samssimonsays
Milo & Me Hoppy Tail Acres
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2015
- Messages
- 3,603
- Reaction score
- 4,768
- Points
- 393
I am sorry, it all happens for the right reasons in the end is the way I have to look at things.
Lets Chat! Talk about your Farm!
- Thread starter luvmypets
- Start date
BlessedWithGoats
Herd Master
Sorry it didn't work out @mikiz! 
mikiz
Loving the herd life
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2015
- Messages
- 254
- Reaction score
- 153
- Points
- 183
All good, I've found some nice, BIGGER places for the same money down where I used to live!
Besides it was only for the animals haha, like I need the temptation or the encouragement to buy more
Besides it was only for the animals haha, like I need the temptation or the encouragement to buy more
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Mikiz:You were lucky to find out about the easement before you bought. Some friends bought their dream house with a large side area where they put their barns and arena and THEN found out it was an easement and whenever the easement owner wanted to build on his shotgun lot they would have to move everything out!!! They weren't going to have enough land left to have more than a couple of pipe corrals and the easement would cut them off from their horses! They had to sue the people they bought from because the easement owner had already had the easement for years! The lawsuit went on for years and years!
The idea of buying closer to home is a better one anyway - think of all the family labor you can rope in when working on your house and land!
The idea of buying closer to home is a better one anyway - think of all the family labor you can rope in when working on your house and land!
mikiz
Loving the herd life
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2015
- Messages
- 254
- Reaction score
- 153
- Points
- 183
Yeah I didn't want to have to deal with all of that, I can't stand people as it is, that why I was looking for places so far out of town!! If I had enough money I would have just bought both and used the second block as a large paddock, but unfortunately I don't have that sort of money yet.
So I've found like 20 properties that are absolutely beautiful back where I grew up, a couple even have half the land already leased for logging which brings in money all by itself! Most have some sort of water storage and power all ready to go, so bonus! I just have to save up about twice what I've got and pray that when I have the money, something awesomewith no vices is left.
So I've found like 20 properties that are absolutely beautiful back where I grew up, a couple even have half the land already leased for logging which brings in money all by itself! Most have some sort of water storage and power all ready to go, so bonus! I just have to save up about twice what I've got and pray that when I have the money, something awesomewith no vices is left.
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Mikiz: You sound like this is your first real estate transaction. In rural areas get a local lawyer to look over the papers for you. Spend time in local coffee shops - there are always a couple where the ranchers, etc. come in after morning chores for coffee and to schmooze. Thery are worse gossips than old women and if you are careful to listen to what they are saying, you can pick up good information. They can answer your your questions but some of them like to josh newcomers
My uncle Sig, God rest his soul, was a stockman and rodeo rider here in California and in Montana back in the day. He ramrodded a several thosand acre cattle ranch for his uncle in law. When we were younger my husband and I were discussing the feasibility of buying a commercial ranch and raising sheep or cattle. Uncle Sig gave us the most mportant piece of advice I have ever received.
1. Buy water. Water is lifeblood for a ranch. Uncle Sig said don't look at a piece where there is no water, where you have to drill below a certain amount of feet for a well, or the output is not enough. The well must produce a certain amount of gpm (gallons per minute) to support your livestock. On a commercial ranch livestock comes first so you water them then if any is left for you ok. If there is not enough wter to support your operation, run, don't walk, away from it no matter how pretty or cheap it is.
2. Get the water and agriculture test reports Some water and land has problems (that easement was one), water contamination and soil contamination is another. Some beautiful grazing oland might be grazing land because there is contamination under the grass and it can;'t be used for crops. When land can't be used for crops, the grass it grows can be contaminated too which means it will get into the milk and meat of your herd or flock.
I am a cynic and a pragmatist. Do your research while you are saving your money. Read all you can about lumbering going on where you want to buy. Lumber rights, mineral rights and water rights are often sold separately from the land. This means that the owner of those rights can operate on your land to get these items and you will be left with a messy treeless, mined acreage, without any water of your own. Make sure your property retains all those rights. In hard times, you can sell part of the timber or lease some of the mining rights to help costs and tideyoi ove till prices come up again.
