When my husband and I found our off-grid homestead, it was more or less by accident. We were looking for our forever homestead, far back from the road and with plenty of space to stretch out. As it turns out, it’s hard to enjoy the type of privacy and independence we wanted when you’re tethered to a power pole.
I’m constantly asked how on earth you find an off-grid homestead, and there are fewer resources than you’d think. Plenty of people are looking for off-grid land, but traditional realtors are focusing on the suburbs. As preparedness becomes more main stream, and more people leave the city for their homesteading dream, off-grid real estate sites are popping up right and left.
Zillow Searches
Though it’s a conventional real estate site, you can use the advanced search feature on Zillow to help you find off-grid properties and land. There are a number of filters, and if you set them correctly it’ll save you a lot of time searching for off-grid land. Start by eliminating any apartments, condos or townhomes from the “home type.”
Set the lot size to 10+ acres and that’ll remove most of the suburban lots, which gets you closer to your goal faster. Depending on where you are, 1+ acre or 5+ acres might work just fine. Out here in Vermont, most towns have minimum suburban lots set at a minimum of 3 acres.
Finally, under “more filters” you can type in keywords. Just add in the keyword “grid.” Now you’ve got a custom search, and the vast majority of these properties will be off the grid.
Using this method today, I went from 1 property for sale in Vermont, to a total of 47 off-grid homes for sale. They ranged from cheap off-grid homes as low as $23K to some serious mountain compounds for around $2.2M. You can refine your search a bit more based on your budget.
Survival Realty
As the name suggests, Survival Realty is a real estate site that caters to preppers and survivalists. Since it’s in that niche, you’ll find a number of impressive compounds, most of which are off the grid.
Prices vary greatly, and there will usually be a few in the $100K range and some in the $3M plus range, as well as everything in between. The site has listings from every state in the US, and often overseas options.
Even if you’re not a survivalist, this site is good for entertainment at the very least. Some of the places listed are a bit over the top, but others have nice features that you may eventually want to incorporate into your homestead.
Sustainable Properties Real Estate Listings
Sustainable Real Estate advertises that they’re “a destination real estate website dedicated to featuring sustainable, off-grid, survival and alternative energy properties.” Their listings cover the entire united states, which gives you far more options than the smaller regional off-grid real estate listings.
They have some serious off-grid setups for sale, the largest of which is currently listed at $49 Million! To be fair, it is 8300 acres. They also have some cheap off-grid homes for sale, with over 100 listings for off-grid cabins selling for less than $50k.
Revolutionary Realty
Specific to Northern Idaho, Revolutionary Realty specializes in remote off-grid land purchases. Since Idaho has issues with water rights, timber rights and mineral rights, the site walks you through all the basics along with helping find off-grid land. Still, Idaho is one of the best places to live off the grid, and you’ll be in good company with like-minded neighbors…none of them too close.
Retreat Realty
Retreat Realty specializes in homesteads, off-grid, retreats, and prepper properties in Western North Carolina. Many of the properties are over 50 acres, and just about all of them seem cherry-picked for independent-minded buyers looking for real treasures. While they do have a few cheap off-grid homes for sale, they seem to specialize in beautifully finished off-grid cabins with unique features.
Off-Grid Land For Sale By Owner
For sale by owner land is a bit more difficult to find, especially if you’re not local. There are a number of properties in our local area that are only advertised by a painted piece of plywood tacked to a tree near the road. Owner-listed properties tend to get less exposure in general, but they’re also often much cheaper.
Since there’s no 6% fee paid to an agent, the owner can sell the property for far less. There are also fewer potential buyers, so that puts you in a much better position to negotiate for your off-grid cabin.
Sites like for sale by owner don’t have a very robust search engine though. Location and price are all they give you. Check your local papers, and you might just get lucky.
Facebook Groups
Just like for sale by owner listings, Facebook groups can also be a good place to find cheap off-grid land. There are a number of Facebook groups dedicated to land listings, and helping connect buyers to sellers. I won’t link to any in particular, since these change all the time, but go ahead and search for off-grid land for sale on Facebook, and plenty of groups will come up.
Keep in mind that like craigslist and Facebook listings can be sketchy. Buyer beware and make sure you’re safe if you arrange to see land listed on Facebook.
Other Considerations for Off-Grid Land
While you’re shopping, keep in mind that while there are plenty of cheap off-grid homes for sale since off-grid homesteads are generally more affordable, they’re also trickier to finance. When you do find your dream homestead, be prepared to either pay cash or jump through some serious hoops.
When you’re buying directly from the owner, you often have the option of owner financing, which is one benefit of taking the time to find off-grid land for sale by owner.
Before you buy an off-grid cabin, be sure to learn from our mistakes. Give these other posts a look:
- 3 Things I Wish We’d budgeted for Before Moving Off-Grid
- 6 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Moving Off-Grid
- 10 Luxuries We Have Off-Grid That Most Suburban Homes Don’t
- Tour of Our Off-Grid System
- Tips for a More Dependable Off-Grid System
If you know of any other off-grid real estate resources, I’d love to hear about it. Leave a note in the comments below.
