Buying property?

[Addicting]

I saw you said that you already talked to them about it, so this recommendation may or may not help, depending on your goals for the property.

My parents bought their forever place in 1981 after the farmer of the time converted his ag-fields to 10-acre parcel subdivisions(township rules at the time only permitted 10 acre minimum splits). My parent bought 3 parcels and put their house in the center parcel. Fast forward to 2010 and the two side parcels, 10 acres each, were so choked with Autumn Olives you couldn't even walk through it. My father talked to the largest farmer within 10 miles and agreed to have the farmer clear the fields in exchange for a number of years of "free rent" to farm corn/beans. If I remember correctly it was between 3-5 years.

Farmer came in with a dozer and pushed them all into a big hole he dug in the center of each 10 acres. Then a tractor with a big enough plow and disk to cut right through the remaining roots and they were in business. Did it all in a weekend. Waited a year for the pile in the middle to dry and then lit it on fire and then farmed on top of the ashes.

It ended up making a significant impact on the wildlife sightings and hunting setup. Some positive, some negative. Either way, the property was cleared for no out of pocket cost to my folks and it setup 2, 10 acre parcels to hunt near. If the people you are buying it from are interested into it turning back into productive property and it aligns with what you would want for the property, there may be some farmers near you who would be willing to work out a deal in exchange for free land-rent.

We have that but this is mixed with large cherry and poplar trees. The cherry’s push out easy but the poplars are a pain.

I cleared about an acre of it already on my property. Excavator, big pile, pit, then burnt in the pit. The topsoil was raked thru and two more piles of roots had to get buried. It still kept coming back so we had to deep plow it and bury most of the top soil.

Corn and bean rotation with constant tillage would have allowed us to keep more topsoil. We put in alfalfa. Can’t have the autumn olive shoots constantly coming up.

 

[INMT]

It sounds like it is probably a worth while investment if if your house is not your forever home.
When the realtor said it was worth outrageous $ it probably is. Purchasing at a neighborly rate is probably worth immediate equity in the property.
Carving it off into a separate parcel, depending on subdivision regs might be smart.
if you move and sell your house, you can then also sell the 30 acre parcel.

This^^^

If you do move in 10 years, you can sell both your current house and property and the 30 acres. You will walk away with more $$$ to invest in your forever home.

And if life changes and you don’t end up moving, you have total control over what will be on the 30 acres.

 

[elkduds]

Did I miss discussion of existing easements, water rights, mineral rights?

 

[Addicting]

Did I miss discussion of existing easements, water rights, mineral rights?

No easements except the ones we will be setting up for access. Far as I know here in my state those are not an issue like it is out west. Water rights are not a thing and there is nothing here that would warrant selling mineral rights. Unless you like sand and clay.

 

[schmalts]

I did and she said It’s negotiable. She thinks her dad would have liked for us to have it for what we have already done to it for them.

that is a good thing

 

[Badknees104]

The oppurtunity to buy the neighbors place only comes up once in a lifetime usually. Just saying.

yep

 

[Addicting]

So we have been waiting for their response, they said we would talk when I got back.

They posted their response today by putting a realtor’s sign in their front yard. No response to us, no courtesy notice, radio silent.

What a shitty thing to do, we want you to buy this, ok. Here is where we are at. Yep, we would like to look at all our options first and we will figure out our price.

Apparently it is 565,000…..

 

[Dave N]

Ouch.

 

[npaden]

At least this way you don’t have to wonder about whether you should do it or not. That sounds more than double anything you were thinking about.

Sometimes the decision is made for you. Sounds like this is one of those times.

 

[Nick87]

So we have been waiting for their response, they said we would talk when I got back.

They posted their response today by putting a realtor’s sign in their front yard. No response to us, no courtesy notice, radio silent.

What a shitty thing to do, we want you to buy this, ok. Here is where we are at. Yep, we would like to look at all our options first and we will figure out our price.

Apparently it is 565,000…..

People do wierd stuff when it comes to that kinda thing. Had a very similar situation once. Very frustrating.

 

[Addicting]

People do wierd stuff when it comes to that kinda thing. Had a very similar situation once. Very frustrating.