3. My advice to you is to subscribe to several local papers in the farm communities you are interested in. Join a grange or local farmers' organization. You will learn about all the problems in the area posed by development, government regulations,etc. By reading all these small town newspapers you will learn everything about the town. If there s a water shortage yoi will found out, if a large corporate ranch wants to take over you will be warned, if the government regs are getting too strict you willknow aa=head of tie and you will be able to talk to different people in the area.
4. Buying ranch property is not just buyin a pretty, scenic plot that will look nice on a postcard. It is a business whether you like it or not and you have to be more careful when you buy acreage that when buying a house in a neighborhood. Water (how much and how expnsive), boundries - have it surveyed before buying. MOST IMPORTANT NEVER TRUST THE REAL ESTATE AGENT WHEN HE WAVES HIS ARMS IN A GENERAL DIRECTION AND TELLS YOU THAT IS WHERE THE WATER/WELL IS. IT MAY ACTUALLY BE ON THE NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY! This happened to a friend and when I told her she shouldn't have bought without water rights she said tagent didn't think the owner would care if she stuck a pipe in and diverted the water for herself!
The owner took her to court and my friend had to pay court costs as well as a monetary amount for the stolen water. Then the owner build a big fence and diverted the small open area of the stream are into a culvert. My friend could have bought another piece across the road with better gpm dedicated water rights but didn't want to spend another $1000 for the water rights when the agent told her she cold just help herself to her neighbor's water! Water is life in farming/ranching areas not just a pretty place to park your rowboat.
5. Walk the boundaries no matter how much land there is or how steep, etc. Make the agent show you all of it, if he "hasn't got time" for you, make another appointment to come back or get another agent.
6. Your agent should work for you to get the best price and everything you want. It he doesn't seem like he wants to do that or wants to convince you to pay more, he is working for the seller. Hire someone else.
7. Even though it looks like ranch or farm property go to the zoning board and pull the zoning details for the property. Check the zoning restrictions for that property. The zoning regulations may restrict you to certain types of livestock, or minimal squarefootage/acreage per animal. You don't want to buy 10 acres and find out you are restricted to 1 cow or 1 sheep or 1 goat per acre - 10 animals in all. If you buy in a protected green belt, your timber may not be able to be harvested.
Mikiz:
My uncle Sig, God rest his soul, was a stockman and rodeo rider here in California and in Montana back in the day. He ramrodded a several thosand acre cattle ranch for his uncle in law. When we were younger my husband and I were discussing the feasibility of buying a commercial ranch and raising sheep or cattle. Uncle Sig gave us the most mportant piece of advice I have ever received.
1. Buy water. Water is lifeblood for a ranch. Uncle Sig said don't look at a piece where there is no water, where you have to drill below a certain amount of feet for a well, or the output is not enough. The well must produce a certain amount of gpm (gallons per minute) to support your livestock. On a commercial ranch livestock comes first so you water them then if any is left for you ok. If there is not enough wter to support your operation, run, don't walk, away from it no matter how pretty or cheap it is.
2. Get the water and agriculture test reports Some water and land has problems (that easement was one), water contamination and soil contamination is another. Some beautiful grazing oland might be grazing land because there is contamination under the grass and it can;'t be used for crops. When land can't be used for crops, the grass it grows can be contaminated too which means it will get into the milk and meat of your herd or flock.
I am a cynic and a pragmatist. Do your research while you are saving your money. Read all you can about lumbering going on where you want to buy. Lumber rights, mineral rights and water rights are often sold separately from the land. This means that the owner of those rights can operate on your land to get these items and you will be left with a messy treeless, mined acreage, without any water of your own. Make sure your property retains all those rights. In hard times, you can sell part of the timber or lease some of the mining rights to help costs and tideyoi ove till prices come up again.