Kate
Your house is the cutest!!! I love the greenhouse. We found our off-grid homestead by total accident while browsing what we thought was unimproved lots behind our house with our friend/realtor one Sunday. Turns out one of the lots actually had a big, old, off-grid cabin on it! After that we knew we had to act fast. It needs a lot of work, but luckily it’s close enough to our traditional, on-grid house to walk to and hopefully one day we will be able to make the move off-grid for good!
Dml
ANGRY FRUSTRATED RETIRED FIXED INCOME NATION WIDE ESPECIALLY KY BUYER FOR OFF GRID HOUSE FOR SALEEEE NOT ENDLESS LAND OMGGGG NOT LOOKING FOR LAND AND HASTLES TO BUILD…WANT HOPE SMALL HOME OFF GRID IN KY. LOVE FIND IF INSIDE A AMISH COMMUNITY LINES UP WITH MY PERSONAL LIFE CHOICES…WHY SOOOOO MISERABLE JUST TO FIND OFF GRID HOUSES FOR SALE. SICK OF SHOVING LAND DOWN MY THROAT
THX SO MUCH FOR YOUR INFORMATION
Ashley Adamant
You’re quite welcome.
Charlie Palumbo
Ashley. You asked for topic ideas. How about small animal
And garden protection from predators. Soil
Amending recommendations. Uses for crab apples. Thanks for the articles. We enjoy reading them
Ashley Adamant
Thanks so much, I always love topic suggestions! I wish I had good ideas for protecting small animals and gardens from predators, but we’re still at the drawing board on that one. Crabapple recipes I’ve got in abundance and I’ll get some of those written up. For soil amending, I’d highly recommend a book called “The Intelligent Gardener” by Steve Solomon. It’s dense but authoritative. I’m still trying to digest it enough to write an article on soil amending.
Robin
There are “night eyes” that you can order online. They help to keep predators away. They run off of solar power and have been very helpful for us.
Brenda Wagner
We have a beautiful, modern off grid home for sale on 5.8 acres in Missouri and having a hard time getting the word out. Established orchard and garden area with fenced front and back areas. We have to move to Pennsylvania to help care for my aging mother. Help!!
Tarina & Kris
Do you still have the homestead in Missouri for sale & if so we would love more info please. Thanks
Jolene Kaytee
how much are you asking? would you owner finance with VERY low down and around $500/month? please let me know. ChinaRainWater @yahoo .com
Donna straup
Hi what part of Missouri are you in? How big is the house are you leaving the stove and refrigerator and washer and dryer? As I had to sale those things when I moved back to Arkansas. How much are you asking for the property over all? Do you have inside and outside photos?
Alex
Interested.
Dean Donofrio
Hello Ashley! What a great article this was, it’s really helping me with my current project. My name is Dean, I am a casting producer for a new documentary series on a major network about American families who are planning to move off the grid, anywhere in the world. It’s an inspirational show designed to showcase the positive aspects of survivalist living, with a Swiss Family Robinson feel. A camera crew will spend some time with 5 different families as they build their home — to document their process and the joy they feel making their dream come true — then leave them alone to enjoy their solitude.
I am scouring the Earth, searching for families with children over 10 who are seriously considering — or already at the beginning stages of — relocating to a remote location to live off the land. If you have been corresponding with any American families who fit this description, I would be overjoyed if you could give them my info or show them our flyer (I can email it separately). And I would love to chat with you on the phone if you have a few minutes, to pick your brain about where I might look.
Ashley Adamant
I don’t have any advice for you Dan, and we’re not really public people so it’s nothing I’d sign up for. I’ll leave this here and perhaps anyone interested can comment.
Lynne
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to rent an off the grid homestead?
Mark Glendrange
Please forward off grid properties in Idaho with the following:
– Minimum of 5 acres with timber
– Must have a well or spring
– Solar or hydro electric power
– Preferably with a metal shed or barn
Thank you for your consideration!
Sincerely,
Mark Glendrange
949 386 4652
Robert
I am living off grid on Palawan Island, Philippines since 2014. I am a prepper and have moved out of North America to live a very peaceful and satisfying life in tropics.
If you are prepper, you must know what locations are safe. Once you have done your research, only then you can start planning. It took me 9 years of research, only to discover that TRUE prepping is possible only in very remote areas of the world.
Paul Hetzler
I have an off-grid home on 77 acres for rent near Colton, NY (northern Adirondack Mountain foothills).
Any chance I can post that here? Thanks!
Ashley Adamant
Sure. If anyone’s interested in information they can reply to your comment and you should get an email notification so you can send them info.
Heather
This was long enough ago it’s probably gone, but we’re interested in the off-grid for rent! Is there any way to give Paul my email privately?
Shaylyn
Hi I’m interested to know more you can email me at shaylynmari@gmail.com.
Li Terrell
Thank you! I am going to check these sites for listing my family’s 40 ac in Sonoma county CA!!!
Administrator
You’re welcome. I’m so glad it was helpful for you.