Getting closer to our land

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

Well we may be finally getting to the point of buying our land.We have actually found an area that we actually like AND there is work:) No small feat in the country I've decided.

We have found land for sale privately,on a "public"road,that had an old farm on it in the 60's.They are asking $75000 for 50-58 acres depending on which parcel.We are going up next weekend to have a much closer look.Any questions you think I should ask?I would appreciate any insights y'all could offer.

t

-- Jon Hanson (warpaint@islc.net), March 22, 2002

Answers

Access: is the land you're interested in on, or have guaranteed right- of-way to, public road. Climatic factors - is there any part of your access route (right-of-way, public road) to where you need to go, which could be cut-off (floods over a low spot, snow over a back- country unploughed road, ungravelled spot on a dirt road which turns into a quagmire after x amount of rain, deep dip in the road or even steep hump which could stop semi-trailers or long rigid trucks from getting access. Services: how much will it cost to get whatever services you want connected (electricity, phone, town water, town gas, whatever) to where you'd want to build your home?

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), March 22, 2002.

LOL, your fun is just beginning. Add to the top of that list, sewer system, septic tank, perk test & lateral lines. Add to the easements, mineral rights & access to those easements. For example on mine, oil rights, oil companies can use my water, an 8 inch oil pipe line runs north & south thru mine, a 12 inch water main crosses a corner, electric power lines. Those companies can have access when needed. One creek that feeds my property brings thrash, or did in the past. A good thing for me, my southern property line has a 2 lane paved state hiway. What building permits will be required ? About 1/4 of my property is in a flood plain. But with all the negativies, my property is an adventure & i love the 4 seasons & all the critters. may you enjoy your place as much as I do, Larry in OK

-- Larry in OK (Nuts4bees@aol.com), March 22, 2002.

Water: type, availability and quality.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), March 22, 2002.

TITLE SEARCH!!!! NO MONEY changes hands with out signed papers - no exceptions, speaking from experience.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), March 22, 2002.

Title search, property taxes, use restrictions ,water rights and regulations sewage restrictions / septic perc test, easements/right of ways, use zonings, surveyor reports and property line establisment regulations, varience procedures, public domain and condemnation regulations and environmental reports (there is a case currently in our local news of someone in Limestone County that purchased farmland that has been used as a toxic waste dump in the past and govt agencies were apparently aware, but the reports slipped through the cracks).

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), March 22, 2002.


The land is on a public road,that is according to the locals a public right of way BUT not maintained by the government.Will definately check into that more.

There are power lines run along the road so that SHOULD be no problem.Water would be a well,but there is a spring on the land and an old pond I believe.There are no zoning restrictions and no building permits needed in this county so that helps.

I am a little concerned about access as far as the "roads" on the property,we have a 4x4 but still it was a little steep.The owners were saying they might gravel the roads in to make it better.

There is a piece of property adjacent to the land we are looking at that is listed with a realtor.It is 44 acres for $55000.The realtor we were talking to said it has been on the market since 97 and hasn't sold.Makes me wonder what the land we are looking at is worth.

I could see that this area wouldn't appeal to the mainstream people as it is in the "boonies":D but that is what we are looking for.I am hoping that we can get them down as $75000 is the MAX we can pay.

Thanks for all the answers

-- Jon Hanson (warpaint@islc.net), March 22, 2002.


Jon: Go to the county hall of records and look up the property taxes and re-figure what the property is worth compared to what they're asking for it. If it's more than 10% higher, bid 5% under, esp since it's vacant.

The land adjacent might be a better deal if it's flat. Having had property on a slope, I can tell you that road base is the only gravel that works. Washed rock looks pretty for a year and then it disappears.

Also check in the area to see if a hundred acres is available in your price range. Better to have more acreage than less for the same amount of money. Besides you just might find something better.

-- al (yr2012@hotmail.com), March 22, 2002.


You might also want to check into what chemicals(fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, etc) have been used on the land or on the adjacent land. Iowa has had problems in the past with nitrates in well water due to high use of fertilizers. Also check for large agribusiness concerns nearby - they can contribute unwanted chemicals and smells. Good luck.

-- L.J. Saxon (linsaxon@bvunet.net), March 22, 2002.

In addition to the advice above about title searches, etc., get an appraisal by a state certified appraiser who has no interest in selling the property. Not a broker's opinion, and remember that the county tax appraisers are more often than not inaccurate. A few hundred dollars would be well worth it when you are talking about spending this much money. Remember, a home (or land) is usually a family's biggest investment. You wouldn't buy stock unless you knew a little about the company and it's potential.....get an appraisal before you finalize anything and make your contract subject to the value found in that appraisal.