3. My advice to you is to subscribe to several local papers in the farm communities you are interested in. Join a grange or local farmers' organization. You will learn about all the problems in the area posed by development, government regulations,etc. By reading all these small town newspapers you will learn everything about the town. If there s a water shortage yoi will found out, if a large corporate ranch wants to take over you will be warned, if the government regs are getting too strict you willknow aa=head of tie and you will be able to talk to different people in the area.
4. Buying ranch property is not just buyin a pretty, scenic plot that will look nice on a postcard. It is a business whether you like it or not and you have to be more careful when you buy acreage that when buying a house in a neighborhood. Water (how much and how expnsive), boundries - have it surveyed before buying. MOST IMPORTANT NEVER TRUST THE REAL ESTATE AGENT WHEN HE WAVES HIS ARMS IN A GENERAL DIRECTION AND TELLS YOU THAT IS WHERE THE WATER/WELL IS. IT MAY ACTUALLY BE ON THE NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY! This happened to a friend and when I told her she shouldn't have bought without water rights she said tagent didn't think the owner would care if she stuck a pipe in and diverted the water for herself!
The owner took her to court and my friend had to pay court costs as well as a monetary amount for the stolen water. Then the owner build a big fence and diverted the small open area of the stream are into a culvert. My friend could have bought another piece across the road with better gpm dedicated water rights but didn't want to spend another $1000 for the water rights when the agent told her she cold just help herself to her neighbor's water! Water is life in farming/ranching areas not just a pretty place to park your rowboat.
5. Walk the boundaries no matter how much land there is or how steep, etc. Make the agent show you all of it, if he "hasn't got time" for you, make another appointment to come back or get another agent.
6. Your agent should work for you to get the best price and everything you want. It he doesn't seem like he wants to do that or wants to convince you to pay more, he is working for the seller. Hire someone else.
7. Even though it looks like ranch or farm property go to the zoning board and pull the zoning details for the property. Check the zoning restrictions for that property. The zoning regulations may restrict you to certain types of livestock, or minimal squarefootage/acreage per animal. You don't want to buy 10 acres and find out you are restricted to 1 cow or 1 sheep or 1 goat per acre - 10 animals in all. If you buy in a protected green belt, your timber may not be able to be harvested.
Mikiz:
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Mikiz: You sound like this is your first real estate transaction. In rural areas get a local lawyer to look over the papers for you. Spend time in local coffee shops - there are always a couple where the ranchers, etc. come in after morning chores for coffee and to schmooze. Thery are worse gossips than old women and if you are careful to listen to what they are saying, you can pick up good information. They can answer your your questions but some of them like to josh newcomers
My uncle Sig, God rest his soul, was a stockman and rodeo rider here in California and in Montana back in the day. He ramrodded a several thosand acre cattle ranch for his uncle in law. When we were younger my husband and I were discussing the feasibility of buying a commercial ranch and raising sheep or cattle. Uncle Sig gave us the most mportant piece of advice I have ever received.
1. Buy water. Water is lifeblood for a ranch. Uncle Sig said don't look at a piece where there is no water, where you have to drill below a certain amount of feet for a well, or the output is not enough. The well must produce a certain amount of gpm (gallons per minute) to support your livestock. On a commercial ranch livestock comes first so you water them then if any is left for you ok. If there is not enough wter to support your operation, run, don't walk, away from it no matter how pretty or cheap it is.
2. Get the water and agriculture test reports Some water and land has problems (that easement was one), water contamination and soil contamination is another. Some beautiful grazing oland might be grazing land because there is contamination under the grass and it can;'t be used for crops. When land can't be used for crops, the grass it grows can be contaminated too which means it will get into the milk and meat of your herd or flock.
I am a cynic and a pragmatist. Do your research while you are saving your money. Read all you can about lumbering going on where you want to buy. Lumber rights, mineral rights and water rights are often sold separately from the land. This means that the owner of those rights can operate on your land to get these items and you will be left with a messy treeless, mined acreage, without any water of your own. Make sure your property retains all those rights. In hard times, you can sell part of the timber or lease some of the mining rights to help costs and tideyoi ove till prices come up again.
