Book Review: Prepper's Survival Retreats

When Dan and I started looking for a place to homestead, we had a list of things we were looking for. Our goal was self-sufficiency, but we were somewhat limited, simply because we were wanting to do something we hadn’t done before. Thinking back on that now, I realize we would have benefited greatly if we had been able to talk to someone with experience. Prepper’s Survival Retreats: Your Strategic Relocation Plan for an Uncertain Future by Charley Hogwood would have been the perfect book for us.

This book is also perfect for people who are considering investing in a place to go in the event they need to leave their current location – a safe haven in the event of crisis. It offers a step-by-step method of analyzing one’s goals and what will be needed to reach those goals.

The first several chapters discuss why a survival retreat is an excellent idea and what you need to consider for success.

• Chapter 1 gives two real life collapse scenarios and why they are relevant today.
• Chapter 2 discusses what you need to survive and explains the eight main areas of survival. 
• Chapter 3 is “The Big Questions:” why, how, who, when, and where. As you work your way through this chapter you will develop your big picture, i.e. everything you need to consider in your planning stages.

The next two chapters discuss all aspects of evaluating and purchasing property.

• Chapter 4 focuses on purchasing an existing home. It begins with a discussion of realtors, credit, types of loans, and types of sales including some nontraditional ones. It discusses house size versus land size and tips on how to broaden your search terms for homes. It tells you what to look for when you go to evaluate a specific property, plus an inspection checklist with tips on how to spot potential problems. 
• Chapter 5 is entitled, “Can you make it here?” and tells you how to evaluate the area in which the property exists: community resources, community culture, regional land features, and location realities. It also give you some tips on how to read the trees, soil, how to evaluate potential water sources plus the potential for being off-grid.

Want to build your own home or retreat?

• Chapter 6 contains lots of good information on building from a prepper perspective. Includes things you need to know if you’re working with a builder or doing it yourself. Discusses design considerations, aboveground houses, subterranean and earthen berm houses, and underground bunkers. Includes home fortifications, appearance, and the best ways to deal with neighbors.

What about a prepper community?

• Chapter 7 discusses everything you need to consider about working with a group of like-minded folks to create a community survival retreat. Discusses the basics, compounds and multiple structures, land needed, group site planning, and the pitfalls of group purchases of property, including liability.

Lastly, what should you know before choosing the best of several good possibilities?

• Chapter 8 helps you whittle down the short list of properties. It gives you checklists by which to compare properties, and ideas for a couple of comparison tables for you to lay out your important qualifiers side by side. 

I have to say that all in all, this is the most comprehensive book I have seen on this subject. Some books give you some good advice in looking for property, but this one includes things that most of us wouldn’t even think about. An excellent resource for homesteaders and preppers alike. And – the book is affordably priced and available at Amazon!