Look for Your Landing

A childhood dream come true… a leap of faith… especially when a major lifestyle change occurs in the process. Lots of folks dream of leaving the urban sprawl and get some land. But alas, why do you want land? Get that settled first. Why are you even considering spending a 55-gallon drum or so of real money on some remote tract of dirt and rock? Ask the average guy what he’d do if he were to win the lottery. Chances are he’ll talk ranch. There’s just something mythical about owning acreage.

It’s a throwback to our heritage or nature, a sense of adventure, control of our own destiny, perhaps a dormant agrarian gene buried in our D.N.A. Perhaps we’ve watched a few too many John Wayne flicks.

Ignoring the intangibles, investment means buying right and selling right, both of which require research of your desired market to make intelligent decisions. Undertaken sensibly, land investment offers very tangible tax advantages, not to mention lifestyle

“Location, location, location,” yeah, right, but it’s true.

Decide on areas of interest, and then read up on those areas. Read the local papers, visit with locals at the cafes, investigate census figures, and study water issues and availability. Determine trends, find locations of landfills, prisons, or other issues with potential to affect values.

Before you start investigating specific possibilities, determine your goal. Are you intending to simply hold the property for a profitable resale, or do you picture years of enjoyment with your grandchildren on your Ponderosa? It affects your decision. Then, as you proceed to check on specific ranches, remember that there is no perfect ranch out there, no utopia. They all have flaws. That can be a surprisingly hard concept to accept. But the more pre-investigation you do, the more likely you’ll be to locate tracts approaching your needs.

Then start looking. Looking is half the fun. Enjoy it! Figure on looking at dozens of places. They may not be making anymore land, but there are always more places coming onto the market.

Personally, I prefer the alpine country country of Montana.. a childhood dream come true and chose to make it home. It’s great and if the market goes south and I’m stuck with it, that’s alright with me. Quit looking for that great bargain. It isn’t out there. Sellers are sophisticated and know about recent comparable sales. But they’ll usually give a little on price.

Two biggies that we found (among others)

CLEAR TITLE: This is a b iggie… If there is a lien on a property due to non-payment of bills or taxes, the title will be considered clouded and you might not be able to obtain clear title to your piece of land. There may be disputes about boundary lines, or adverse possession if you have an unwelcome long-term squatter. In most cases, a thorough title search will uncover any irregularities, and the mortgage company will require that you purchase a one-time title insurance policy against any future issues.

WATER SOURCE: If you need to dig a well, consult with the local well driller. There’s a pretty good chance that the driller will have a good idea about how deep he’ll need to go. You will pay by the foot to drill a well, and it could add thousands to your budget. Ah, we love the well water…You’ve done your homework and you’re considering several places. Don’t choose it if it doesn’t have water. Test the water. Have your attorney examine and explain fully any easements and mineral clauses, and ensure that it comes with an agricultural tax exemption that you’ll immediately personally renew after closing.

How old are you? INot gettin personal mind you, but the older you are, you’re probably adverse to risk. Cash out. But you young studs all want it now. Go for it!Of course you can’t afford it. But if your wait extends to “one of these days” you’ll never be able to afford it. Take a chance. If you fail, get up and try again. ( See paragraph A above… a childhood dream come true).. if not now, then when?

Here’s how. Bite off more than you can chew. Try to have saved enough for a low down payment and the first of many long term note payments.

Sacrifice. You don’t really need that new truck, and a little overtime never hurt anyone. How bad do you want this ranch? Lease out the grazing or farming, as well as the old farm house and the hunting. Time seems to lessen the burden of payments. Meanwhile, on weekends or after your regular job, invest a lot of elbow grease into your ranch. Paint the front gate, grade the roads, cut a few kinks, and repair the barn roof. The grunt work will help keep you in shape. I know gazillionnaires who dig their own post holes. Get down and dirty!

Yeah, I know the stock market is nuts, and I’ve read the headlines about sub-prime markets collapsing. So what? If everything else goes to hell in a hand basket, at least you’ve got the land. So why look for your landing? Because land is a great American dream. Because it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to play, only guts and desire. Because you look good in boots and a hat. Because you’re a survivalist, a tree hugger, a cowboy (girL0, or a hermit. Because it’s none of our business. Take that leap of faith Go for it.

And speaking of going for it.. and taking a bite .. life’s short eat dessert first. In your intrepid innkeeper’s quest for hte perfect oatmeal raisin cookie… yet another experiment … courtesy of allrecipes This is a really moist, delicious cookie that’s also quite healthy so yeah, have some for breakfast.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup butter
* 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 3 cups rolled oats
* 1 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the eggs, vanilla and honey. Sift together the flour, baking soda and cinnamon, gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Finally, stir in the rolled oats and raisins.
3. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto unprepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies start to brown. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

Chew on that ..