Selfsufficientish.com

Not sure if this is the right topic but the what can I do? title appealed.

My oh and myself along with our 3 children would like to make the move from Staffs down south. Devon, Cornwall, etc anywhere more rural, near the sea (or closer than Staffs is to it).

Thing is we've talked/daydreamed about the possibility of renting some run down piece of junk if its on enough land for us to fix up, or have animals, or raise crops, etc.

Question is .. does such a thing exist in this day and age and if so how does one find it when you're not right next door to it to hear about it?

Any hints, tips or whatnot would be greatly appreciated.

x

Sorry, not sure where you'd start looking. Maybe websites listing properties in the area or farms you could stay on for a holiday while you look round?

Well we can't really afford holiday accommodation prices. I've tried searches on - farms for rent - homesteading, hobby farms, small holding, renting rural, renting in country, etc. I either seem to come up with land for rent (I want some land we can also live on) or a huge farm which we can't afford. I guess the idea/dream of finding some old building with water/electricity and a few bedrooms with land that we can afford is just in the days gone by.

Ah well. I will keep looking and googling but if anyone knows of another source, options, grants, retiring farmer friend, etc etc I'd love to hear from you.

tis very expensive down here.. well in my bit of Devon it is.. but.. with house prices taking a dive.. this might be a good time to rent?

I would have thought the place to start is the estate agents. How close to the sea? inland Cornwall is probably the cheapest.. and none of it is *that* far from the sea..

We used these sites when we were looking for our place;-

http://www.ruralscene.co.uk/look/frame.asp has farms and smallholdings for sale all over the country

http://www.farmproperty.net/propsale.htm has sale and rental pty

http://thesmallholdingcentre.co.uk/ houses, land and barns to do up in wales

good luck with your search, 'though unless you win the lottery or have a rich uncle you may have to consider other areas!

OMG THE PRICES IN WALES!!!!

I've only ever looked at rental prices in wales before... Jim would take a serious financial hit if he transferred to Landore, but still....

Have you thought of west coast of Scotland or Islands much cheaper, more grants available, more renewable resources, far less crime. downside the rain and the dreaded midge

Cheers, Paul

camillitech wrote:Have you thought of west coast of Scotland or Islands much cheaper, more grants available, more renewable resources, far less crime. downside the rain and the dreaded midge

Cheers, Paul

Shoooosh man! That's my long term plan - please don't start a rush!

Thanks all for the replies. Will take all information/suggestions under consideration.

Alas I have a few rich uncles but not in the good books enough ha ha ha and as of today a no go on winning the lottery but one can dream.

We rented a *run down* cottage with a lovely huge garden,in a teeny hamlet & we also rented a section of a field for a pound a year too
Land lord lives in the manor house & owns pretty much of the hamlet & his tenents are all long termers,the shortest one so far before us has been here 18 years He from what I can gather inherited form his father & since then has been doing them up,we had a new roof back in the summer.We never could have afforded to buy here.Nver.
So am more than happy to rent in fact its the best thing we have ever done,our life has been joyous since having the land to do with what we want.

I would recommend gettting someone in the area you are keen in to send you the local property pages,they alwyas have rentals in them,the best bets are like we have,as part of an old estate,(local estate agents should be able to give you contacts for them,they are keen to have folks who will fit in with village life,traditional values etc & I have found once folks saw we had the graft & sense to crack on with things,come & offer so much help & friendship its been astonishing

Our cottage is tiny when I viewed it I felt like some daft eejit off a property show mumbling oh its small.....YES ITS A COTTAGE I had to bark at myself 5 of us live here,my dad,hubby & our toddler twins,theres noway enough room in here but do we care? yes sometimes its been a long Winter but outside we have endless space,& thats what counts,& we have a fantastic way of life.We were allowed to fit our woodburner & in a place this wee(a 2 up 2 down with an attic room!)it belted out such heat we havent had to use the oil CH hearting what a bonus!!

I wish you every luck