I have finally started to view some properties, an indulgence I wouldn’t allow myself until now as my initial priorities (during the first two months in Portugal) were to network, find my tribe, imbibe the culture and the way of life, locate a rental property, get my bearings and explore the countryside to find areas which would best suit the Earth Collective project.
It’s very rural in the north, and it’s also very busy. The land has been divided up into small plots over many generations, as families handed it down to their children. Being good Catholics, of course, there were many children, especially in the poorer parts where people were less educated and religious indoctrination dominated life (and still does). The result is a predominance of small plots consisting of a house and a patch of land for growing food. It looks very pretty but it’s intense and noisy in a Portuguese sort of way, which I have talked about before.
I scoured the internet, asked around and found a few good estate agents. But every time I mentioned I was looking for a minimum of 10 acres (about 4 hectares), and preferably more, people winced and shook their heads. They were right. I hadn’t banked on that. I chose the north because it’s the most temperate part of the country, it’s perfect for food production, abundant in water, not too hot in summer (by and large) and has a lower fire risk. However, for exactly these reasons and also because city dwelling Portuguese favour the region for their holiday homes, prices are high.
Against all odds, I managed to find a handful of properties with 7-10 acres, though nothing lit my fire. I am looking for land with a ruin so it has a residential permit, which will give me a greater chance of getting planning consent for my earth-ship’esque co-living project. Unfortunately, land that accompanies a ruin has usually been abandoned, left to its own devices for years and returned to nature. One such property looked promising as the ruin was structurally sound and could be renovated quickly but, after bush-bashing my way to house (a machete would have been handy), the jungle-like vegetation prevented me from getting on to the land. I have no intention of buying ‘blind’. Property is the biggest investment most of us make, and it is astonishing that we buy with such little information and limited research (possibly even less than purchasing a car). Small wonder the reality is often surprising – and not in a good way!
Another property had lovely rolling land (a rarity, as most land is steep and terraced), an abandoned cottage (a step-up from a ruin), several water sources and an orchards. But a church a little way down the valley and another a quarter of a mile further up, would make the property a sitting duck for bellowing music and religious services delivered via the church’s loud-speakers. (I am enduring exactly that right now, where I am living - not ideal for writing a blog.
Another property I viewed had a 5G mast in close proximity, so that was immediately ruled out as, despite the many devices I have to neutralise the harmful effects, I certainly don’t want to look at such ugliness in the midst of nature, or be constantly reminded that the technology is a military grade weapon being used against the global population. There are a few more properties to see, but it is already apparent that 10 acres (which may seem a lot) isn’t enough land to have the peace and privacy I desire. My original thinking was 25-40 acres but that is an impossible feat in the north, on my budget, at least. I have owned two farms in the past, one was 10 acres and the other 20, and neither felt completely private. Had the houses been in the middle of the land, it might have been different. Now, though, I am looking for somewhere to build 7 homes and a community centre, and each building will need privacy. So, the more land the better….
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Footnotes:
1. I write Notes several times a week on Substack in between blogs. Mostly, observations and insights into my new life in Portugal plus the odd epiphany. (You can get notifications, if you are registered.)
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It's good to have ditched the wheels, on lots of counts!
Your timing is good. Soon after you left the campsite, they've sprayed your pitch with weed killer and installed a wi fi signal booster on it.