Sorry if I sound like I was putting down the house. I was just trying to point out that your full housing price is not paid simply by paying for the house alone.
But you think you might rent property that just has water lines ready and waiting? Where I grew up, my parents connected to a public water system, but had to get permission to cross and dig someone else's property to do so. The pipe had to cross 8 acres. $$$. Leaks developed on the other person's property twice. More $$$ and the ire of the neighbor having heavy equipment on his field which he kept mowed as a gargantuan lawn. My parents finally disconnected from the public system and had their own well drilled. $$$ That required an electric pump and a pump house--more electric work, more permits, more foundation digging, more construction (but they also made it big enough to also store garden tools, small tractor). Again $$$. For Wincrasher, the next owners of that house did install solar collectors (and this was back in the 70's)! Supposedly inexpensive, independent homes can end up costing more that you might guess.
I'd love to hear more about what you find out if you look into this seriously, beyond this forum.
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http://kiva.org/invitedby/margaret2299 My octogenarian mother invites you to join her in making international micro-loans to alleviate poverty. It's cool!
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