3. My advice to you is to subscribe to several local papers in the farm communities you are interested in. Join a grange or local farmers' organization. You will learn about all the problems in the area posed by development, government regulations,etc. By reading all these small town newspapers you will learn everything about the town. If there s a water shortage yoi will found out, if a large corporate ranch wants to take over you will be warned, if the government regs are getting too strict you willknow aa=head of tie and you will be able to talk to different people in the area.
4. Buying ranch property is not just buyin a pretty, scenic plot that will look nice on a postcard. It is a business whether you like it or not and you have to be more careful when you buy acreage that when buying a house in a neighborhood. Water (how much and how expnsive), boundries - have it surveyed before buying. MOST IMPORTANT NEVER TRUST THE REAL ESTATE AGENT WHEN HE WAVES HIS ARMS IN A GENERAL DIRECTION AND TELLS YOU THAT IS WHERE THE WATER/WELL IS. IT MAY ACTUALLY BE ON THE NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY! This happened to a friend and when I told her she shouldn't have bought without water rights she said tagent didn't think the owner would care if she stuck a pipe in and diverted the water for herself!
The owner took her to court and my friend had to pay court costs as well as a monetary amount for the stolen water. Then the owner build a big fence and diverted the small open area of the stream are into a culvert. My friend could have bought another piece across the road with better gpm dedicated water rights but didn't want to spend another $1000 for the water rights when the agent told her she cold just help herself to her neighbor's water! Water is life in farming/ranching areas not just a pretty place to park your rowboat.
5. Walk the boundaries no matter how much land there is or how steep, etc. Make the agent show you all of it, if he "hasn't got time" for you, make another appointment to come back or get another agent.
6. Your agent should work for you to get the best price and everything you want. It he doesn't seem like he wants to do that or wants to convince you to pay more, he is working for the seller. Hire someone else.
7. Even though it looks like ranch or farm property go to the zoning board and pull the zoning details for the property. Check the zoning restrictions for that property. The zoning regulations may restrict you to certain types of livestock, or minimal squarefootage/acreage per animal. You don't want to buy 10 acres and find out you are restricted to 1 cow or 1 sheep or 1 goat per acre - 10 animals in all. If you buy in a protected green belt, your timber may not be able to be harvested.
Mikiz:
My uncle Sig, God rest his soul, was a stockman and rodeo rider here in California and in Montana back in the day. He ramrodded a several thosand acre cattle ranch for his uncle in law. When we were younger my husband and I were discussing the feasibility of buying a commercial ranch and raising sheep or cattle. Uncle Sig gave us the most mportant piece of advice I have ever received.
1. Buy water. Water is lifeblood for a ranch. Uncle Sig said don't look at a piece where there is no water, where you have to drill below a certain amount of feet for a well, or the output is not enough. The well must produce a certain amount of gpm (gallons per minute) to support your livestock. On a commercial ranch livestock comes first so you water them then if any is left for you ok. If there is not enough wter to support your operation, run, don't walk, away from it no matter how pretty or cheap it is.
2. Get the water and agriculture test reports Some water and land has problems (that easement was one), water contamination and soil contamination is another. Some beautiful grazing oland might be grazing land because there is contamination under the grass and it can;'t be used for crops. When land can't be used for crops, the grass it grows can be contaminated too which means it will get into the milk and meat of your herd or flock.
I am a cynic and a pragmatist. Do your research while you are saving your money. Read all you can about lumbering going on where you want to buy. Lumber rights, mineral rights and water rights are often sold separately from the land. This means that the owner of those rights can operate on your land to get these items and you will be left with a messy treeless, mined acreage, without any water of your own. Make sure your property retains all those rights. In hard times, you can sell part of the timber or lease some of the mining rights to help costs and tideyoi ove till prices come up again.
3. My advice to you is to subscribe to several local papers in the farm communities you are interested in. Join a grange or local farmers' organization. You will learn about all the problems in the area posed by development, government regulations,etc. By reading all these small town newspapers you will learn everything about the town. If there s a water shortage yoi will found out, if a large corporate ranch wants to take over you will be warned, if the government regs are getting too strict you willknow aa=head of tie and you will be able to talk to different people in the area.
