# Talk to me of properties. . . .



## tinah (Feb 26, 2009)

SO we are FINALLY seriously looking, and there are two properties in the running. Property number one has 26 ac., 10 in maintained hayfield that yielded 60 round bales last year, the remaining land has been stabilized, swaled, ponds dredged last year, drive stabilized, property cleared to fence line except for 70 mature pecans that survived and were maintained after a severe ice storm two years ago. Probably $50k in heavy equipment work. House is 1500 sq ft, breeze block construction with cedar siding, woodstove heat, extremely well insulated with 2 beds and a study, but not designed so that it can easily be built on to.
Property 2 is 20 acres, mowed, trees maintained, no fence to speak of, driveway is new. House is 1100 sq ft, but with three proper bedrooms and kitchen is more accessible. But it's siding, and not as "unique". Also not as much pasture land. . .too much tree cover.
Our children are still small, a three year old girl and a two year old boy. They will eventually need their own rooms.
Any feedback, opinions?


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Have no real comments to make, but it may help to get some answers if you posted where and what some of your plans are?
For my own info what is "swaled"?
And how (or maybe why) would you "stabilize" land? Not sure on what you are trying to describe?
But hey, won't know f'n I don't ask....... :shrug:


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## tinah (Feb 26, 2009)

Swales are the areas that have been cut through a property to assist drainage, like the berms they put in to help retain a pond and such, or a levy, and in this case, directing a seasonal creek under the drive. 
As far as stabilization, it's when areas like the driveway have been dug out, dust and gradually increasing size gravel put down so it doesn't shift after use. I don't know if it gets done in other parts of the country, but our area of Oklahoma is mainly sandy soil on top of bedrock, so it's really important that you don't just throw down gravel and hope to be able to find it in the spring, cause it just turns into rocky, unlevel muck. Same with a homesite, or it just slides down the hill. 
Ideally, I want a couple of "flip" horses, not for the money, but because I like working with the greenies. Some chickens, room for my dogs to be able to get decent exercise. And maybe a dexter cow or two, cause cows are cool. Mainly, I want to be outside! a little bit. A small guesthouse for my family to visit, but several years down the road. A vegatable garden on a small scale. A place where my few friends can come visit "life in the country".


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## Tinker (Apr 5, 2004)

Only you can make this decision. It sounds like the 1st one has more to offer for what you are looking for. The house can be changed to suit, but you are pretty well stuck with the location. Is one more convenient to town/schools? Is one in a better area that will provide more resale value? Are there ponds for your livestock, barns & outbuildings? How good are the well & septic? How close are the neighbors in each instance?

You are very lucky to find 2 that interest you. We looked at over 50 when we bought in OK, but on the 51st, we stepped out of the car & saw the land, and knew we were home, without even stepping in the house. Hated to sell that one, but had to relocate.


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## tinah (Feb 26, 2009)

Resale on the second would probably be easier. But the neighbors are closer, and the area is a little wetter, and the land would require improvements to have it properly set up. Schools are about the same, as is distance to "modern amenities". Also the second is in an area where most people have trailers. Not that I have anything wrong with other people living in trailers, but it just seems to me that people around the first house are there for the long haul. The sole reason the property is for sale is because the owners are older, and he has had 2 heart attacks and just CAN'T take care of the place anymore.
Ponds are in good shape, one is stocked, and have had gravel put down on the banks so it's not slick. Don't know anything about the septic. I know the well is servicing 2, 3 inch pipes, one to the house and one to the build site. 
House two has more "curb appeal", but I'm just not sure how much stock to put into the ability to resale. And new build subdivision are starting to creep into the area, which would ---- me smooth off if I can home and they had cleared my neighbors' trees to build a neighborhood.


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## tinah (Feb 26, 2009)

In all honesty, the only reservations I have it that the owners aren't going to be able to get their . . . treasures. . . off the property. 30 or so old riding lawnmowers, trusses and frames to buildings, a trashed out mobile missing the exterior walls, scrap wood of all kinds, a dead project car. . . . unbelievable amounts of stuff. Possibly 6 or 8 semi loads. Some of it is going to take heavy equipment to get out, like the steel I-beam trusses that are 50 foot long. Nothing has been allowed to leak, and there isn't any old oil drums laying around or anything that would "salt the earth", so to speak, but the amount of sheer stuff that I would want gone before we took possession is amazing. 
I really, really like the property, but I don't want to get my heart broken because they can't/won't get it cleaned up to sell.


