The coronavirus pandemic has forced us to reconsider what is most important to us when buying a house. Gone are concerns over avocado bathroom suites and south-facing living rooms; these days it’s all about reinforced concrete bunkers and expansive vegetable gardens. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of properties from across the globe that are ideal for those who want to hunker down until the virus has well and truly passed. 

Want to become completely self-sufficient? This property in the Ecuadorian Yunguilla Valley offers a wealth of opportunities for budding farmers. The 2.2-acre plot already has a fully-fledged coffee plantation and a number of mature fruit trees, so it could easily function as working farm or guesthouse business. 

Upstairs a partially open wraparound balcony is perfect for relaxing and enjoying the gorgeous mountain vistas. The property has a sustainability rating of three with a composting toilet, grey water reuse system and solar panel wiring. Simply but tastefully decorated, it offers all the necessary mod-cons while also being kind to the environment.

With amazing views out over the valley and the verdant grounds, the spacious villa is located in the heart of a tropical paradise. Made from adobe – a mixture of earth and other organic materials – it is well insulated with no need for air conditioning or heating. Aside from the spacious double-height living room, there is also a dining room, several bedrooms and a beautiful shaded terrace.

Far from the hustle and bustle of the city, the plot is surrounded by mountains on all sides with plenty of walking and hiking trails. If at any point you feel an urge to get back to civilisation, the city of Cuenca – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – is a mere hour’s drive away. With its idyllic setting and business potential, this isolated property is not one to miss.

First up is this charming off-grid homestead on the market for £282,000 ($360k). Located deep in the Rocky Mountains just three miles from British Columbia and the Canadian border, the property comes with more than 1,000 feet of river frontage near in the Yaak River Valley. With the nearest town over one hour’s drive away and no nearby neighbours, this is the perfect purchase for fans of splendid isolation. 

The stick-frame main house has a passive solar design, storing heat from the sun and using it to partially power the property’s heating, air conditioning and lighting. The building is well insulated to keep you toasty warm in the winter months while large sliding doors offer ventilation in the summer. The house has a 2,000 square foot floor plan with two bedrooms, one bathroom and a sunroom. 

Inside, the property has a light and airy feel with large windows and light wood panelling. The current owners have made full use of the abundant natural resources with tap water from a private well and an efficient wood-burning stove. In the event of a power cut, a diesel generator and the solar system provide backup electricity, (hopefully) until it returns.

The two-acre plot also comprises several outbuildings including an insulated bunkhouse, wood-fired redwood hot tub, a sauna, a storage shed and a guesthouse. Though the property is about as remote as it gets, there are several nearby Life Flight bases in case of an emergency. If you’re looking to truly experience living rural life, this is the house for you!

Located on the Island of Montreal, in southwest Quebec, this cedar-clad house sits on a leafy 12,000-square-foot plot. Originally built in 1905, the property was renovated in 2007 and a sustainable, wood-framed extension added. Just two minutes’ walk from Cap-Saint-Jacques nature park, this attractive family home is ideal for those who want space and self-sufficiency without leaving the benefits of the city behind. It's on the market for £379,000 (CAD$649k/$484k).

The property is well prepared for the bitter Canadian winters with top-quality rock wool insulation and double-glazed wood-framed windows. Inside, the décor is simple and timeless with light wood floors and white walls and ceilings. There is an open-plan kitchen with views out over the garden and a cosy yet light-filled living room.

The property has a total of 10 rooms including four bedrooms, one of which is currently being used as a yoga studio. From the upstairs windows, you can catch a glimpse of the expansive cedar deck, the round panelled swimming pool and the maple trees that fringe the grounds. The house is located in one of the island’s last green spaces and is surrounded by fields and woodland.

If you’re interested in growing your own food, this property is already set up for hobby farming. There is a 400-square-foot permaculture vegetable patch and a field where the current owners grow pumpkins, squashes and melons. The grounds can easily meet 30% of any family’s food needs with potential for future expansion.

The souped-up version of the archetypal cabin in the woods, this family home is on the market for £470,000 ($560k) and it looks perfect for waiting out the pandemic. A new build with three acres of land, the homestead looks out over the stunning Idaho countryside. Complete with a tiered garden, fruit trees and outbuildings, you’ll never need to leave this woodland abode.

