[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Owning Land (Page 1 of 3)
Posted: 10/5/2016 4:33:06 PM EDT
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I'm about 5 years out from retirement and thinking about where to live. I've always dreamed of owning 25 acres or so out in the country but I'm starting to realize that I'm getting old and not sure I can maintain a bunch of land at 60+ years old, by myself. I definitely want to be out of the city where it's quiet. I don't need enough land to shoot on, I have a great range available to me.
What do you think a reasonable amount of land for an older person to maintain is? |
| Depends on the layout of the land. Wooded land is easier to maintain since you don't have to mow grass, etc. 25 acres of trees and brush is less work than 5 acres of pasture land. Decide how much land you want to maintain and try to find that amount in a larger tract of mostly timber. |
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So like nlm23 said, you mean NOT pasture land? I guess mowing is the biggest maintenance you would have to do. Quoted:
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Why not buy land that doesn't need maintenance? So like nlm23 said, you mean NOT pasture land? I guess mowing is the biggest maintenance you would have to do. Just lease the land you don't want to maintain (everything except the yard around your house) to a neighbor for grazing or hay. Make maintenance part of the lease agreement. In many counties, it will also help you get ag tax exemption |
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We have 25.5 acres of mountain land that will be our retirement destination. It is heavily wooded so it doesn't need much maintenance, but every year several pines get knocked down during storms, and they have to be cleaned up.
In TN, lots 15 acres or larger qualify for a "greenbelt" property taxation rate that is valued at 10% normal usage. To qualify, the land must be either forrested, farmed, grazed by livestock, or some combination of the three. Building lots can be subdivided out of the greenbelt property and taxed at the regular rate as long as the greenbelt area stays at or above 15 acres in size. Check to see if any similar regulations exist where you are looking to purchase land. Good taxation rates can make a larger property more financially feasible to keep in the long run if they are available. |
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<a href="http://s302.photobucket.com/user/david4327/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-06/2016-09/4B57DA36-CBA8-43CF-A619-E48C5653EA55_zps8v1xgs4f.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn115/david4327/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-06/2016-09/4B57DA36-CBA8-43CF-A619-E48C5653EA55_zps8v1xgs4f.jpg</a> I just purchased 35 acres in Fredericksburg. I'm on six acres now. I wanted a place big enough to work with birddogs and shoot quail and dove. I'll lease out the hay field and put a few cows on it in a few years. I would rather have a 100 acres, but this is good enough for me. My property taxes are $25.00. Damn. Afraid to ask how much that cost. My wife wants land there, I want East Texas, i.e. CHEAP. I just want a place to shoot and camp. She has some idyllic dream of having a vineyard and being able to commute to UT to teach as a professor... |
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Do you run in to a lot of riffraff from the National Forest on your property? Quoted:
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After I retired I bought a few acres with a cabin in BFE WV next to the NF and called it good. Do you run in to a lot of riffraff from the National Forest on your property? Nope. A few locals will drive up looking for their bear dogs they dropped on the back side of the mountain once in a while, but they don't hang around or cause any trouble. |
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If you're not raising pasture/livestock or something along that line there is not much maintenance
I have about 10 acres with my house and other than burning it off every few years and picking up the odd limb that fell on a footpath there is nothing to do really |
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I'm about 5 years out from retirement and thinking about where to live. I've always dreamed of owning 25 acres or so out in the country but I'm starting to realize that I'm getting old and not sure I can maintain a bunch of land at 60+ years old, by myself. I definitely want to be out of the city where it's quiet. I don't need enough land to shoot on, I have a great range available to me. What do you think a reasonable amount of land for an older person to maintain is? Like Texas land maintaining? LMAO......is that not just doing a perimeter check every few weeks? Not like you gotta chop down the out of control weeds.... 
