DISCLAIMER: YOU WILL NEVER FIND THE “PERFECT” PROPERTY! THESE QUESTIONS ARE PROVIDED SO YOU CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION AND ARRANGE THE ORDER OF IMPORTANCE ACCORDING TO YOUR PERSONAL PRIORITIES AND AS GOD LEADS IN YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION.

1. 1 - N/A
2. 2 - It is generally recommended that a minimum of ten acres of forest be obtained, if possible. This should provide enough room for a home, water well, septic tank and leach field, good sized garden, orchards, and forest for firewood and privacy. Of this 10 acres, a minimum of 5 acres should be well forested. Depending on the climate and species of trees, the 5 acres of forested land should enable one to have a sustainable supply of firewood if using only wood from you property for heating, cooking, heating water, etc. (of course, the growth rate of the forest depends on the climate of your area, but this is a general figure for an area with an average growth rate). If ten acres is not an option for you, it would be advisable to obtain your firewood from other sources (such as obtaining a forest service permit for a nominal amount of money to cut dead trees or by ordering a load of cull logs from a logging company). This way you save the timber on your small amount of acreage for the times ahead when we might not be able to purchase firewood.
3. 3 - Will most likely (and hopefully) be a very small town. If you are not able to work from home, consider if this small town or another one nearby might have work possibilities.
4. 4 - See above.
5. 5 - This will probably be the city you travel to for hard to get items or to resupply with bulk items.Your new home should also be an outpost to reach the people living in this city. How far should it be? For some sound advice, we would send you to a little book entitled Out of the Cities! By Dave Westbrook of Back to Enoch Ministries. This book may be purchased in hard copy or E-book format from http://backtoenoch.org/out-of-the-cities-the-book.html
6. 6 - It has been recommended to avoid states with a population density of 100/sq. Mile or more and to also avoid states with population density below 20/sq. mile (because of lack of work). But this can be an inaccurate method of determining what you need to know. Some states (for example Washington and Michigan) have a very large population on one side of the state and a much lower population on the other side. This can skew the numbers for that state. County population density can be more accurate but also has its downfalls. Often a county with very low population is within access of a moderately sized city. The numbers do not take that into account. Therefore, we recommend that population density statistics be used to eliminate areas with HIGH population density, but for you to be cautious in removing areas from your search because of LOW population density. There are other factors to take into account when doing that. Will you be developing a home business? Would your job permit you work at home at least part of the time? Is there a decent sized city with work possibilities at a reasonable distance. Could you go through a short training which would open up local job opportunities? And other questions could be asked as well.
7. 7 - As an example, to get an idea for how much precipitation 30 inches per year is, look up the average annual precipitation for an area you are accustomed to. Then compare that to 30 inches per year. That is a rough way to get a real feel for how much precipitation you are talking about. The amount of precipitation has a major impact on how lush the area is. That may seem to be mostly a matter of preference, but a lush area is often easier to survive in and may be more suitable to the times ahead. Another item affected by the amount of precipitation is the prevalence of creeks and springs. If you plan on drilling a well, though, this might not be considered of the utmost importance. But a good amount of precipitation could be most welcome to help with watering a garden when times get more difficult and pumping water out of the well becomes increasingly difficult (such as hand-pumping or if an inadequate alternative energy system is used). An interesting characteristic of weather is how the mountains seem to trap clouds and wring the moisture out of them. Often, a valley can seem fairly arid and not very lush while ascending 1-2,000 feet or even several hundred feet in elevation up a mountain range turns the somewhat sparse scenery into a lush forest. With some mountain chains (for example, the Cascades), choosing the east side of the mountains over the west can mean the difference between tens and tens of inches of precipitation on the west slope and maybe 15 or less on the east! Don’t always assume that the east side is dryer, though. Each area can have its own intricacies. In some areas away from the ocean, the west side seems dryer and more sparse due to the hot evening sun beating on it more.
