Best Chance of getting someone to sell some land

[roadhunter]

I've never seen any dry ag land that expensive in Western Nebraska. Most dryland around here sells for around 1,000 per acre, sometimes less if bought in large pieces. 8-10k per acre land is in Eastern Nebraska and Iowa, not the panhandle which gets 15 inches of rain per year and has soil PH issues.

 

[roadhunter]

I have never seen this land but I can almost guarantee that 10K for one acre will be turned down. You'll probably get him to agree to think about it for 40k. Anything under 30K he will probably just smile and say "I'll call you if we decide to sell".

Like 95xl said, farmers don't buy land so they can turn around sell it, they want to work it and they want their kids and grand kids to work it.

Many cases the kids and grandkids leave. A lot of these old timers are selling out as they get too old and kids want no part of that lifestyle. Happens all the time, ma and pa move to town, nursing home, or pass away. Next thing you know there is an auction to sell the belongings and then the land gets sold. Sad but true.

 

[CTSNicholas]

Just thought I'd update everyone. I contacted the owner. The wife was sweet but said the husband was who I needed to talk to, so I got his number and asked when a good time to call would be. I called and talked to him, didn't want to sell. I asked if he ever changed his mind if he would let me know, he just said that maybe someday his kids will sell it after he passes. So, that's that. Feels like such a waste, and wish I just called them the minute I had interest in the land because I know after talking no matter how I approached it, it would never be for sale during their lifetime. And yes, it's dryland. No way in **** would it be worth more than 10k an acre to any investor. Period. Maybe 20k an acre if right in Omaha or Lincoln, but this is southwest rural land.

 

[/pine]

Just a suggestion...I did not see where the OP stated their intended use of the property...perhaps an offer to lease the land for 15, 20, 25 years etc. could be an option...if the owners are not interested in the money...possibly offer to (as per a lease) donate X$ in their name to a local charity, church, ASPCA etc., etc...

 

[bigtiller]

Small parcels of land are usually sold as building sights and the prices can get crazy high compared to farm ground prices.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've had my eye on a piece of land for some time... did not know the owner passed and found out too late...

Widow said she lost my number... lesson learned.

Still wanted it and offered 100k over what was paid and the new owner said talk to his wife after he is gone...

The reality is I might be so old that I'm no longer interested should it come up.

In the last 4 years land has doubled so it may be out of reach should it be available.

Keep in touch... maybe a car around the Holidays?

 

[ustmd]

My in-laws are regularly on the opposite of this discussion with some property they own in TN. They have ~100 ac and are regularly approached by people to buy 1-3 ac pieces. Their attitude is that even though the prospective buyers are willing to pay 30-40% over market price, it is not worth the hassle of going though a sale or the potential reduction in value of the larger piece of land for a smaller, one time pay out.

 

[MacLawn]

I probably wouldn't sell it either. Oh well, if you really want some land, keep looking.

 

[houstonscott]

Maybe offer to lease it for 10 years. You'd have you piece of land and he would still own it... Creating some income for him might be of interest. HS

 

[ovrszd]

If you are not taking from the main field and maybe making dealing with a narrow patch easier, you might have a chance. I don't think I would mention specific money at all in the first contact. I almost bought one 10 acre tract when the old lady who owned it had a reputation of running people off her property, sometimes with a shotgun in hand. I wrote her a very nice letter, complementing her on the beautiful lot and saying my wife and I admired it so much that we would like to raise our family there should she ever want to sell it. I included my phone number and asked her to call me if she would like to show us the property and discuss it further. To my surprise she called. She was willing to sell to us, even after telling a couple of adjoining owners to go to H*** (They had been arrogant and were being PITA's). We eventually couldn't agree on a price but I got closer than they did. Of course, one difference is I was looking at buying the entire tract. Good luck.

Everyone has a price. Obviously you couldn't get to hers.

 

[ovrszd]

Very good friend of mine, LARGE rowcrop farmer, has told me many times, "They ain't making any more land".

I own 170 acres. Few years ago a neighbor approached me about buying 6.6 acres off the corner of my 150 acre farm. I turned him away with his first offer of $20,000. He came back six months later at $30,000, I turned him away. He came back six months later at $40,000, I turned him away. He came back a year later at $50,000. At the same time my Brother had just scammed me out of $75,000 and my Mom out of $40,000. I called the neighbor and took his offer. Although it relieved me of the current financial bind, I regret it to this day. My friend said it was a good sale. But it still doesn't feel good and I think about it every time I look at that corner. "They ain't making any more land".

