IMO, you are much better off just taking over a POI near the trader that you get directed to. Typically it will also be near a town so you'll have close proximity looting possibilities and targets for quests. Clearing a POI gives much needed loot and XP to get you going with your build and establishing your survival strategy. Also, it's time that you do not have to spend harvesting just to have a roof over your head for the first few nights. It's all about ROI for your time investment. Would you rather chop trees/mine for 20 minutes OR loot that house that could have food, weapons, armor, resources, or key items like a cooking pot/wrench. I think the potential ROI is much stronger on the latter. (YMMV depending upon your loot settings)
After a few days of focusing on collecting, then you can start worrying about building something that will stand up to the first horde night. Typically, smashing out a few key floor sections in POI's will give you plenty of kill zone while keeping the zeds from getting close to you. Also, POI's can be disposable in that way as well. If the horde wrecks some POI that did some quick mods to... no biggie. Find a new one for the next horde night and don't worry about repairing it.
Depending upon your preference, you could use the strategy above and almost completely ignore horde nights while still having some of the thrill of them without the resource/time investment. Get to the top of one of the apartment buildings via nerdpole or by placing ladders on the side. Knock out a few key blocks so they can't get to the roof and then just listen to the carnage for the night as they bash and beat through the lower floors. Use the skylights as a kill zone above the apartments if you want to engage a few here and there. Note: this is for those folks that want to engage horde nights on their terms without disabling them. As in you might not have the resources to engage the first few weeks but eventually you'll have a suitable murder structure and resources to fight with.
After a few days of focusing on collecting, then you can start worrying about building something that will stand up to the first horde night. Typically, smashing out a few key floor sections in POI's will give you plenty of kill zone while keeping the zeds from getting close to you. Also, POI's can be disposable in that way as well. If the horde wrecks some POI that did some quick mods to... no biggie. Find a new one for the next horde night and don't worry about repairing it.
Depending upon your preference, you could use the strategy above and almost completely ignore horde nights while still having some of the thrill of them without the resource/time investment. Get to the top of one of the apartment buildings via nerdpole or by placing ladders on the side. Knock out a few key blocks so they can't get to the roof and then just listen to the carnage for the night as they bash and beat through the lower floors. Use the skylights as a kill zone above the apartments if you want to engage a few here and there. Note: this is for those folks that want to engage horde nights on their terms without disabling them. As in you might not have the resources to engage the first few weeks but eventually you'll have a suitable murder structure and resources to fight with.