8. 8 - This is another aspect of the precipitation question that people in northern climes will need to look at. In most of the west, the majority of precipitation comes in the winter, which (depending on the elevation) could very well mean snow. Bear in mind that total snowfall per year is not necessarily what stays on the ground through the winter. Some areas are warm enough to melt most accumulations before the next storm hits. They may average 20 or 30 inches of snow per year but never have more than 6 inches on the ground and always lose the previous storm’s snow before the next one hits. A statistic that would be even more valuable than the average snowfall per year is the average snowpack per year. That is, how much snow usually accumulates and stays for the winter. Unfortunately, we have not found a good source for this statistic which means you will have to resort to asking neighbors, etc. Be sure to talk with a number of them and take it with a grain of salt (neighbors have been known to exaggerate problems in order to discourage new growth in their area). Try to get an average from all of them combined. A snowpack that does not exceed two feet could probably be dealt with using a snow plow mounted on a four-wheel drive truck or SUV with chains (depending on the layout and grade of the driveway). If the snowpack exceeds two feet or your driveway is hemmed-in (that is, there is nowhere to push the snow off the drive and out of the way) you might consider a tractor mounted snow blower. This is very similar to the walk-behind devices you have seen people use except it mounts on the three-point hitch on the back of a tractor and is much bigger (six feet wide is an average size). It shoots the snow 10-20 feet off the driveway. One would be hard pressed to find an area with snow so deep that a tractor mounted snow blower couldn’t handle it, so long as you keep up with the snow and don’t let it pile up too deep at one time. Some mountain people in snow country don’t worry about keeping their driveway clear in the winter. They haul in their supplies during the fall, park their car at the nearest county maintained (plowed) road and snowmobile in and out whenever they need to go to town. When looking at an advertisement for land that says “seasonal access” or “summer access” or something along those lines, you can probably read that as saying “the snow gets very deep” or the “road is very steep” or “the nearest county maintained (plowed) road is 2-3 or more miles away” or “the mud gets very deep during the wet season” or any combination of these things. But it could still be worth looking at. Often, bad access is the only thing that keeps an undeveloped area remote. Improve the access, and the population of the area will increase. So you might end up considering these “creative access” issues to be a blessing in disguise.
9. 9 - Realize that this is the very worst it should get. If you are used to a warm, moist climate, and are looking at a cool, dry climate, remember that cold weather does not feel nearly as cold when it is dry. The moisture you might be used to makes cold penetrate much more.
10. 10 - This can be important for raising crops. Some need rather warm weather in order to mature. If the area you are considering is not warm enough for certain crops, you would probably need to use a cold frame or greenhouse to at least start them. Some more tropical fruits will be out of the question for northern climes. Also, if the average July high and low in the area you are looking at is not very high, this could enable you to eliminate the expense of air conditioning in your cabin or cottage while still being quite comfortable. If the humidity in this same area is usually low a “swamp cooler” (a unit that is approx. the size of a large window air conditioner and produces cool air from water evaporation) can be used with satisfactory results. A swamp cooler uses much less energy than a traditional air conditioner uses.
11. 11 - The growing season is basically the average number of days your summer has without much chance of frost or freezing. Since some plants can tolerate a frost but not freezing and others can tolerate neither, you will sometimes find two different statistics: average number of frost-free days, and average number of freeze-free days. While gathering this bit of information is very useful, just realize that the growing season can vary a fair amount within an area depending on the intricacies of the microclimates. Being on a valley floor, high elevation, which side of a mountain range, and other factors may accumulate to make a noticeable difference. Nation-wide growing season maps are helpful in comparing one area of the country with another or in giving a general idea of what to expect; but to gain more detailed information, you might want to talk with the local county extension agent or local nurseries. To give you an idea of how long a growing season it takes for certain crops to mature, look through a seed catalog or at an online seed catalog. Bear in mind, though, that even if you do not have the required number of frost free days, using a greenhouse can lengthen your growing season quite a bit (some people grow certain crops all winter long in a greenhouse, even in the north).