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

tinah said:


> Swales are the areas that have been cut through a property to assist drainage, like the berms they put in to help retain a pond and such, or a levy, and in this case, directing a seasonal creek under the drive.
> As far as stabilization, it's when areas like the driveway have been dug out, dust and gradually increasing size gravel put down so it doesn't shift after use. I don't know if it gets done in other parts of the country, but our area of Oklahoma is mainly sandy soil on top of bedrock, so it's really important that you don't just throw down gravel and hope to be able to find it in the spring, cause it just turns into rocky, unlevel muck. Same with a homesite, or it just slides down the hill.


Thanks for explaining......
Your "swales" seem to be our drainage ditches or run-offs.
And "stabilization" is as your example of a driveway the same building practices we have locally, just never heard the terms before; again thanks.

One of your other posts has me wondering (again :baby04: ). You seem to have long term plans for what you are wanting to do - why would "re-sale" even be considered????

As to the current owners "treasures" and the removal of, wouldn't you reflex that in your purchase price offer????


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

Around here fields with "swales" are called "terraced".

Some of the junk might be with a lot on Craigs list.......50' steel trusses aren't cheap.


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## MrPG (Oct 9, 2005)

You should be able to get at least $100/ton of steel, much more than that for brass, aluminum, copper, etc. 

You might want to estimate the total weight of what there is and assume $80/ton (given work you may have to do) for steel and then $200/ton (probably get much more than that) for anything that is a metal other than iron or steel. 

Copper pays at least $2 per lb, or in other words, $4000 per ton.

Who knows, all that "junk" may end with you getting your down payment back, in cash!

Here is a good URL for scrap metal / junk dealers that talks about the various issues involved in scrapping things.

http://realcent.forumco.com/forum~FORUM_ID~6.asp

good luck whatever you decide! 

Take pictures of everything on the day you view the property to avoid them cherry-picking and taking the good stuff - if they offer it when they show it to you, it has to be there when you take possession .


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## willow_girl (Dec 7, 2002)

I'd wait and find a place I just LOVED!


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

I am with Willow_girl on this, too! 

When DH & I looked at properties, it was with a different viewpoint (I am an RE Agent & lived on a 90 acre farm/ranch with my grandparents for the most formative part of my childhood---yep, got it in the blood and couldn't get it out). We discussed where & how much land we wanted, which priority was #1 and so on. For our use, 2.5 acres with a shop bldg & farmhouse would have sufficed.

That said, we began looking. We found properties with large steel shops (DH wouldn't go for that) & farmhouses. There wasn't a single property with both a stick built shop & a farmhouse on it. So, that quickly narrowed down our searches. I started pulling up only properties with stick built shops on them. We figured we could build a farmhouse... Since we had both agreed on what we wanted, we quickly became frustrated. None were suitable for what we wanted to do (grow a large vegetable garden, have an orchard, and raise chickens & other critters...also have at least an acre of forest). Most of the properties had wetland areas. I then started pulling up properties with mobile homes on them; figured we could remove it eventually & build... This one sounded interesting, terrible pictures, but interesting... The listing read to make an appt, so I called & the owner confirmed we could come right over.

1,696 sq feet remodeled mobile home including attached code-built office (with little woodstove in it)- all on concrete foundation
Very well built shop that was 2car+ in size (with big attic, too)
A double carport w/insulated storage room built in)
6.68 acres of mostly forested property (a lot of 2nd growth Cedars)
ZERO wetland 

I knew it the moment we stepped out of the car! I could see what we could do with this property & envisioned what it would look like. DH hauled off the scrap steel and pocketed some $$ We logged about 40 of those large Cedars and pocketed just over $9,000. Then, we dug up mature fruit trees from our last property and put in an orchard. Next, we cleared a spot and a neighbor flattened it & we put in raised beds (1,250 sq feet), then doubled that this year (2,500 sq feet), got our chickens (have 13 layers & 2 roosters), got the cute Mini Rex bunnies (11 of them right now---producing away for our garden just like the chickens). DH built me the garden cabin (still needs finish work) and we keep working to complete all of our goals. We have enough timber on our property to have a self-sustaining wood source to fuel our woodstoves!

We have lived here almost four years & I am very happy! Our neighbors are wonderful, help each other, and it is beautiful here. Good thing, I don't mind the rain.


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