I’m so disgusted with this whole thing. The amount of time and money I have put into their property. I cleaned it up so the kids can hunt it. Redoing that blind and planting a food plot. Just for them to post a sign. The ad even has those areas I redid for them featured.

Thanks for your free hard work now Fa caw f. Can’t even bring myself to try and communicate with them.

 

[Straight Arrow]

I’m so disgusted with this whole thing. The amount of time and money I have put into their property. I cleaned it up so the kids can hunt it. Redoing that blind and planting a food plot. Just for them to post a sign. The ad even has those areas I redid for them featured.

Thanks for your free hard work now Fa caw f. Can’t even bring myself to try and communicate with them.

"No good deed goes unpunished!" There are two kinds of folks: Givers and takers. They are obviously "takers". You are a beneficent Giver; be proud of that. and ef 'em by putting them out of your mind and moving on.

 

[SFC B]

I would DEFINITELY inquire as to the lack of response. If you weren't close on terms that is easy enough to say, especially given what they said about how their dad felt.

 

[Addicting]

I would DEFINITELY inquire as to the lack of response. If you weren't close on terms that is easy enough to say, especially given what they said about how their dad felt.

As you know, I’m not shy on words or conflict. However, I can’t stomach even going over there. I’m afraid of what I might say.

I ended up sending them a text.

“I tried to muster the strength to come down this weekend and talk. I fear if I come down in person then I will say something I will regret. We are pretty deeply hurt by how this transpired.

If you want the blind left there, are you reimbursing me for the time, cleanup, and materials I have into everything?

If not, then I need to take it out so I can sell it. Hopefully, try and recoup some of the money I had invested for the kids to hunt.”

 

[Cammy]

 

[morley.tyler]

I've seen this situation before. If it's out there, and you don't take it, you'll only regret it.

Our family's place in N Idaho was originally 10 acres. About 10 years after we moved in, our neighbor, who originally owned all of the surrounding land, developed cancer and knew he was headed south in the next year.
He came to Dad and asked if he had an interest in the 10 acres that ours backed up to. Dad's reply was (I was there, and this is close to what he said)

"Of course I'd love to have it, but I've got one about to go off to college and one entering high school. Land's at $3K/acre, and I just don't think that's the best use of our cash... thanks for the offer"

The Old Timer's reaction was this: "I don't want $3K/Acre. You've been a good friend and a good neighbor. You plow my driveway, your boy bucks and stacks my haybales, you were there for me when my wife died, and I'd sure like to see that land with your family. Gimme $10K, and it's yours."

Dad said, "Take a check?"

 

[LopeHunter]

Some harsh feedback.

I have a relative that offers gifts. An heirloom or some corporate stock. Is a gift per her. Alas, she mentally creates a debt. That debt in her mind is absolutely a two-sided binding agreement that in the future she has the right to mention the prior gift and reveal what you now immediately owe her in return. That is not how a gift works. I have not accepted any “gifts” from her since was a teenager.

When you offer to help someone something that is merely a gift. You seem to feel betrayal that your labor and building a blind was part of a far-ranging agreement which you imply obviously understand included your neighbor providing you a benefit at their detriment.

You assumed your gift earned future repayment in some form of respect and not merely limited to a few years of hunting privileges.

I am struggling to see the labor and building a blind as anything but a limited transaction.

Did the neighbor approach you to clear their land? Or, did you approach them with an agreement you could hunt a portion if their land?

I am not seeing a partial clearing of land earned the ability to obtain $10,000s discount to fair market value.

If the neighbors were your elderly parents and some stranger owned your land then what would be your advice to your parents as they were deciding to dispose of the property?

 

[MNElkNut]

Any update? How did they respond to the text? Did it sell? @Addicting

 

[Addicting]

Any update? How did they respond to the text? Did it sell? @Addicting

It still has a sale pending sign up. We haven’t talked since the last text. I’m just waiting till I see a Sold sign on it at this point.

 

[MNElkNut]

Dang. i was hoping for a better ending. Maybe reality is starting to sink in for them. I bet the kids asked them to talk to a realtor. the realtor was a smooth talker and the for sale sign was the result.