12. 12 - The Plant Hardiness Zone is based upon the average minimum temperature in a given area. The lower the number, the colder the average minimum temperature is. This is of particular importance to fruit and nut trees as well as any perennial plants in your garden. While most garden crops are generally replanted each spring and are thus not affected by how cold the winter was, trees, even though dormant, have to be able to survive the winter. What zone you are in determines what variety of fruit trees may be grown. However, the placement of your trees have much to do with their success as well.
13. 13 - Frontage on a county road can be advantageous or disadvantageous, depending upon your point of view. County maintenance to your property can save a lot of work in snow country. But it also can remove some privacy as anyone can drive on a public road right up to your property. Maybe not as important, but still a consideration, is that some counties require those who own property fronting on a county road to obtain a permit in order to cut in a driveway from the county road. How far away the county maintenance is may determine how much driveway you have to plow (in the north) and maintain. However, if there are other neighbors living off of the same private road, you probably would not have to plow all the way to the county road. Maybe only to the point where the next neighbor picks up with the plowing. Neighbors do come and go, though, so be prepared to plow the entire distance if that happens.
14. 14 - This is VERY important! Make sure that a legal easement is deeded to you in the contract. While some states have laws providing that a road used for ingress or egress for six or seven years is basically deeded to the user, that can be risky. It is far better to have it in writing from the start. Some states have laws prohibiting land-locked land (land with no legal access) from being sold, but don’t depend on that to keep it from happening to you. If you are not familiar enough with these issues to determine what is a suitable easement, you might do well to have at least a friend who is a realtor or even a real estate attorney look at the situation.
15. 15 - Once again, if you are not familiar enough with this to be sure, have someone trustworthy who knows what they are doing look at it.
16. 16 - This is another one of those “could be good,” “could be bad,” situations. In our opinion, though, finding property that does not have power running to it has a number of advantages.

    1. There should be no easements giving the power company permission to enter your property. There is plenty of room for abuse of utility easements—especially with what we know is coming in the future and is already happening.
    2. Running your house on alternative energy rather than on the power grid means that you are much less dependant on others. This is of particular importance when it comes to pumping your water out of a well. On top of the dependence issues, alternative energy (depending on what type of system you set up) is almost always less expensive to operate than the your power bill would be. In some areas of the country, it is drastically less expensive. This means that your alternative energy system is almost always paying for itself in the long run (once again, depending on what type of system you set up).
    3. It can take thousands of dollars to run electricity to a piece of land that is some distance from the power lines. Alternative energy systems also cost thousands of dollars (anywhere from $3,000 to $4,000 for a pretty good, very small setup on up to $20,000 or more for a top of the line system). This means that land which is some distance from the power lines has a big negotiating tool. The price should reflect how much it would cost to run power in or set up an alternative energy system. All that means is, what you save on land that is some distance from power lines can help to pay for the alternative energy system. And that makes sense!
    4. Land in an area where power is unavailable, is less likely to sell and should therefore help to retard the growth of the area.
       As for how far away one must be from power lines to incur a substantial cost, that all depends on the particular situation and the local power company. It could be ¼ mile, it could be 1 ½ miles. You really should check with the local power company to be sure before making any decisions that are dependant on this factor.
17. 17 - Telephone lines are present in more locations than power lines. They are more inexpensive and are easier to run. But even if they are not within close proximity to the location you are looking at, the cost that would be incurred to run them to the property are not as large as those of power lines. So this may not be as serious a determining factor in your decision-making. But although not having phone lines would seem to be a detriment, you might consider the easement situation as described in #16-a. Options for communications without a landline are cell phones (even if reception is bad, an antenna booster may be installed that could raise reception quality significantly. Talk to a local cell phone accessory store), wireless internet (microwave wireless internet beacons are beginning to be installed on mountain tops, giving high-speed internet access to those who are within line-of-sight of the mountain and who subscribe to the service), satellite internet, and wireless broadband from Verizon, AT&T, etc. Satellite internet systems are becoming more affordable, are excellent for internet use, but are still sketchy for phones using VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). VOIP Phones using a satellite internet connection could be suitable for personal calls but would probably not be thought usable for business calls due to several seconds of delay. VOIP phones are fairly inexpensive to use these days, though. So there are other options if one chooses to not go with a landline.
