[Strawbale] INfo needed: mortgage on off-the grid property?

[Tom]

Hi Britt-
When we started looking upstate we had the same basic plan and  
started looking into mortgages, etc. for land, land with a cabin,  
etc.  What we found out is that it is very difficult to get a  
mortgage for raw land, land with a 'manufactured' home, or land with  
a simple cabin.  Of course, if you are a developer or you're going to  
do something really awful to the land you can get money!  Even if  
there is a 'real' house on the property, if it has more than a  
certain amount of land (I don't remember what the cut-off was,  
something like 5-10 acres) you're down payment has to be a higher  
percentage of the total.  Essentially the bank assesses the house and  
2 acres, and that is what they give you the mortgage for- your bigger  
down payment for all intents buys the rest of the land outright.   
Whereabouts in upstate NY are you looking?  Really your best bet it  
going to be to look for something with some sort of structure- there  
are plenty of run down old farms, etc. all over upstate (more as you  
move out of the NYC region, of course).