THE OWNER BUILT HOME & HOMESTEAD
(Page 6 of 15)
January/February 1971
By Ken Kern
Most stationary stores carry Deed of Conveyance forms. After the deed is made out have it signed before a Notary Public and recorded in the County Recorder's office. Then when you move onto the land, file a Homestead Exemption. Most state legislatures have adopted this statute to protect the value of the family home from creditor claim.
RELATED CONTENT
At some point in the land transfer procedure you will want to check out or establish property corners. Again, with a little knowledge on the subject, you can dispense with the services of yet another greedy professional. Land surveying was my occupation for 5 years, so I'm especially aware of how expendable the operation actually is.
The 13 original colonies used a metes and bounds survey—the most simple to retrace, as it starts from a known point and goes a set distance and set bearing. to the next point. In 1785 the government adopted the rectangular survey. This type applies to 29 states. In this land division a North-South meridian line and an East-West base line is first established. At the intersection of meridian and base an area is divided into 24 mile squares (called townships). Each township is divided into 36 squares (called sections). Section corners and half-section corners were originally set by the Government Land Office. The original survey notes for setting these corners are available to the public from the General Land Office. Missing corners can often be found or re-set by retracing the original notes. Land parcels can be surveyed out of sections by starting from known section corners and following the bearings and distances established in the original survey.
The only tools needed for this "homesteader survey" is a 100-foot steel tape and a pocket compass. The compass should be the type that rotates with respect to the box in which it is mounted. The circle can therefore be turned through an angle equal to the magnetic declination. The observed bearing will then be true and not magnetic. East of the line of zero declination (see drawing above) the North end of the compass points West of North; West of that line it points East of North.
Selecting a site which best satisfies one's homestead needs should be done with care. Many factors should be considered. This chapter falls short in mentioning all the necessary considerations or the way they may vary with individual needs and circumstances. But the following check list does provide a start in evaluating those items considered most important for making a wise selection.
CHECK LIST FOR SELECTING A HOMESTEAD SITE (in order of importance to the author)
1. Adequate domestic water supply
2. Proper solar exposure
3. Sufficient space
4. Adequate growing season
5. Air purity
6. Reasonable land costs and taxes
7. Favorable natural topography
8. Local employment opportunities
9. Good soil conditions
10. Availability of natural resources
11. Adequate precipitation and drainage
12. Neighbors and neighborhood nuisances
13. Zoning and building regulations
14. General cost of living
15. Natural beauty of area
16. Local and state political status
17. Electric power supply
18. Transportation and road access
19. Local medical facilities
20. Cultural and educational opportunities
21. Recreational facilities
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