“It’s the job that’s never started as takes longest to finish.” —Samwise Gamgee
Sam understood that the enemy of success in any endeavor is procrastination. Sometimes getting started is the hardest hurdle to overcome, but unless you start, you'll never accomplish anything.
So, my first piece of advice is, "Just do it!" Take the first step. Begin saving. Buy that shabby little one room flat and take the terrifying leap into home ownership. Put in your sweat equity and build a return on your investment. Trade up, and then trade up again. Eventually you will have built up enough of a down payment to start looking for your own piece of "good green earth".
My second piece of advice is, "Don't rush it!" It took us almost a year to find our farm. Along the way desperation caused us to make some pretty crazy offers on totally unsuitable places. Fortunately, there is still a God in heaven, and he spared us from the more dire consequences of our foolish choices. Ultimately, we found the perfect place, at the right price, but it required plenty of patience, a vivid imagination, and a willingness to compromise.
Compromise is inevitable when shopping for property, but knowing what NOT to compromise is as important as knowing when to compromise. It's also not a bad idea to sketch out a rough business plan before you start shopping. That way you'll have in mind the type of infrastructure you need to launch your new business with minimal capital outlay (building a new barn is VERY expensive).
When we bought our farm we had to make a pretty big (for us) compromise on its position - a busy road - however, what we got in return was 10 acres and a large barn for a price we could afford. Of course, the barn was a disaster and there was no arena, but the basic structure was solid and there was plenty of space. This is where imagination comes in. Don't let simple cosmetics put you off, a little elbow grease goes a long way! Where there was knee deep cow manure and tons of junk, we saw a beautiful ten stall barn. Where there was a gravel drive and large parking space, we saw a 20X40 meter dressage arena. And the trade off for living on a busy road, all the drive by clients we could pick up with our free advertising.
Buying your property is only the beginning, but it is probably the most important decision you will make. Don't allow fear to stop you from taking that first step. Just do it!