The house may be out in the sticks but that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on comfort! The two-storey property is finished to a high level with a fully fitted kitchen, an open-plan dining area and three modern bathrooms. There’s also a smaller second kitchen and lower-level storage room-cum-workshop for all your DIY needs.

Upstairs, there are three spacious bedrooms with views out across the wooded lot. Though the house currently runs on mains electricity, there is the potential for self-sufficiency thanks to wiring for a backup generator. Outside, there is a 15 GPM well with back-up hand pump and a 2,500 gallon water cistern. The south-facing property could also benefit from the addition of solar panels.

If you want to self-isolate with your extended family, then fear not – the plot comes complete with an 800-square-foot guest apartment. There is also the opportunity to purchase the adjacent five-acre lot for an additional £41,000 ($50k). With nature and every necessary amenity on your doorstep, why would you ever return to the city?

A home, farm and country retreat in one, this beautiful quinta sits at the foot of the Serra da Gardunha mountains in Central Portugal. A richly fertile area nicknamed the country’s ‘fruit bowl’, it is famed for its food, culture and festivities. Boasting five hectares of land with olive groves, orchards and beehives, the property will make a great purchase for those seeking self-sufficiency. It's on the market for £494,000 (€555k/$630k).

Recently renovated, the Di-Vine Quinta is a traditional granite build that stays cool in summer and warm in winter. The house has a spacious kitchen and dining area, three bedrooms and a bathroom; all with gorgeous period features. If you prefer to dine alfresco, there is also an outdoor kitchen that can be comfortably used for seven-plus months of the year.

There’s no need to worry about boredom here as the grounds offer every amenity required to live out a luxury lockdown. There’s a marbled terrace that looks out over the land, a traditional stone bread oven and an ‘Earth Temple’ currently used for workshops and courses. If you’re interested in keeping livestock, there is also an enclosed pen complete with chicken coops.

The land has been organically farmed for the past eight years and currently produces wines, liqueurs, olives and olive oil and nuts. There is a cornucopia of different fruit trees (including figs, apricots, persimmons and pomegranates) as well as a large vegetable garden with raised beds. A gorgeous natural sanctuary in the heart of Portugal, this property would make the perfect pandemic retreat.

With its futuristic design and remote location, this off-grid dome house could represent the future of the self-sufficient living. Huddled in the shadow of Cascade Mountain in Culver, Oregon, the property sits on an expansive five-acre plot. Complete with a well, septic tank and solar panels, it will make a great investment for those who have wholeheartedly embraced the socially distant way of life. It's listed with Sotheby's International Realty for £547,000 ($699k).

Built in 1990, the hurricane-proof property sprawls over three levels with a floor plan measuring 2,100 square feet. The middle floor features a balcony that snakes around the outside of the house with views out over a nearby lake. Inside, the clean lines and vaulted ceilings make the interior feel just as spacious as the exterior.

The house comprises a spacious living room, kitchen-diner and family room, all tastefully decorated in neutral tones. The top floor has three bedrooms nestled in the eaves, each offering a different view of the tree-lined plot. To round out the design, there are also two full bathrooms, a utility room and an expansive basement. 

A solid choice for fans of sustainable living, the property has an off-grid solar system with the potential for expansion and a 30Kw generator for a new heat pump. The grounds have also been xeriscaped to help conserve water and to reduce the amount of maintenance work required. Remote and environmentally friendly, this house ticks all the boxes.

Only accessible by boat or helicopter, this isolated lodge is the perfect pandemic hideout. Perched atop a 150-foot cliff with panoramic views of the North Pacific Ocean, it comes with five acres of land and a successful eco-tourism business. On the market for £697,000 ($890k), you could invite all your friends and family to self-isolate with you or wait out the global lockdown with just your nearest and dearest. 

With black bears and wolves roaming close by, you’ll want a refuge that feels safe and snug at night. Luckily, this property has it all: a strategic position overlooking the bay and 1,696 square feet of remote cabin luxury. There’s a cosy communal area with a wood-burning stove and comfy sofas and an expansive kitchen fitted with all the requisite appliances (and more)!