 

[oldpilgrim]

My brother and I are living on land that's been in the family for 200 years. My father owned it before us. About 25 years ago, before we inherited it, my father was approached SEVERAL times by a developer who wanted the property really badly. He offered my father money, then more money, then more money, then more money.

My father looked him in the eye and said, "I don't need more money and you don't have enough to buy that land."

Sometimes it's just not for sale.

 

[ovrszd]

My brother and I are living on land that's been in the family for 200 years. My father owned it before us. About 25 years ago, before we inherited it, my father was approached SEVERAL times by a developer who wanted the property really badly. He offered my father money, then more money, then more money, then more money.

My father looked him in the eye and said, "I don't need more money and you don't have enough to buy that land."

Sometimes it's just not for sale.

Yep. Having suffered the shame that I feel, my land is not for sale.

 

[95XL883]

Everyone has a price. Obviously you couldn't get to hers.

She wanted $40K per acre which some parcels closer in and in better areas were asking. I was offering $20K per acre (which was substantially more than the other two were offering. (I knew the other two and they were arrogant developers.) The real deal breaker was the per square foot charge sewer assessment that any new owner would have to pay and the ground wasn't easily developable. I don't remember the exact amount but it was expensive. She was a simple but strong willed lady and I let her get mad at somebody else rather than try to explain that burden to her.

She could be quite cranky but I wished her well. She was just a simple old lady whose kids were grown and didn't come around often. I hope things turned out well for her but developers and bureaucrats were lining up against trying to force development.

 

[95XL883]

Yep. Having suffered the shame that I feel, my land is not for sale.

There's no shame in doing what you had to do. Regret maybe, sadness definitely but absolutely no shame. Sorry that happened to you and glad you still have the rest of it.

 

[95XL883]

Many cases the kids and grandkids leave. A lot of these old timers are selling out as they get too old and kids want no part of that lifestyle. Happens all the time, ma and pa move to town, nursing home, or pass away. Next thing you know there is an auction to sell the belongings and then the land gets sold. Sad but true.

Similar to what happened to my dad. He was raised on the farm but went to college and got a law degree. Became a business owner but kept the farms and bought more ground over time. Most of it southern MN but had some in North Dakota. We visited the farm almost every weekend. None of us seven kids became farmers. I was really sad when mom sold the ND ground. She never even mentioned she was thinking of selling it. Suddenly it was just gone. I would have loved to have bought it. When mom passed and the decision was made to sell the MN ground I took a portion of my share and bought 40 acres in eastern KS. I'm on it at least once a week. Every time I see them, my siblings always ask about the ground. We may not be farmers but I think we all appreciate the heritage.

 

[KennyG]

It's tough to talk someone into selling. I bought a house once and the neighbor was pretty cold. I finally got him to explain and it turned he had owned the property and a family friend had talked him into selling because "they always loved the property". Then they built the house and immediately flipped it to buy the property they really wanted. We got along OK after that but it really bothered him that my house was there.

I'd really like to buy some land adjacent to my current place but the owner isn't around much, probably doesn't need the money and has a couple of deer stands on the property, so I'm not real optimistic.

 

[ovrszd]

There's no shame in doing what you had to do. Regret maybe, sadness definitely but absolutely no shame. Sorry that happened to you and glad you still have the rest of it.

Thank you for the kind words.

 

[ultrarunner]

My brother and I are living on land that's been in the family for 200 years. My father owned it before us. About 25 years ago, before we inherited it, my father was approached SEVERAL times by a developer who wanted the property really badly. He offered my father money, then more money, then more money, then more money.

My father looked him in the eye and said, "I don't need more money and you don't have enough to buy that land."

Sometimes it's just not for sale.

My Grandfather was this way... he did have to give up some land when the county widened the road... it left a small building site on the other side... people were always asking to buy and he refused...

My cousin inherited the farm and over 20 years has just about sold all of it... sad... in the family going back to the 1700's

He's been married, girlfriends and living the playboy lifestyle from liquidating 250 years of what are forefathers scrimped and saved.

So timing is everything.

 

[adventure bob]

Everything is for sale at the right price. Convincing someone to sell is a matter of finding that price. Convincing someone to sell at the price your willing to pay is a whole different story.