# I think I may sell the farm **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 28, 2019, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656 "2019-05-28T16:56:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/1 "2019-05-28T16:56:38Z")
It is located in Central Utah. Approximately 40 acres, engulfing the whole valley floor. Complete with year round stream. Of which there are water rights. It is surrounded by BLM land. There are thousands of acres of BLM land behind the parcel. The only access is through my land. Basically virgin pine and juniper forest. Nearest town is eight miles away. Although there is no electricity, the deed guarantees a water tap from a spring up the canyon. Currently it is leased to a neighbor. He has horses on it and makes use of the water rights for his farm downstream. I think it is a paradise. The locals don’t think so because they have grown up with this beautiful area. So, advertising locally will not yield a good price. I would like to market it, but I have no idea on how to reach an interested buyer. Anyone here have any ideas? As always, thank you in advance for your assistance. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/2 "2019-05-28T17:22:55Z")
**Moderator Action** Since this is more advice and opinion territory than factual, let’s move it to IMHO (from GQ). ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/3 "2019-05-28T17:42:31Z")
It sounds lovely. However, I’m not ready to buy the farm just yet. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/4 "2019-05-28T17:55:59Z")
It’s not a farm, Brenda! That’s a ranch. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/5 "2019-05-28T18:21:25Z")
You can try “for Sale By Owner” sites. You can also put a hefty price on it if you want so that the locals will ignore it. Properties from listings can wind up on “LandsofAmerica” or “LandWatch”, maybe you can check with a local realtor to make sure their listings show up on those two sites. There are probably some “prepper” web sites that you can explore as this sounds like something that would interest that type. I wonder what you consider a good price; if you put a higher than market price on it, even those from out of town will compare yours to the piece down the road. So I’m not really sure how you can guarantee that you will get substantially more money out of it than any other property in that area. BTW: 40 acres sounds like a very small “whole valley floor” ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/6 "2019-05-29T16:52:04Z")
Are there any structures on the property? Is the neighbor raising the horses to sell professionally or is it more of a hobby ranch? Any broad guesses of the value? A $50k property 8 hours from the nearest Trader Joe’s is a lot different than a $1.5M plot 30 minutes from Salt Lake City. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/7 "2019-05-29T17:10:15Z")
> [@harmonicamoon](#): > > It is surrounded by BLM land. There are thousands of acres of BLM land behind the parcel. So that’s where all the _Black Lives Matter_ money went. _Bureau of Land Management_ ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/8 "2019-05-29T17:16:28Z")
I’d consider it but a little skint, will you take the contents of my pockets? Lands of America is pretty well known, not sure how quickly things move. If you have a lot of deer and stuff, post pics in your listing. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/9 "2019-05-29T17:20:20Z")
People from afar aren’t normally willing to pay above market prices, just because it may appear beautiful to them. Normally, buyers will look at what nearby property sold per acre within the last 5 years or so. Once they have established a certain range of price per acre, that’s where they are going to start negotiating. They will look to see if there are any variations between the comparable properties and the property you are selling, such as a access to water, easements that your property has granted to others, etc. These will be pluses and minuses. Before you list your property, you should do the research to determine what similar properties in your area have sold for. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/10 "2019-05-29T17:56:33Z")
It sounds like the perfect place for someone who wants to get away from it all, at least for a while, and perhaps raise horses or cattle. You need to advertise it someplace where 1) people are tired of living in a major metropolitan area and B) they have more money than they know what to do with. Silicon Valley springs to mind… any chance there’s an internet connection available (besides satellite access)? ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/11 "2019-05-29T18:25:40Z")
Has there been a perc test and/or permission for a septic system? How far is it to bring in electricity or does it have to be strictly off grid? Can you put a mobile home on it or does it have to be stick built? Any improvements on the land like fencing or structures or a road brought in to access it? Do you have clear right of way to the nearest road? Does the neighbor have an agreement with you to use your grazing or is that revocable by a new owner? All these things will affect the value and desirability of the property. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/12 "2019-05-29T18:51:47Z")
We’ve been trying to sell out 40 acres in Southern Colorado (eastside of the mountains). We’ve tried Craigslist but only seem to get the dregs of society looking for free land. We tried a realtor but they were whiny little bitches that didn’t want to drive dirt county roads to look at it. If you find a good answer let me know. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/13 "2019-05-29T21:47:16Z")
The issue with selling remote rural land is that it takes time. You may only get one or two showings over a 6 month period. But when you get those showings, you know they are interested otherwise they wouldn’t be looking. You don’t get realtors taking buyers to go look at 40 acres like you would showing 7 houses in a day to potential buyers relocating to a city. For the **harmonicamoon** and **Saint Cad** , how did you find the property you own now? How long had it been on the market? What motivated you to purchase it? Those answers are probably how and why the nest person is going to find and purchase it from you. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2019, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/14 "2019-05-29T22:45:38Z")
If those 40 acres were in Oregon we might have something to talk about. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/15 "2019-05-30T17:50:23Z")
Thank you for the replies. It is difficult to compare this parcel with similar parcels because it is _unique_. Maybe you should reread the OP. Obvious the problem is mine. I consider it a paradise. Nothing else like it. With some massive recent hospital stays, I was thinking of selling it. But, alas it is in the black. With the lease payments, I can pay for taxes and water assessments. and still have some cash. I have put my daughter’s name on it. When I croak, she plans on donating it to the Nature Conservancy. All is good. Thanks again to all. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2019, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/16 "2019-06-01T02:12:38Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > For the **harmonicamoon** and **Saint Cad** , how did you find the property you own now? How long had it been on the market? What motivated you to purchase it? Those answers are probably how and why the nest person is going to find and purchase it from you. From a friend. It was a great camping getaway when living in the Springs but too far away now to be practical. For the comment about hiring realtors, I hired realtors that specifically handle land sales. They’re just lazy. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2019, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/17 "2019-06-20T05:49:43Z")
There once was a dog from Arkansas Who ended up on the wrong side of the law To pay off the Mob He’d work with the log As a lumberjack, he’d Bark and Saw ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2019, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/18 "2019-06-20T06:07:18Z")
I suggest negotiating a lease to own agreement with the neighbor. He’s already leasing and values the use of the land. Work out a price, down payment, and new lease that will eventually transfer ownership. I learned years ago that banks are reluctant to loan on vacant land. Especially land with no utilities or sewer connection. I wanted to build on two vacant lots that I had purchased with cash. I applied for a construction loan and was turned down by several banks. I eventually gave up my dream of a custom home and sold the land. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2019, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-i-may-sell-the-farm/834656/19 "2019-06-20T06:57:50Z")
It’s good that you have a solution. Note that in Utah the water rights are what’s important. My father had 30 acres of farm land in central Utah from where he was born, but not the water rights. My mother simply defaulted on taxes because trying to sell it without water was impossible.