-- SteveD(TX) (smdann@swbell.net), March 22, 2002.

All the above is good. Don't assume anything, though. SHOULDs and MIGHTs have to be translated into written quotations or guarantees, or assumed to be negative. If the owners/sellers MIGHT gravel the road, who'll be responsible next time it needs it? Will you even have rights to gravel it, if they won't do it? Got that in writing? Or is it state law? I don't know - I don't need to - you need to (or at least your lawyer does), and you don't know either - yet.

Here a holding deposit (say up to A$500) might be offered to hold first place on an offer list, subject to refund if things don't work out. If you do that, also make sure that the refund terms are spelled out in writing, and signed, on the receipt.

-- Don Armstrong (from Australia) (darmst@yahoo.com.au), March 22, 2002.



Don,where are you from in Australia? I was born in Galdstone Qld and lived in Brisbane until I was 17.Still have family in Brisbane and also Perth.

We will find out a LOT more on the next trip up to Tn and should figure stuff out such as the road,water,etc.

-- Jon Hanson (warpaint@islc.net), March 22, 2002.


It is so exciting to be at the point of finding your "dream" property. Congratulations!! I live in Northern California, about an hour out of Sacramento. It is a highly desireable area, alot of Bay Area transplants. They made a small fortune on selling homes and came up here and are buying everything. There are two small historical towns with great community. 40 acres here can be had for about 80-100K. It is beautiful country, rolling hills, alot of that is flat, big oaks and grass. Services are still not there, a couple miles away, but plenty of Sunshine for Solar. Winters are generally mild, does freeze once in awhile,but no snow, and Spring is gorgeous, summers are hotter, will get a run of 100 degrees. What part of the country are you considering?

-- Esther (realestatez@hotmail.com), March 23, 2002.

Oh, that's right, Jon. I forgot - I noticed you (months) earlier. I'm from central western New South Wales. Originally from outside a little town called Grenfell (birthplace of Henry Lawson. Banjo Patterson worked on a nearby sheep station for 18 months or so too) (my family's farm backs onto the Weddin Mountains National Park - Ben Hall country). Now working in Bathurst. Spent altogether too many decades in Sydney in between.

Mum is from a dairy farm in a little village in Queensland called Benowa - now better known as that part of the Gold Coast called Ashmore Village, and between Surfers Paradise and Nerang. Good farm land ruined. If you've heard of Royal Pines resort, that used to be part of their farm, but corrupt local government practices meant they never got the benefit from their land that the mayor did after he'd got hold of it. Development WOULD NOT be approved! Until after the person they sold it to sold it to the mayor - all in the space of a month.

I've got family in Western Australia too. Two of my father's brothers took up soldier-settlement blocks there after World War II, so I've got paternal cousins scattered from Geraldton to Perth to Albany, as well as around New South Wales. As well as maternal cousins from Lismore to Townsville to Mount Isa. And a brother who may be moving to the Gold Coast in a month.

Actually, I work for the government department that is responsible for land titles (used to be Land Titles Office, now Land and Property Information New South Wales). As I understand it, you don't have the benefit of Torrens Title over there - it's all on the basis of what we'd call "Old Title" or "private treaty", and not government guaranteed? However, IANAN (I am not an expert). Land titles and cadastres are a highly technical area, and I just help provide the computer infrastructure that is used to process them these days.

-- Don Armstrong (from Australia) (darmst@yahoo.com.au), March 23, 2002.


Don: Actually some states do have Torrens Title. In fact, Minnesota is one of them http://www.co.st-louis.mn.us/recordersoffice/rec_torren.htm

-- al (yr2012@hotmail.com), March 23, 2002.

My addition to the list of things to check would be : Neighbors!! I don't mean do a background check,:)- just look at their place is it full of trash or 'free range' dogs? If possible try to meet with them to see if your ideas of what you want to do with your land meshes with how they are using theirs. One example would be :if you want to have your farm chemical/pesticide free and they love every new chemical that comes out you might need to think if it would work for you. Free range dogs can be a problem if you want poultry,cattle,sheep & goats especially if like us there's a pack fo free roaming pit bulls & rottweilers. I try to be a good neighbor but I will not allow those dogs to run & kill my livestock so they have been warned that all stray dogs running my animals will be shot. Don't get me wrong, I love the country-have lived most of my 50 years on a farm, it's just you've worked hard to get your land & once you move you want to know it was a good move,where you'll be able to realize your dreams. Best of Luck, let us know how it goes. Peace, Kathy

-- Kathy Aldridge (beckoningwinds@lycos.com), March 24, 2002.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