18. 18 - As mentioned in #17, cell phones are an option if a landline is not going to be used. So a good signal is very important. As also mentioned in #17, a cell phone booster may be acquired to boost signal strength. We have heard of one of these devices raising the signal from 1 out of 4 bars to 4 out of 4 bars! Be aware, though, that some areas are so “tucked away” in valleys that no booster will be able to pull in a good signal. You also might check with someone who is with a different cell phone company and see how their reception is at the property. Often, one company is known to cover the outlying areas better than the others. Ask around and see what that company is in your area.  The other reason cell phone signal strength could be important is if you are going to use wireless broadband from a company such as Verizon or AT&T as your high speed internet service.  Generally, the stronger your signal is, the faster your speed will be.  Be aware that not all towers are created equal.  Some towers are older low-speed towers and will only yield slow speeds, while newer, higher speed towers are much faster.  Wireless broadband is usually a better option than satellite unless you do not receive a decent signal from a high speed tower.
19. 19 - The 911 service is being implemented widely across the country under the auspices of helping emergency personnel be able to respond more quickly to a call from your home and possibly have certain information that would help them in their rescue efforts during a fire or other emergency. Part of this program involves giving each person who has a landline a unique number they must post in a visible location at the head of their driveway. Certain areas may require one to fill out information on themselves. It would be wise to know this before purchasing land in a county. That way you can make an intelligent decision regarding how much information you are willing to give out.
20. 20 - Some states or possibly counties have enacted laws prohibiting the subdivision of properties smaller than a certain amount of acres. This could be very crucial information if you are going in on a piece of land with family of friends and want to legally subdivide it to keep everything orderly. This also could affect your ability to find smaller parcels and the price of those parcels as well.
21. 21 - Covenants are often considered a good thing by many city dwellers who are moving out and want the investment of their property to be protected from devaluation caused by neighbors doing unsightly things on their property. It is also thought to be a good thing in order to keep loud neighbors from causing disturbances as well as other things. But just be advised that when purchasing a piece of property that is restricted by covenants, you have just restricted your ability to use your land as the Lord leads you. You might not be bothered by a restriction on, say, outbuildings right now, but what about when members of your family finally decide to leave the city and need a place to live? That is just an example of how covenants can limit you from doing what you need to do because you didn’t think you would ever need to do it.
22. 22 - Once again, zoning laws can cause more restrictions that keep you from using the land God has given you to do what He wants you to do with it.
23. 23 - We will answer #24 here as well. Many people consider building permits to be a good thing especially if inspections are required. They feel that it keeps poorly built houses from being built and maintains a certain standard in quality for all construction. This gives more assurance to those buying an already built house that it is constructed in a safe and sound manner. One item that many people may not be aware of is, usually, when a county requires building permits and building inspections they also will require a “Certificate of Occupancy” (C.O.) to be issued to the property owner before he/she will be allowed to move into their own home. Generally a C.O. is issued, to the owner of the home only after the county inspects the home and notates that their (the county's) criteria of completion has been fulfilled. What this does is effectively eliminates the possibility of a family with a small amount of funds from moving into their home if they are unable, financially, to complete it immediately. In a county with no codes/inspections, that same family could take the house to a stage at which it is warm, dry, and has running water and electricity and move in right away until they are able to finish it. That is just one example of how building codes can be a hindrance. A very pertinent quote sums this up:

    ”The same state of things exists today that existed before the flood, and the nearer we get to the large cities, the worse the evil is. My message is, Do not build up sanitariums in the cities. The laws of the land will become more and more oppressive, as in the days of Noah.” (7MR 57)

    How true this is! The nearer one gets to the large cities, the more populated it is. And the more populated it is, the more oppressive are the building codes. I am sure that she is referring to much more than building codes in that statement, but it seems clear that codes could very well be part of it. Something to think about.
24. 24 - Answered mostly in #23. Yes, it is possible for some type of building permits to be required but no inspections. Sometimes the county is only interested in making sure that everyone is paying property taxes for any buildings constructed or improvements that have been made on the property, and they require the use of permits to enforce that.
