[Cob] Cob financing??? and rant

[David Boyer]

Hello cobbers,
   We are working with a Linn County (Oregon) building inspector who wants to permit a cob structure and Benton county  engineer who  has experience with alternate methods of construction and earthen materials and can get our building plan stamped and approved.

   Tried to work with an "organic vision" realtor in another county who effectively dismissed the whole idea of cob construction permitted because:
1. We will need 25% down payment to purchase  bare (agricultulturally  zoned, which is what we want)land in Oregon. (Apparently, Californians, flush with cash, are leaving California in droves and bidding up an Oregon "sellers market". (We don't have that kind of cash.))
2. We can forget getting a mortgage on  property that has a run down worthless abode on it (we were hoping to get one with only a viable well and/or septic system) because any lender would require us to protect the (market) value of the property by rehabing it in a conventional way.
3. We can finance a new manufactured home and land deal, or can finance an exising small farm and build a hidden  non permited cob structure. (But  we don't want two residences on the property.)
4. Forget a United StatesVeteran Administration 0% down construction loan for a cob structure-the VA would never approve it.

    Rant time : As many of you are well aware, the current  Administration is intent on flexing its Imperial "might" against cultures, societies and countries where earthen architecture has a long standing. Many young women and men have joined the military and are in this ridiculous maelstrom because the young will always continue to believe in the Heroic Myth and the lunatic "just cause" ravings of psychopathic "leaders" (Usually such leaders were/are too cowardly to ever have volunteered  in a similar situation when they were young enough to have had the  "chance")
   Many of these vets will return with a rudimentary (or better) understanding and curiosity of earthen building and architecture. (and many of them will, and increasingly do,  understand they have been conned and dupped about the purpose and likely outcome of these conflicts:people can change change and mature in and after war) Many of them might well become curious and keen about cob. And you might well come into contact with them. And if you do, I (I=Dave, the vet and chief ranter in this duo) hope you will keep any stale pointless condescending judgement trips you might have about veterans to yourselves.END RANT.

  Hey folks. Are we crazy for wanting to do this above board and "legit"?
   
   We are hoping the realtor we talked with is not fully informed.
   
   Does any one have an angle on financing ?

  Joanne and Dave Boyer

   
David Boyer
HasteinD at earthlink.net
Why Wait? Move to EarthLink.