For someone who is homesteading, a used skid-steer might be a wise investment. (Or share the maintenance cost with your neighbour). You can rent the attachments for later projects : auger, excavator, screen (seperate rock from soil), tines (lifting up round hay bales), and the list goes on.
The other thing they are quite often used for is a substitute for scaffolding when you need to stand somewhere about 8 feet up and have a platform for some tools, yourself and some supplies. Just raise the bucket and get in.
It is super useful! Great advice.
I know a few families that use a skidsteer for all kinds of amazing uses. One of them was to do most of the excavation of our addition basement in our back yard. We couldn't get bigger equipment through the space necessary. But one of my favorites is the scaffolding substitute. The chainsaw attachment can be fantastic too.