House buying for preppers (suggested positive attributes to look for)

Bill Masen - February 14, 2021

House buying for preppers suggested positive attributes to look for (UK)

In older article I refer in various chapters and sections to modifying your home or adding prepper specific requirements to your selection criteria, in this short article I thought I would just make a check list of desirable options if you are looking to move.

1. Rural or Suburban location away from major conurbations, city centers and industrial developments, and not on the way to shops, malls, town centers, city limits. IE OUT OF THE WAY

2. A south to south west facing position in order to get maximum natural light for food production and to drive a solar panel array.

3. Legally permitted to have double glazing, cavity wall insulation, PV panels fitted, conservatories built etc without have to get special planning permits passed because the building is listed or close to an SSSI or National Park

4. Large enough gardens to provide a reasonable percentage of your own food

5. Reasonable access to as many natural resources as possible EG woodland for firewood, healthy local water ways for fishing and obtaining water if necessary, access to open cast coal deposits, access to the coast etc one is good, any two is great, three and you are rocking.

6. A kitchen suitable for retro fitting with wood/coal/charcoal powered cookers and water heaters, preferably with a nice cool larder room or cellar.

7. Concealed or obscured veg gardens, garage and outhouses where stockpiles of timber, coal, fuel and B O Vehicles can be stored / loaded / unloaded without being viewed from the road outside.

8. Suitable out houses, lean-to’s and sheds away from the main house in good order for storing diesel, gas bottles, coal, timber etc safely.

9. Well above all known flood risks and far away from known land slip areas.

10. Not along any route, highway or track that may end up being an escape route from the city for refugees

11. A documented record of having a decent air flow most of the year that could drive a wind turbine for making electricity or lifting water from well / stream

12. Perhaps a passing stream that can be made to drop 2 meters at one spot to power an Archimedes screw hydro-electric unit.

13. Reasonable access to pasture and allotments for keeping food small breed food animals and extra growing space for crops

14. Multiple routes along various compass bearing that you can bug out along if necessary.

15. Local village has facilities of the type required by your family, IE small friendly school, local mechanics garage, blacksmiths forge, petrol station, hardware shop, extra garages for rental, sub post office, working train station etc

16. Neighbours who clearly are “into” growing their own crops and animals

17. Low reported crime figures

18. No annual or regular events that could expose you to risk such as living next door to a farm that holds 5 day Rock Concerts, No “travellers” regular stop off points etc.

19. Good radio signal reception not in a radio blind spot

20. Not near electricity pylons, gas pipe distribution pipes etc.

21. Being NOT to far away from a wind farm or PV farm COULD be beneficial in the long term as could being not to far from a workable open cast coal mine.

Add your own requirements to list list and good luck with your home buying plans.