In the midst of a national housing shortage, towns on the Kansas plains are giving away free land and ultra-cheap houses. Is the offer worth it?

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chopper
In the midst of a national housing shortage, towns on the Kansas plains are giving away free land and ultra-cheap houses. Is the offer worth it?

Are the Native Americans getting their land back?

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SoCal for now.

I live in a small town (4000 or so) about an hour away from 2 metro areas. Several amenities (big hardware and shopping stores) don't need to be traveled quite that far however.

Rural life can be good if you're a homebody (don't need/appreciate entertainment?) and good if you don't mind waiting until the weekend to go out of town for things that any suburbanite has 15 minutes away. Internet shopping has really leveled the playing field in other ways, even you don't have the luxury of complaining about Publix vs Kroger vs whatever for daily needs.

The smaller size of Lincoln, KS and farther distance would exacerbate that. A drive to Salina would not be bad, but Salina is still less than 50K population, not exactly a bustling metro area.

Lots of land means you might spend money in other ways. A $5000 lawnmower, worse healthcare and education are all real issues. I went to the recycler this morning and as I was driving onto the scale, I noticed a hand-made political sign for an election that ended 2020. Yeah, it's like that here.

Housing: I see that as somewhat of a red herring in light of the lack of infrastructure and opportunities in a place like Lincoln, KS. Yes, you maybe could work online (as I do, here) or get a local job or career that might be OK, but "it takes a village" of others also making it for your situation to work.

I grew up in the country, love the country, and at one time dreamed of large tracts of land. But being 10 minutes away from literally everything--stores, hospitals, universities, even pro sports venues--not to mention FiOS, has made me a spoiled suburbanite.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/05/2022 09:15PM by Acer.

If my house here in Seattle weren't my retirement money, I would have left a while ago. But my mortgage payments are less than what my house increases in value every month, so I'd be crazy to leave until I really really want to.

Local and state politicians don't share my views either.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/2022 05:21AM by Racer X.

Land of the Free? It's so good here we have to bribe people to live here?

I remember reading somewhere 10,000 Californians could move to Montana or Wyoming and flip the state. I dunno if I could go back in time. As Bill Maher said, "I could move to Texas and buy two houses like mine for what I get for selling mine. But then I gotta live in Texas!"

I'd like to live in the Country, but not in KS. Colorado, New Mexico, ok. Texas counties in the Country have jokes for Infrastructure. Neighboring Kerr county asked San Antonio for help with frozen roads last week. Those libs in San Antonio sure got owned by doing the right thing! After Bexar County roads were cleared, they sent volunteer crews over.

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San Antonio, TX (in the old city)


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deckeda
Lots of land means you might spend money in other ways. A $5000 lawnmower, worse healthcare and education are all real issues.

My in-laws live in a very rural area. Worse healthcare is a real issue. Both are in their late 70s, and my wife has to tell her mom a lot that she needs to start going to doctors that are further away in actual cities. One example, her mom has a completely ruptured achille's tendon. Doctor said "just stay off it for a while".

Distance from healthcare, and emergency medical services, as already mentioned, are the biggest drawback to the "country life".
Now that Starlink is on the cusp of being able to provide high speed internet "out in the country", communications and internet are no longer a show-stopper, but, being able to get help in a hurry when the ex-city-boy sends his hand into a hay-bailer... That's a problem.

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Paul F.
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A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca c. 5 BC - 65 AD
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Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
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Eureka, CA