From match to mortgage
Sophie, an Army veteran, and Rocky, a former Marine, met on Match.com. They quickly bonded over their shared love of the outdoors and their desire to embrace life.
When they started dating, Sophie transformed a friend's Home Depot shed into a tiny home after spending two years living in a Sprinter van. Their second date was spent working together to build the shed.
“It was important for me while we were dating to see if we could work together on projects,” Sophie told CNBC.
After she returned from a trip through Southeast Asia, Rocky suggested they find a place of their own. They turned to Zillow and searched for rural properties with at least 10 acres and a sense of history.
A local photographer introduced them to a real estate agent, who showed them the abandoned property. It included two log cabins from the 1840s, a 2,200-square-foot home with four bedrooms and one bathroom, a 200-square-foot separate cabin and two barns — all on 37.5 acres.
The couple secured a 30-year mortgage with minimum monthly payments of $1,790, but they plan to pay off their home within five years. Sophie recently launched her own skincare company, Seoul + Soil, inspired by their natural lifestyle on the homestead. The business is part of a larger goal to become 85% to 90% self-sufficient.
“I think it’s the most excited I’ve ever been about anything,” Sophie said. “There’s nothing more entrepreneurial than just making up your life.”
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Learn MoreWhy homesteading may be a smart financial strategy
For the Goldies, homesteading is more than a lifestyle — it's a financial strategy grounded in long-term resilience and freedom.
According to a 2022 survey by Homesteaders of America, nearly 40% of respondents said they had adopted homesteading within the past three years. Here's how the Goldies are making it work:
- Reduced Housing Costs: It's rare to find a 37.5-acre property with existing infrastructure for less than $400,000. By purchasing this land, the couple is eliminating decades of future housing expenses and aiming to be mortgage-free within five years.
- Income Diversification: Sophie’s skincare company is one source of income. Additional revenue may come from selling farm produce, hosting workshops or providing agritourism experiences such as farm stays.
- Asset Appreciation: Historic properties on large rural land are increasingly seen as wise investments. Renovations and the addition of sustainable infrastructure can significantly increase long-term value.
- Financial Resilience: A self-sufficient lifestyle that includes livestock, gardens and renewable energy systems can provide protection against inflation, food shortages and job loss.
For the Goldies, this bold experiment in modern homesteading is driven by passion and purpose.
“We only have a few more decades left, but we want to do 200 years' worth of stuff,” Sophie says. “Everything we did brought us to where we are now, but it would be nice to be 20 and starting this.”
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