The hard part is the fist part. "get money". Depending on how much land you want, and how remote a shithole you're willing to move to, it's a large variable from about $30k for land and the basics of housing and so on, on up to hundreds of thousands.
When you HAVE money, think about where you want to live. What are your absolute minimums? Do you need to live in a given state? In a given climate? within an hours drive of a town?
After that go to websites like
landsofamerica.com and
landwatch.com Think about what you NEED on that property. First, obviously, is water. Then make sure you have tree rights, and mineral rights. If there isn't a stream on the property, see if it has a well, and if it doesn't, check water tables for the area to see if it's likely that you'll be able to dig one.
Also worth checking are weather tables. See what your winters will be like. See what your growing seasons are like. (If you plan on being self sufficient, knowing what you can grow for food is essential).
Also worth checking out the neighbors. Are there any? how close are they? Are they known to be thieves in the local community? Do they cook meth?
After that...go buy the shittiest trailer or RV you can find that's waterproof. It'll suck, but having a water place place to sleep and store your gear while you're building your cabin or house or whatever the fuck is essential.
Look into the local code. You most likely will need A) a well, and B) a code septic system, or else you face eviction. Depending on where you live, you might or might not be able to dig the septic system yourself...but you HAVE to get it right, or else you won't be allowed to live on the property (again, it varies by location, but most places, yes).
If you have a RV or trailer on the property, but no housing, you save yourself a SHITLOAD of hassle when the code inspectors for those critical services come around. Code requirements before building.