The main lodge can sleep a total of seven people while three additional cabins can house a further four occupants each. All the bedrooms are designed to keep their lodgers snug through the bleak Alaskan winters with densely insulated walls and piles of quilts. From the windows, you can see Resurrection Bay, the surrounding forest and the snow-topped mountain peaks.

With its oceanfront location and private beach, this property is one for all the seafood lovers. The area is state-renowned for its high-quality salmon, halibut and rockfish. You can also head down to the beach to forage for limpets, chiton, mussels, seaweed, small crabs and sea cucumbers. If you can subsist on fish and molluscs alone, there will be no reason to ever leave this arctic paradise.

From the cold of Alaska to arid Arizona, our next property is located in the American Old West county of Cochise. At 4,800 feet above sea level, the area enjoys sunny and temperate weather all year round, making it the perfect base for an extended quarantine. A work of art that took 10 years to build, the stucco and straw bale house offers spectacular views of Castle Dome and the Perilla Mountains. 

On the market for a cool £861,000 ($1.1m), the house has an organic, flowing design with curved walls and custom woodwork. There’s a large, open-plan kitchen with an expansive island and a breakfast nook, a living room with wraparound seating and a cosy study for remote working. Hydronic radiant floor heating keeps the whole property warm when the temperature drops at night.

With three bedrooms and two bathrooms, the house is generously sized for growing families. Though entertaining may not be on the cards right now, there is also a large, covered patio and circular swimming pool shaded by a palapa. Finally, an additional outbuilding could function as a workshop, garage or artist’s studio – depending on what lockdown hobbies you take up!

Aside from its colossal 180 acres of land, this property’s main advantage is its self-sufficiency. The building has a passive solar design as well as photovoltaic panels that meet almost all its energy needs. There’s also an on-site well that supplies clean drinking water and a state-of-the-art septic tank system. Complete with a helipad for emergencies, this desert dwelling is an introvert’s paradise.

Easily capable of accommodating 22 people, this £942,000 tropical ranch ($1.2m) could make a great pandemic getaway for you and your clan. Sprawled across the foothills of the Maya Mountains in Belize, the 57-acre farm has all the land you could possibly want. Aside from the main house, there is also a hilltop cabin and two bunkhouses comprising six separate lodgings.

With its warm, wet climate, the Cayo District of Belize is ideal for crop growing. The property already has a number of fields and fenced pastures as well as orchards and vegetable gardens. For more delicate or temperamental crops, there are also two polytunnels and a hoop storage tent.

If you don’t mind sharing this little slice of paradise with other people, the farm could also make a great tourism business. There is a total of 13 bedrooms across the four buildings as well as five bathrooms. The local area is ideal for hiking and other outdoor activities and there is also a saltwater swimming pool on site.

One of the property’s main draws is its relative autonomy. Although several of the buildings are wired into the mains, two are powered by solar energy. There is a backup rain-catchment system, two freshwater springs for irrigation and even a long-drop toilet for more adventurous residents! With its beautiful milieu and business potential, this estate could prove a great investment for country living enthusiasts.

Escaping the global pandemic need not mean adopting a meagre lifestyle. Located in the Virginia countryside, this colossal 81-acre estate boasts a luxury farmhouse, private guest house and a huge metal shop building. Currently functioning as a horse and cattle farm, the farm is prepped for self-sufficiency with solar heat and hot water systems and a backup generator.

The spacious homestead is kitted out with all the latest mod-cons and has five bedrooms and six full bathrooms. The kitchen is equipped with top-of-the-range appliances and looks out over the pasture, forest and pond. There is a Wolf cooker with twin ovens and a double SubZero fridge; making it perfect for keeping the entire family well fed.

The villa also features a dining-cum-living room with a wood-burning stove and a library with oak shelving. A large walk-in larder and a canning kitchen offer extensive food storage space so there's no need to nip to the supermarket. If the pandemic is getting you down, there’s also a beautiful shaded patio where you can sip on a margarita and let your worries fade away.

If you’re interested in keeping horses or other livestock, this estate already has everything you need. Aside from the nine-stall horse barn and 10-bay shed, there is also a 2.2-acre pond teeming with fish such as bass and crappie. The land has a number of hiking trails through the fields and woodland, making it easy to get your daily exercise in. With everything you could possibly need on hand, you might want to self-isolate in the long term!

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