25. 25 - This is a very important matter. The most important being water and timber rights. Personally, I would not even consider a parcel that lacks timber rights. As for water rights, that can vary quite a bit depending on the state. The water rights situation can be quite complicated so I will not try to go too deep here, but needless to say, some states are better than others. And in some low population states, people living deep in the mountains who are quietly using a stream for their personal needs (not heavy irrigation) often have no problems. Of course the water rights situation is more of an issue in the west where water is less plentiful, but it is something to consider even in the east. Another issue you might look into while we are on this topic is how the state you are looking at treats micro-hydroelectric units or ram pumps being installed on a creek. If they are quite hostile to that and you really want hydro power or a ram pump, you might be advised to look at another state not so against such things. A detailed discussion of the water, timber, and mineral rights subject may be found in the book Finding & Buying Your Place In The Country by Les & Carol Scher (ISBN: 0-7931-4109-5).
26. 26 - For a discussion on this, I would refer you to chapter 30 of the above mentioned book, Finding & Buying Your Place In The Country by Les & Carol Scher (ISBN: 0-7931-4109-5).
27. 27 - A good creek can be a tremendous blessing, taking care of your household needs (if it is clean enough. Of course all drinking water should be appropriately filtered), as well as irrigation of the garden. A springhead on the property can be even more of a blessing, especially if it is well above the building site (see the Water Systems section of our website for details). The spring, after being tested, will probably yield cool clear, clean drinking water suitable for any use in the house.
28. 28 - If the water source is at the same level or below the house, it will need to be pumped uphill to a holding tank (cistern). If an alternative energy system is installed, the pumping could be done with an efficient electric pump while still being independent of the systems of the world for this necessity of life. Better still, a ram pump could be used if the water source meets certain conditions described in #29. If the source is a little bit above the building site, an efficient electric booster pump could be installed and easily powered by an alternative energy system. If the water source is at least 40 feet in elevation above the highest point of use in the home (2nd floor if plumbing is present there), the king of independent water systems could be used—the gravity flow system. Please visit the water systems department of the resources section on our website for detailed information.
29. 29 - These figures are mainly to help you determine if the water source is suitable for use with a ram pump (if at or below the elevation of the building site). Please refer to the ram pumps page in the water systems department of our website for the qualifications necessary to use a ram pump. And if in any doubt, contact the ram pump manufacturer about the particular situation to see if their ram pump will work.
30. 30 - A percolation test reveals the ability (or inability) of the soil to absorb water. The ground must be able to absorb a certain amount in a given time or else it does not pass the local county or state requirements. Passing the percolation test is necessary in order to obtain a septic system permit from the county or state. So you can see the importance of making a contingency in the contract specifying that percolation must be found. But, you cannot stop there. What if percolation is found ¼ mile away from the building site in a far corner? Installing a septic system that far away would be VERY impractical as well as expensive (if it is even possible). So you must not only specify a contingency in the contract for adequate percolation on the property, but adequate percolation in the immediate vicinity of the building site. If the owner claims a percolation test has already been conducted and passed, ask to see it and verify that is did pass and that it was in the vicinity of the building site. If you are not averse to the idea, a composting toilet could be used instead of a full-fledged septic system if adequate percolation or other restrictions were a problem for your particular location. This does reduce the amount of requirements one has to deal with. However, many people find the thought of a composting toilet to be undesirable. Whichever route you go, we wanted you to realize that it is an option.
