Free Land in exchange for help!

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Hello I own 40 acres of land in ash fork arizona area and I want to build about 30 homes alternative homes that is. But I can not do it alone so If you help me build these homes I will give you 1acr or 2acres depending on how much help u are! Also you can come and camp or bring a rv whatever you want and stay on the land that you will own. I will be moving up to the land by the end of march. If you want land and help in building your home this is the best opportunity I have contact me at todd12345_98@yahoo.com

-- todd findley (todd12345_98@yahoo.com), March 07, 2001

Answers

Seems like a lot of work for little reward being land sells for between $300-500 per acre in 40 acre blocks in that area.

-- Lynn Goltz (lynngoltz@aol.com), March 07, 2001.

O yeah im sorry you also will get a home built too but home must be made of adobe or papercrete etc. sorry i didnt put that in there it is on some of the other boards I submitted to plus you will get all this in writing. You will get land and home!!

-- todd findley (todd12345_98@yahoo.com), March 07, 2001.

Lets imagine it takes 6 months to build a home. (here you need minimum 2 acres to deal with septic so I would think 15 was more a reality)Anyway, imagine one of them is yours, the worker, the other 29 you assist with. This will take 14 1/2 YEARS. Seems mighty expensive work when you might buy a home outright sooner than that with the cost of land being what it is there. Todd, how about offering a wage or or portion of each house/land sold?

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), March 07, 2001.

Anne, most of the land in that part of Arizona does not have surface water or power so you probably don't have to worry about a septic system. Water is 800 feet or so deep and expensive to drill IF you can get a permit from the state. No enforced zoning so outhouses are used frequently. People buy land in that area for future retirement home sites and most is resold at a loss years later. There is little work in the area other than ranching.

-- Lynn Goltz (lynngoltz@aol.com), March 08, 2001.

Thanks Lynn. I didn't know that about Arizona. Meantime, our mud season has begun.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), March 08, 2001.


On the reponse to water in this area it is 200 ft down and there are 3 lakes right in this area. We would be using water catchment systems and probally wont dig for water. Plenty of water each yr falls from the sky in the form of snow and rain. As far as jobs well there is all kinds of jobs within a 50 mile radius service jobs are a plenty and there is a sawmill 4miles from here. And there are three big towns within 50 miles of this area jobs are not a problem. Now as far as it taking 6 months to build a home well not really it takes us about 1 month per house between 2 people we use materials like adobe, papercrete, strawbale etc We dumbster dive for doors and windows since we want to build these homes for poor working familes and want to build them at very low cost. Lets say we have 5 people come up and camp out in tents or rv camper etc on land that would be theres. Well the way we would do it is like this We would first ask you to work for 1 month and show us that you are willing to work for a house. Then while we build like 4 homes at the same time we start building yours that you can live in and fully own. We will after you help build lets say 10 homes give you full title to your home. Also I like the idea of offering profits from each home sold if anyone wants to go down that route too infact I encourage it! You have to remember we are going to mass produce these homes maybe 3 at a time and if just 5 people are working at this at a time then it will only take about 1 month to build all three homes. I hope this will clear anything up for some. thanks todd findley.

-- todd findley (todd12345_98@yahoo.com), March 08, 2001.

Todd:

I guess I'll me the one to ask the question. How to you benefit, financially or otherwise, from this venture. Who pays for the material used? It has that too good to be true ring to it.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), March 08, 2001.


I pay for material but most of the material needed is right under your feet for the most part. As far as gaining financially I am just hopeing to break even to tell you the truth. But yes I am the guy paying for material and paying the $193 per month for the mortgage that will be paid off as soon as the second or third house is sold. I also will receive a house for my family to live in too. thats all there is too it I was homeless once in my life and wanted to figure a way to give back to people who have little and this is my way. thanks todd findley p.s. the homes are not going to be worth much more than 20-30 thousand at the most and im selling them at cost after the land is paid off!

