Affordable Housing Impossible since the 9-19-08 Stock Market Crash

We hear about "hippy havens," "hippy communes," and so on.

I would LOVE to move to a small town and start an organic farm.

But I CANNOT AFFORD IT - because of the Greedy Developers and Politicians who have imposed "smart growth" and "urban growth boundaries" around places like Ashland, Oregon, Santa Cruz (CA), Flagstaff, Arizona, Boulder, Colorado, etc.

And ... ever since the stock market crashed on 9-19-08 - landlords for ordinary STUDIO apartments on CRAIGS list and also IN PERSON are PARANOID - and require NINE REFERENCES for 12 month leases (3 for employment, 3 previous landlords, and 3 character references).

Who wants to rent for 12 months when they are YOUNG and exploring the world?

This is all RIDICULOUS. I study Real Estate Economics, and I know the basic principles of running businesses through hard times. I know that the VACANCY rate in this country for real estate is the HIGHEST IN US HISTORY.

That said, this IS NOT a time to REJECT applicants because they have suffered from unemployment with this recession, and can't provide 9 separate people on an Application.

In fact, you're better off to take a loss on a foreclosure, and SELL IT, and then use the money to buy cheap land to build new homes. Or at the very least, RENT that foreclosure.

Developers and realtors have forgotten these simple truths. which I have oversimplified.

So, I'm STUCK WITH MY PARENTS !!! Eternally, with no end in sight !

And - ironically - I'm the nerd who has read literally hundreds of papers on real estate economics, and who wants to get a Real Estate License, and then 100 acres for a sustainable organic farm - where I can employ readers of these lines.

Back in your day, your landlords did NOT have paranoia because of these greedy Speculators in real estate and on wall street.

I mean, it's like - HELLO!!! The stock market crashed THREE YEARS AGO !! Folks should see that their housing values are NOT going to go up, because WAMU et. al. are history. Housing prices will NOT rise any faster than inflation. Do not panic, fellow realtors and homeowners - Just chill out, the bubble has burst, and it isn't blowing up ever again.

Right now, the great places that hippys established have been taken over with Smart Growth, Urban Growth Boundaries, and Towering Condo Towers.

Translation? THE RICH (including Rich Democrats and Rich Republicans) owns and now CONTROLS Ashland, Bend, Boulder, Durango, Santa Fe, and just about every American liberal college town.

I HATE these places. They are elite and rich. I want simplicity.

Where can I go and not have to provide a paper trail just to rent a place?

In earlier posts I mentioned Guerneville and Joshua Tree California. What do ya' old-timers think ? Where can new hippy havens be established for the poor and middle classes?

I'm not even a hippy (at least not right now, we'll see ... depends on where you tell me I can buy my 100 acres and get my real estate license (!!!) - but I know that they have the best advice:sunny:
take care

 

You don't want to farm a 100 acres in organic cash crops. The work involved in tending that much land!!! Try to find a caretaker job on a already established farm and borrow or rent a couple acres to start out. If your good at growing you can rent a few more acres and hire a hand or two. Start slow and feel your way. Growing food is not easy. Many people find the hard work a turn off. Theres so much trial and error in growing a garden. And you'll need to start your seeds in a controlled environment like a greenhouse. Those little babies take care and nurturing. Marketing the crops is a whole other ballgame.
Theres awesome minifarms around me. Rich loamy soil like chocolate cake. Just saw a ad for a 8 acre, 4bdroom 2bath farm home for 50K. Theres probably 10 more for every one advertised. Theres no better time to buy then now if you can get a loan. There are special loans for people who buy farms or rural homesteads. It's like a FHA loan but for first time farmers. Check into it.