31. 31 - In our opinion, the presence of adequate timber for heating, cooking, privacy, etc, is one of the most important resources a property can have (water being number one). Unfortunately, almost any property one can find these days has been logged at some point in time (or else it is extremely expensive). So the important question to ask is, “what condition is the forest in.” This is the bottom line. In one area, a property logged 10 years ago might be in better condition than a property in a slower growing area that was logged 15 years ago. Also important is what kind of logging job was performed. Was it a “selective logging job” or was it a “clear-cut logging job”? Some logging companies can stretch the meaning of the word “selective” to great lengths. They might leave a tree or two every now and then and call it a selective logging job. Ideally, a selectively logged parcel will merely be thinned out to promote the health of the forest (allow the trees to be more free from competition, etc). The longer it has been since the property was logged, probably the less important it is whether it was clear-cut or selectively logged. If you are unsure about analyzing a forest, you might start by reading a book or two on proper forest management principles or you might pay a professional forester to take a look at the parcel and give you advice on the suitability of the forest for your purposes. One technique that some purchasers have used is to find a good deal on a parcel with abundant timber and then very selectively log the parcel in order to help pay for the property. Be careful with this, though. Make sure you have a very clear understanding with the logger as to what goes and what doesn't. And realize that it is very difficult to determine how much privacy will be lost until after the trees are gone. And then it is too late.
32. 32 - As mentioned earlier, it is recommended that a minimum of five acres of forest be preserved as one's woodlot in order to be self-sustaining (this is for an area with average growth rate). More forested land is even better. Ideally, there should be a good mixture of mature trees, middle-aged trees, and young trees, in order to be truly self-sustaining. Also important is the type of trees that are predominant on the property. Every region has its variety(s) that put out the most BTU's and burn the longest. If possible, it would be nice to have plenty of those trees. But do not despair if you have difficulty finding property that matches all the criteria. The type of tree, in our opinion, is not one of the most important factors. We have found that many people who do not have access to the premium types of wood do just fine with wood that others would disdain to use. They probably have to burn a little more wood and load the stove a little more often, but they do just fine. Depending on what you intend to do with the property, you might want an area of cleared-out ground (in addition the the building site, garden, driveway, etc). If that is the case, finding land that already has a portion cleared out could be a blessing in saving you from having to take the time and labor to do it yourself. Also, land that was cleared some time ago might already have a good bed of grass or hay established. That could save you time as well.
33. 33 - The answer to this question will give you a great deal of insight into what fruit is able to grow in your area. Be advised, though, that even though fruit might be flourishing 20-30 miles away, that does not guarantee it will grow on your property (if you are in a marginal climate and/or in the mountains). I remember talking to the owner of a very nice orchard one time. We were discussing microclimates (small pockets of warmer or colder weather in an area) and how the lay of the land affects fruit trees. He told us, “I grow peaches,” and then pointing to an orchard on the very next piece of property down in a slight bowl he said, “my neighbor grows peach trees.” His point was, the lay of the land (which influences a microclimate) made such a difference that his trees bore fruit while his neighbor’s didn’t. So fruit growing in your general vicinity is a good indicator, but your ability to grow fruit also depends on the particulars of your property (one major item is being located out of the bottom of a valley or bowl—but yet not too high in elevation).
34. 34 - Having a mature orchard established on the property is a major plus if you can find it. Fruit trees can take at least 5-10 years to give good productivity, so you are increasing the likelihood that you will have fruit when you need it by purchasing property with an orchard. However, unless the Lord leads you otherwise, we would not advise one to eliminate any property just because it does not have a mature orchard. Properties with an orchard can be few and far between. There are other fruits such as berries that may be cultivated in much less time to provide at least some of your fruit needs until a new orchard starts bearing. Also, a few older trees may be purchased from nurseries in order to give you a “jump start” and have at least some fruit while waiting on your main orchard to mature. As for what kind of fruit trees, that is a matter of preference for you to decide. It is a wise and health-conscious plan, though, to make sure you have a balanced diet by providing a number of different types of fruit for your family. And as for how many fruit trees, that all depends on the size of your family, what size the fruit trees are (dwarf, semi-dwarf, or full-size), and how productive the fruit trees are. It would be a good idea to make sure you have plenty more than you need as most if not all of us will probably be housing God’s people who have nowhere to go in the troubled times ahead. And it will be a powerful witness to unbelievers if you can help them out with some food while they are facing starvation.
