If you are trying to justify the cost of a compact tractor, don't bother, the truth is you might be able to keep buying $1500 lawn mowers and stay ahead money wise.
If you want to own a machine that will last many years, do more than mow your yard, then look at CUTS of SCUTS. I have about 3 acres, which really doesn't sound like much land, but when you throw in some trees, hills, and rough ground from moles, it just tears up a regular riding mower. My first one was pretty inexpensive, maybe $1200, and lasted 3 or 4 years. My next one was a Scotts, made by John Deere, and it was much better, cost maybe $3500. The problem with it was traction, I had a lot of problems on my hills.
I bought a BX2350, 60" mower, and front end loader. You get 4 wheel drive, a bigger deck, power steering, a diesel engine, water cooled, a front end loader, 3 point hitch. Like others have said, a 25hp diesel makes more power than a 25hp gas engine. That is an entire discussion in its self. If you have snow removal, driveway maintance, cut wood, do a lot of landscaping, move dirt, run a
chipper, run a generator, then look at tractors. The amount of 3 point implements is only limited by your bank account.
I feel like I wasted my money on my first two mowers, after 4 years, I sold the first one for $75, the deck was shot and the steering was shot. The second one I sold for $750 after about 5 years. I'm guessing I could get about 75% of the value of my Kubota of what I paid for it. I should have bought one when I first moved to the country.