
Choosing a home in the country can offer all the opportunities that come with a bigger space, which will typically require you to do more gardening. At this time, finding a property with a sizable backyard may not be a top priority. But what if there comes the time when you’d have to live on the foods you grow? What would you do then?
Water
One of the dream features of a new home is having a natural water source inside its yard, but finding a property like that isn’t easy. Keeping that in mind, you need to find a property close to the alternative source of water should the public supply ever go out. Can you easily get water home? You may not bother much about this: you can install artificial sources of water when you move in.
Neighbors
True, it can be difficult to find out the truth about a neighborhood before joining, but a little effort can give you a run-in with the jolly good fellow who can’t keep his lips shut. If you can, that will be a major plus, as you can easily find out if those are the kinds of neighbors you want. There may be some facts about your next-door neighbors that you may find disturbing. I think, though, that if a property has every other box ticked, you can disregard this. Your property would need a high fence around it, though.
Defensive Capability
Home defense can be a major challenge in a world ridden by catastrophe. And it is important too when you’re moving to a neighborhood you know nothing about. You’re going to have this consideration in mind as you look for a place. Are fences installed? Can attackers pick any spot to attack without you knowing? Is the property set in a manner where mutual defense can be reached between you & your neighbors?
Sunlight
Easy to miss, but it shouldn’t. Take some time to assess how the sun reaches the property & the home. A Google resource, Project Sunroof, can help to see how sunlight falls on the property. Sunlight exposure is important because your garden crops need the rays to flourish. Some plants need 7 hours of exposure to sunlight to grow well. Also, you need this to know how a solar panel would fare in the house.
Flooding
Buying a property that’s right by the 100-year-floodplain goes against everything you represent as a prepper. Avoid buying a house that’s along the floodplain in a hurricane zone. You don’t want to, regardless of how cheap the property is.
Concluding Lines on Moving Into a New Home
Moving into a new home isn’t a piece of cake; take it from who’s been there. This is why I emphasize a lot of research, so you don’t make a poor decision. The factors we’ve considered may be among the changes you’d like to implement. If they are not, outline what they are, and ensure that your new home is better.