35. 35 - This is a crucial question. And it will become only more important as we near the end. A friend of ours told us about something that his father discovered back in the days of the old Sunday blue laws. He found that, even though his farm was in the country, if he did work on Sunday out in the open where everyone could see him, it made the neighbors very agitated. But if he was careful to do what he needed to do in an out-of-the-way location, he had very little trouble. This is a profound lesson for us. He had much more freedom when he was in a location that was out of the sight of his neighbors. And we believe the same will be true in the days ahead. “We should now begin to heed the instruction given us over and over again: Get out of the cities into rural districts, where the houses are not crowded closely together, and where you will be free from the interference of enemies.” (AH 141) As for how close is too close, we cannot give you a hard and fast “one size fits all” rule. Our advice is, at the very least, to not locate where you are within the sight of your neighbors. Beyond that, pray about it and ask the Lord to guide you.
36. 36 - Flat land is much more workable. If the land is very steep, it can take many acres to end up with five or ten acres of workable land. So from that standpoint, flat or gently sloping land is much more cost effective. From the standpoint of the previous question, however, terrain that is hilly or mountainous can provide much more privacy than flat terrain. That is one of the many advantages of living in the mountains. So, theoretically, the ideal is to find a parcel of mostly flat land in the mountains. It is also very important to be off the valley floor. During the cold nights in early and late summer, the cold air from higher up the mountains settles down to the bottom of the valley, while land that is located up out of the valley with just a moderate rise in elevation escapes the frost. This could increase the growing season of the property by as much as 2-4 weeks (depending on the situation). What seems to be key is keeping the cold air moving past your property to a lower spot (the valley floor). As long as the air is moving, it does not do as much damage; but once it stops and settles in one spot, it burns the plants. This is why commercial orchards are often on the side of a hill. This is also why those orchards that are on a valley floor will often have large fans located in different places to keep the air moving, in the event of a late frost. Just remember, all this is “theoretically” the ideal. In reality the ideal might not work out for you. But it is something to ponder. Gaining every bit of growing season you can becomes even more important in colder climates that have enough of a struggle to produce an adequate variety of food.
37. 37 - The northern and eastern sides of a mountain usually have more moisture than the southern or western sides. They are also generally colder, hold snow longer, and are muddier (especially on roads). So if the area you are looking in is a very hot, dry climate, you might actually want the northern side of a hill for more moisture and cool (although the amount of energy you get from solar panels will suffer). Also, you will probably have trouble with using satellite internet for work (which needs a clear shot to the south-this is discussed further in the next answer). But if you are in a cooler, more moist climate or if you intend to use solar power, you will definitely want to take this into consideration. Let me illustrate how dramatic the effect of slope direction can be. I was driving on a small dirt road during spring thaw. Heading up a steep hill with a good southern exposure, it seemed almost like summer. Almost all the snow had melted. There were even areas where the mud had almost dried up. Then I topped the hill and headed down the northern side. In ¼ mile or less, I had gone from almost summer to the middle of winter. Over a foot of snow. The road was still completely frozen and covered with snow and ice.
38. 38 - Part of this question is answered in #37 (the direction of slope the property is located on). There is another factor that this question deals with, though. That is, do you have any obstructions to the south? If you are on the northern side of a hill/mountain, you will probably not have the option of using satellite internet for work or communications. How much southern exposure and exactly what direction that exposure needs to be depends on the location and the particular satellite you are assigned to. The further north you are, the lower in the horizon your line-of- sight to the satellite is and the less tolerance you will have for obstructions to the south (mountains, trees, etc). Be sure to check with a local installer of the system you intend to use for exact details on how much exposure you need to pick up and transmit to the satellite. The two systems that are most popular at this time are Hughes Net and Wild Blue.  Also be aware that there are good internet options using wireless broadband from companies such as Verizon and AT&T.
39. 39 - The county extension office is a valuable resource, not only for help with your agricultural needs, but also for more specific climate data on the area. They can also help you with local information regarding many other matters.
40. 40 - The county clerk can give you information regarding property tax costs on a particular property and also to find out what the status of the particular property is. They can also direct you as to whether or not a planning and/or zoning department exists (whom you may wish to contact regarding requirements for building permits, zoning laws, etc).