-- todd findley (todd12345_98@yahoo.com), March 08, 2001.

30 homes, 40 acres, that seems a little too crowded. What is that, an acre per home and the rest taken up by roads & easements.

-- Hendo (OR) (redgate@echoweb.net), March 09, 2001.

Interesting idea, had one simular but could never find people that wanted to work that hard. How many of the papercrete or adobie type buildings have you consturcted. please keep us posted as to your success and good luck finding workers. Another question where will everyone live while building the houses and what will they do for living expense while building. Hard to comute 50 miles each way every day and still have time to work on building,

-- David (bluewaterfarm@mindspring.com), March 09, 2001.


Hendo, you are correct in that 30 homes on 40 acres is a lot. Here in AZ we call it a subdivision and have fairly tough laws regarding their development. By the time he gets in the roads and water (even without power) the developer will have to spend lots of dollars (maybe $20K per lot) UP FRONT before being allowed to proceed. It will take years to get approval in that area, if ever.

-- Lynn Goltz (lynngoltz@aol.com), March 10, 2001.

I am a horticulture student at a community college just outside of portland oregon. I was very excited when I heard your offer. I have a 16 month old son. And my family and i would like to come visit we have a school bus to live in. We are interested in sustainable farming tactics and we are prepared to deal with deficency's in the current soil. If you would like our help please reply at Iant53@hotmail.com

-- Ian Hunter (iant53@hotmail.com), May 21, 2001.

Todd I applaud your efforts! What you are doing is worthwhile, sensible and neccessary. What I have mostly read from the people above is scepticism and looking to why it won't work, yes you may need some refinements in your plan but you are on the right track. I am possibly interested in participating in your project and would like to talk to you over the phone to learn more, sending e-mails doesn't cut it for effective communication, send me your # and I'll pick up the tab for the call. Hold the vision!! Clifton

-- Clifton (tradebroker@hotmail.com), May 22, 2001.

I emailed you too. I am very interested in your plans. Exactly what I want to do. I heard there are areas in MArizona, Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Tennessee, and Maine (those I know for sure) that have no building permits.

And all you naysayers you are either wealthy and jealous, or big brother has got you. ha ha.

Bill.

-- Bill Berggren (ad109@lafn.org), June 30, 2001.


I already am planning on quitting my job if you give me the o.k. I figure at $11 per hour in San Diego it will take 20 years to save enough to buy a house at $300,000 here and that is not even a green house. You are forced to buy a dull conventional house. Just all the experience alone would be great. It is a wonderful opportunity IMHO.

-- Bill Berggren (ad109@lafn.org), July 02, 2001.


LOL, todd! Yeah, I am sure low income people who cant afford to pay for the land to put the house on are going to be able to quit thier jobs to come move out into the country and camp for half a year while donating labor to build a house, which they will have to take a loan out on to pay for. Like they would be able to get a loan based on their previous employment, after chucking their jobs for 6 months. What are these low-income people supposed to eat while working for you for free? I am sure they have several thousand stashed somewhere to buy groceries! Only thing is, if they have that few thousand stashed, they could use it as a down payment on an FHA house, and skip all the hard, unfamiliar, and dangerous work of carpentry. Oh, by the way, will you cover your unhired workers with health insurance while they pay you to tell them how to build their own homes?

Thanks for turning the countryside into a city.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), July 02, 2001.


I have $10000 which I can earn $100 per month in a mutual fund. Thus, $3 per day will buy a lot of food in bulk plus cement. I am kind-of in trouble at work now discussing your scheme. I would please like a yes or no response asap. An alternate address tberggren@nethere.com . The only problem is the phone, all other utilities are easily obtained. It is July so you are probably up there building.

-- Bill Berggren (ad109@lafn.org), July 03, 2001.

Bill, did you try to contact todd directly via his hotmail e-mail address? I'm sure he's not following this thread anymore. He was planning to be up there 3 months ago.

-- Sojourner (notime4@summer.spam), July 03, 2001.

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