A Place to Call My Own

In the past year or so I've been passively searching for my dream home. I'll be 25 in May and I'm not really in a hurry to buy my own place (within the next five years would be preferable). I rent the lower half of my parents' two-family home, so I have everything I need. I pay them more than they ask for, but it's still barely anything compared to most rent in central NJ.

2011 was the year to "Buy ALL the things!" I honestly didn't save as much as I would've liked, but I did need to make some major purchases. I paid off more than half of my new truck, which made my monthly payments quite manageable. I bought lots of dog-related things, including, well... more dogs. And just a ton of small things that all add up.

Since I spent so much last year, 2012 has been deemed the year to "Save ALL the money!" Paying for my tattoo should be my last big expense, barring any emergencies. I need to cut back on restaurant food, but other than that, I should be in a position to start saving.

My goal? I need to put away a good chunk of money for my next huge purchase -- hopefully, a down-payment on a house. My own house.

I'm hoping that what I want/need in a home will make it less desirable to the average person, and therefore, cheap. I'm not worried about school districts. I don't need a ton of bedrooms. I just want a relatively secluded place on a reasonable chunk of land. Out in the woods, maybe. A half-hour drive into town wouldn't be a bad thing.

I've been looking at chalet houses in the Poconos. Generally, they're inexpensive because most people buy them as vacation homes. They're often tucked away in wooded areas or built next to rivers or lakes -- both features I would love. Many are part of communities, which could be good or bad, depending on their rules and amenities. I plan on having more dogs, a big garden, and backyard chickens. These things may not go over well in a community setting. We'll have to see.

The Poconos isn't exactly close, but still doable as far as my commute to Edison is concerned. Luckily, it's just once a week, so I wouldn't be killing myself too much.

I'm mostly just spitting out ideas here. I have no idea if I'll actually end up in PA. It seems like it would make sense, especially if I want to someday give mushing tours. The Poconos are known for their winter recreation activities, so there's really no better place for me to live -- and still be close enough to everything and everyone back "home".

Am I setting myself up to be that weird dog lady, living alone out in the woods? Yea, maybe. I guess I am crazy, because I don't see that as a bad thing