There is someone I look up to who's garden takes centuries to grow. Ed grows redwood tries. Among the many things that I admire about Ed is the fact that he plans out what he is going to do 50-100 years out.
I mention that because if one is going to be really serious about building community, the time frame that needs to be discussed is similar to the scale of growing redwood trees.
I am reminded of a Chinese proverb:
"If you plan for one year, plant rice. If you plan for ten years, plant trees. If you plan for 100 years, educate mankind."
This is not unlike another favorite Chinese proverb of mine.
"If you want 1 year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want 10 years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want 100 years of prosperity, grow people."
What community is about is growing people. Healthy, high-quality, educated, productive, people. In order to do this, thinking outside of a 30-year mortgage, or even beyond the futures of grandchildren, is necessary.
In the process of prognostication, I come across some very obvious predictions...
1. Taxes will be higher in a decade then they will be now.
2. Water will become one of the most valuable resources in the world within 100 years. It will be more expensive than petrol within a decade.
I am no Nostradamus, so my time lines may be off, but I am willing to bet the farm that these conditions will happen eventually.
How I would look at where and what property I would buy will be determined by these two facts.