4. Buying ranch property is not just buyin a pretty, scenic plot that will look nice on a postcard. It is a business whether you like it or not and you have to be more careful when you buy acreage that when buying a house in a neighborhood. Water (how much and how expnsive), boundries - have it surveyed before buying. MOST IMPORTANT NEVER TRUST THE REAL ESTATE AGENT WHEN HE WAVES HIS ARMS IN A GENERAL DIRECTION AND TELLS YOU THAT IS WHERE THE WATER/WELL IS. IT MAY ACTUALLY BE ON THE NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY! This happened to a friend and when I told her she shouldn't have bought without water rights she said tagent didn't think the owner would care if she stuck a pipe in and diverted the water for herself!
The owner took her to court and my friend had to pay court costs as well as a monetary amount for the stolen water. Then the owner build a big fence and diverted the small open area of the stream are into a culvert. My friend could have bought another piece across the road with better gpm dedicated water rights but didn't want to spend another $1000 for the water rights when the agent told her she cold just help herself to her neighbor's water! Water is life in farming/ranching areas not just a pretty place to park your rowboat.
5. Walk the boundaries no matter how much land there is or how steep, etc. Make the agent show you all of it, if he "hasn't got time" for you, make another appointment to come back or get another agent.
6. Your agent should work for you to get the best price and everything you want. It he doesn't seem like he wants to do that or wants to convince you to pay more, he is working for the seller. Hire someone else.
7. Even though it looks like ranch or farm property go to the zoning board and pull the zoning details for the property. Check the zoning restrictions for that property. The zoning regulations may restrict you to certain types of livestock, or minimal squarefootage/acreage per animal. You don't want to buy 10 acres and find out you are restricted to 1 cow or 1 sheep or 1 goat per acre - 10 animals in all. If you buy in a protected green belt, your timber may not be able to be harvested.
Mikiz:
mikiz
Loving the herd life
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2015
- Messages
- 254
- Reaction score
- 153
- Points
- 183
Thanks Ridgetop! Best advice ever. I've decided to buy down south in the place I grew up, so I actually know the land down there much better than if I bought 5 hours flight east of here, and I can get family or friends to check it out for me.
That's one problem with living so far away from where I WANT to live, it's almost $400 to fly down 2 hours to look at these places, as well as another $400 to fly back plus car hire and another 3 hours driving.
This is exactly why I'm spending so long researching everything before I put down a cent.
I absolutely strike any property without water off my list, because it's extra work that I'm going to be paying for, and the more water sources the better. I compare most properties for their value-for-money with what I'm getting for how much they cost, I've been looking up previous rainfall maps and in some areas I can find where they've already tested the soil.
You can't just "get another agent" here though unfortunately, because they literally ARE working for the seller, so if the agent doesn't want to work with you, you either pass on the property or try to deal with him long enough to get what you want.
I've always been good with the older fellas, so it's not so bad, and if I don't like it I just say "you know what never mind" they often come back with a better response. The last guy was actually quite willing to help, the owner wanted to do anything to sell the property, but as you said it has no water, and that easement would have killed me, they wanted to help move it but I'd already decided not to buy it.
I don't know if we have zonings except in town, all the land I want to buy are usually already businesses and running sheep or cattle up to the day they're bought and sold, so I know how many I can put up, not that anyone checks it anyway.
We're pretty lucky in that way, once you buy the land you can pretty much do what you want with it, just a quick trip to the council office to get planning approval for a house, and I don't think you need anything for a shed, maybe for a stable but it's not too hard.
That's one problem with living so far away from where I WANT to live, it's almost $400 to fly down 2 hours to look at these places, as well as another $400 to fly back plus car hire and another 3 hours driving.
This is exactly why I'm spending so long researching everything before I put down a cent.
