Larsen Poultry Ranch - homesteading journey

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

The solar incentives and rates keep changing in CA. Different tiers and plans --- eventually, in the not too distant future it won't be helpful to have solar unless you go "off grid" - then you're into batteries and all that goes with them - including replacement. Those cost a ton as well. Do the math before you jump. We DO have solar, and put back into the grid - but we got it when there were a lot of incentives.

We've been looking at the solar with battery. I don't have anything nice to say about how they are price gouging with these rate increases. The amount they pay for the energy that a solar system generates is far less than what they charge. I will definitely be looking into whether it would be worth it to stay connected or go completely off grid. If we stay connected we could sell excess energy, but we'd be charged a flat connection fee regardless of usage.

I also really hate how they try to get you to agree to their plans by how much you'll be "saving", when the amount saved is an estimate based off an average multiplied by the expected increase to the rate. A lot of made up numbers to scare you and make you feel like they are working for your best interest.

 

[Baymule]

My home insurance includes fire. No flood because it doesn’t flood here, but in heavy rains, the road goes under water, usually drains off quickly. My property taxes on 1400 square foot 1998 double wide manufactured home (fancy name for trailer house) and 25 acres is just under $400. I have senior citizen exemption, homestead and agriculture. I have discovered that taxes on mobile homes actually go down as the county depreciates them. I’m on an electric co-op. Houston County Electric Co-Op. Service is fast when power goes off, lots of trees in east Texas and they like fall on power lines. LOL the longest I’ve been without power was 3 days, after a hurricane.

Check the power company on that 19 acres. Wood County Co-Op is what we were on when we lived in Lindale.

It sounds like you are getting priced out of your home.

 

[SageHill]

We've been looking at the solar with battery. I don't have anything nice to say about how they are price gouging with these rate increases. The amount they pay for the energy that a solar system generates is far less than what they charge. I will definitely be looking into whether it would be worth it to stay connected or go completely off grid. If we stay connected we could sell excess energy, but we'd be charged a flat connection fee regardless of usage.

I also really hate how they try to get you to agree to their plans by how much you'll be "saving", when the amount saved is an estimate based off an average multiplied by the expected increase to the rate. A lot of made up numbers to scare you and make you feel like they are working for your best interest.

Best bet for solar is to buy and not rent. It's a whole convoluted mess no matter how you look at it.

 

[murphysranch]

Wow...that rate sure has gone up from when we finally left Angels Camp, which was our last home in Calif.
Shakes head in disgust at PG&E.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Best bet for solar is to buy and not rent. It's a whole convoluted mess no matter how you look at it.

Yeah, we had a company that came out, tried to get us to put solar on the roof (which I doubt would be strong enough to hold it), and agree to buy energy from them at a discounted rate. The discounted rate was pretty much what we are paying at tier 1 now, and we would have been locked into that for 20+ years. We wouldn't have owned the solar, and we would still have to pay PGE for connection plus pay them if the solar didn't produce as expected.

Hubby and his dad are electricians, they know how to wire solar. It would be cheaper if we just got the parts ourselves and installed it. Still expensive but cheaper overall.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Ok, front fence project is a go. Fence does not require a permit. Gate only requires a permit if it is automated. The part that goes into the easement we still have to figure out how that's going to work, but we can at least get the other part done.

All other projects are on hold until we can get clarification or more info. We have to figure out if we are doing no garage, basic garage, or the big garage with solar we were originally planning before we learned we might not be able to expand the house or build the animal barn.

Texted our realtor friend this morning, going to get some info to help make decisions.

 

[Ridgetop]

I have discovered that taxes on mobile homes actually go down as the county depreciates them.

Buying the 19 acres in Wood County will give you 18 acres with an AG esignation (assuming the land already has an AG tax designation). The house and one acre will be regular taxes but like Dana says modular housing depreciates every year and the value will drop on the modular home lowering the taxes.

Contact Wood County Texas Building Department for information on how many modulars you cn put on the property before it becomes a "subdivision". I woud put up the main house first and then see about adding a "guest house", barn (convertible to a DUI), etc. We are in the county and not in any city limits so our building restrictions are pretty minimal. Other counties have other requirements. Some people live in mobile homes on their properties while building then rent them out or let family live in them. Some areas may require you to remove the mobile home once the home is built. Another thing we learned is that in some counties two story homes are not taxed on total square feet of living space but on the SF area of the foundations. Each county is different so you will need to call to check. Luckily in Wood County you can call direct to Quitman, TX, Building Department and talk to a human.