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So like nlm23 said, you mean NOT pasture land? I guess mowing is the biggest maintenance you would have to do. Quoted:
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Why not buy land that doesn't need maintenance? So like nlm23 said, you mean NOT pasture land? I guess mowing is the biggest maintenance you would have to do. Exactly. Trees and rocks! If you must have some pasture land, why allow a local farmer to harvest the hay from it? That way he does the work and you get paid. |
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City boy checking in. What is there to maintain on land? If you have 50 acres, why not just mow 50 feet out all the way around your house and call it good? Honestly I have no idea. I've never owned land but when I've mentioned this idea to a few people, including my GF, they all say what a PITA owning a bunch of acres would be. Sounds like not so much. |
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Well, my dad didn't leave me jack squat so I have no choice but to do it the hard way. Quoted:
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You're doing it the hard way. When my dad retired three years ago, he left the ranch completely, sold me all the cattle and equipment, and I maintain all of it now. Well, my dad didn't leave me jack squat so I have no choice but to do it the hard way. I think you read that wrong 
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I think you read that wrong Quoted:
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You're doing it the hard way. When my dad retired three years ago, he left the ranch completely, sold me all the cattle and equipment, and I maintain all of it now. Well, my dad didn't leave me jack squat so I have no choice but to do it the hard way. I think you read that wrong I see that now
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Ten acres here. 3 acres alfalfa/wildflowers, 3 acres moderate/heavy woods, 3 acres shooting range and creek. Five hours on the zero turn for well groomed or two hours on the tractor shredded sloppy & another hour on the mower just around the house. I do three thorough mowings a year without livestock. Cattle could take care of my tall grass up front. Goats could take care of my woods, but are non-discriminatory and would eat everything else. We like our woods for hiking, picnics, exploring & hunting — briars and all.
From the 100yd range in my backyard: 
That grass was over 4ft tall a week ago |
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I bought 75 acres of Arizona high desert and will be retiring there in 10 days. I can't wait! It's bordered by land-locked BLM land on two sides, so it's like having 1,300+ acres all to myself. I plan on putting in a few raised garden beds, but that's about it. Nature is a wonderful groundskeeper.
This is what I'll wake up to every day 
Land is the greatest investment, because they're not making any more of it. [I forget who said that, but he got REALLY rich] |
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Quoted: That's great advice. How do you find that classification? Quoted: Quoted: I'd buy a place that the majority can be 'classified wildlife area' on the tax rolls. No maintenance and no taxes except for the small portion with improvements on it that you live on. That's great advice. How do you find that classification? Check with your county assessor to see what classifications they offer in your state.
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| Land only needs as much maint. as you want to do. I live on 40 acres, the only maint. I do is grade my driveway and mow around the house. My mowing only takes me about an hour on my riding lawn tractor. I know guys who think they must manicure there whole property, I personally see no reason for that. I bought land for the peace and quite that town doesnt offer. |
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Quoted: I bought 75 acres of Arizona high desert and will be retiring there in 10 days. I can't wait! It's bordered by land-locked BLM land on two sides, so it's like having 1,300+ acres all to myself. I plan on putting in a few raised garden beds, but that's about it. Nature is a wonderful groundskeeper. This is what I'll wake up to every day http://www.ar15.com/media/viewFile.html?i=91655 Land is the greatest investment, because they're not making any more of it. [I forget who said that, but he got REALLY rich] Have you actually seen what you bought? Did you get the water rights with it? How deep is the water table there? Not trying to be a smartass, I'm genuinely interested. |
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OP, I am not sure on Texas but here in Ok I got an ag permit for 10 acres. I believe that is the cutoff.
It is a huge advantage as everything I buy is farm related and tax exempt. I fenced off about 6 acres and only mow around 3, the rest is covered by gardens, barns etc. My family has 160 acres right down the road, we do no work on it other then keeping trails mowed. Mother Nature takes care of herself. |
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I'm about 5 years out from retirement and thinking about where to live. I've always dreamed of owning 25 acres or so out in the country but I'm starting to realize that I'm getting old and not sure I can maintain a bunch of land at 60+ years old, by myself. I definitely want to be out of the city where it's quiet. I don't need enough land to shoot on, I have a great range available to me. What do you think a reasonable amount of land for an older person to maintain is? All you can. It aint hard to maintain. |
| You really only need to maintain your yard no matter what amount of land you have. That being said I'm on 25 acres but only maintain about 5-6 of that. Its going to be a lot of work in the future and one of the reasons I may move in retirement. I'd just be concerned with the amount of lawn, mulch beds, leaves etc. |
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You don't have to "maintain" it rent it out to a local farmer. You won't get wealthy, but he will treat it as if it is his own, since it is a moneymaker for him. This. My neighbor next door to my hunting ground hays my pasture for me. He really does treat the place like his own and I couldn't be happier with what he's done up there. He even put a creek crossing in for me last year. I've only got 50 acres but it's awesome owning it and I can't wait for more ground to come up for sale nearby. Here is a pic of my camp spot from last weekend and the beginning of what will be my shooting range: 
Wife's dog by the campfire: 
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