I absolutely strike any property without water off my list, because it's extra work that I'm going to be paying for, and the more water sources the better. I compare most properties for their value-for-money with what I'm getting for how much they cost, I've been looking up previous rainfall maps and in some areas I can find where they've already tested the soil.
You can't just "get another agent" here though unfortunately, because they literally ARE working for the seller, so if the agent doesn't want to work with you, you either pass on the property or try to deal with him long enough to get what you want.
I've always been good with the older fellas, so it's not so bad, and if I don't like it I just say "you know what never mind" they often come back with a better response. The last guy was actually quite willing to help, the owner wanted to do anything to sell the property, but as you said it has no water, and that easement would have killed me, they wanted to help move it but I'd already decided not to buy it.
I don't know if we have zonings except in town, all the land I want to buy are usually already businesses and running sheep or cattle up to the day they're bought and sold, so I know how many I can put up, not that anyone checks it anyway.
We're pretty lucky in that way, once you buy the land you can pretty much do what you want with it, just a quick trip to the council office to get planning approval for a house, and I don't think you need anything for a shed, maybe for a stable but it's not too hard.
greybeard
Herd Master
I don't have any water rights problems...Texas has Rule of Capture and I'm capturing too much and can't get rid of it....these are crappy pictures from my camera that is on it's last gasp, but take my word for it--the kinda shiny stuff you see in the background is a river that was 1/2 mile away 2 days ago.
Some days, I cross the pastures and go see the river---other days, the river crosses the pastures and comes to see me.
The river is expected to stay up for several more days, and may get even higher. I've got all the cattle moved to high ground and can keep them there for a few more days without supplementing the grass, but that's about it. Rain is in forecast for next 7 days I believe, both locally and farther up the watershed.
My pond's dock is under 2'+ of water, wife's pedal boat has floated off somewhere, and my 35 gal plastic drum with 55 lbs of floating fish food floated off, absorbed water and is at the bottom of the pond somewhere. This has been the wettest winter and spring in memory. It is just mid May and we are already over our yearly avg rainfall.
I'm getting concerned about hay as well--I passed on 1st cutting hay, contracted for 2nd cutting and lots ready but been to wet to cut and by the time it dries out, it will be way beyond boot stage. Grass is plenty green and growing, but so wet, it is mostly water content and all the cattle are squirting out as fast as they take it in.
Some days, I cross the pastures and go see the river---other days, the river crosses the pastures and comes to see me.
The river is expected to stay up for several more days, and may get even higher. I've got all the cattle moved to high ground and can keep them there for a few more days without supplementing the grass, but that's about it. Rain is in forecast for next 7 days I believe, both locally and farther up the watershed.
My pond's dock is under 2'+ of water, wife's pedal boat has floated off somewhere, and my 35 gal plastic drum with 55 lbs of floating fish food floated off, absorbed water and is at the bottom of the pond somewhere. This has been the wettest winter and spring in memory. It is just mid May and we are already over our yearly avg rainfall.
I'm getting concerned about hay as well--I passed on 1st cutting hay, contracted for 2nd cutting and lots ready but been to wet to cut and by the time it dries out, it will be way beyond boot stage. Grass is plenty green and growing, but so wet, it is mostly water content and all the cattle are squirting out as fast as they take it in.
frustratedearthmother
Herd Master
- Joined
- May 7, 2013
- Messages
- 8,251
- Reaction score
- 15,581
- Points
- 673
I feel ya, Greybeard! I'm south of Houston and I can't remember a fall, winter, spring (and almost summer) that's been more consistently wet than recently.
I'm fighting coccidia and liver flukes like never before. I've got 6 square bales of hay left in my barn and no one is ready to cut hay with this latest round of rain - and like you said - more to come.
Thankfully, there is grass for the eating, but as you noted, the high moisture content doesn't supply the best nutrition....
Sigh....
I'm fighting coccidia and liver flukes like never before. I've got 6 square bales of hay left in my barn and no one is ready to cut hay with this latest round of rain - and like you said - more to come.
Thankfully, there is grass for the eating, but as you noted, the high moisture content doesn't supply the best nutrition....
Sigh....
