Never owned a compact utility tractor, yet

[Kan1ck]

I guess I will have to settle for a sub CUT instead of a CUT, and will definitely have to be looking at used instead of new.
I tinkered on the Deere site last night using their "build your tractor" and was looking at the 1023e and that tractor was going taller than $20K adorned with backhoe and front loader.
I also am not really overjoyed about participating in a grand EPA experiment with the engine being Final Tier 4, so that in itself is enough to make me hesitate on new.
As I explained in my OP, I have never needed to look into owning tractor equipped in the manner I described, so it is going to be quite a steep learning curve for me to become a "tractor hunter".
I have much homework to do on this.
We went back for a second look at the property yesterday and I began to have mixed feelings (sort of).
We met one of the neighbors who live next door to the property and they were warm and cordial (neighborly if you will).
Found out a few things from her perspective about the neighborhood and got a positive feeling.
But as I walked the property and house taking photos for us to review at home, I got a very realistic impression of just how big the projects of converting the pool into a backyard garden, taking out a failed Koi pond, uprooting stumps, removing a poorly executed rock garden attempt, and getting rid of a runaway cane break.......................would actually be. I came to realize that the cane break is probably the least of all evils in the line up.
The biggest and most critical of them all though is that pool.
As it stands right now, the pool does not even meet the required enclosure standards of codes (complete enclosure with self latching gate). There is a fence surrounding the pool on 3 sides only. The end of the pool nearest the house is open. There appears to be a stack of "wooden picket fence panels" under the deck at the back of the house that I surmise may have once closed off the pool there. This would certainly have to be addressed immediately upon acquiring the property. I can foresee problems with codes authority and homeowner's insurance company on that right from the git go.
Gotta go right now. Family matters require us to travel today and I have already tarried on the 'puter too long this morning (my wife said so).

 

[troutsqueezer]

Owning a tractor and having the land to use it on is the most important thing here. :thumbsup:
Find a house w/land that meets the criteria of the tractor you want instead of finding a tractor that meets the demands of the yard.
C'mon, its all about toys here, right?

 

[Kan1ck]

Owning a tractor and having the land to use it on is the most important thing here. :thumbsup:
Find a house w/land that meets the criteria of the tractor you want instead of finding a tractor that meets the demands of the yard.
C'mon, its all about toys here, right?

For my part of the equation, that could be a pretty good summary. However, for the one job I had to do in the past where we live now, renting a hoe/loader for a weekend sufficed to get the project hole opened up.
But this new situation will be (if we even get this property) different in that there are a few specific jobs that will have to be done, and it will take more than a weekend. And I still work a full time job, so I don't have unlimited spare time off from my job that I can just ply myself to the tasks continuously til completed. Plus, my wife is already outlining some projects she wants to have done, so that will become a balancing act.
The driving impetus behind us even looking at this property has more to do with the fact that we are going to move my mother in law in with us. She is elderly and becoming feeble and has already been diagnosed with onset of dementia. I'm not supposed to talk about that so you guys can keep a secret, right?
Anyhow, I need to tailor a tractor package to fit the property and its tasks, plus it has to fit into a budget we can swing.
As far as toys go, yes, I have my share of tools/toys, I just don't have a tractor/backhoe/loader/mower..........yet.

 

[MoMower]

I found looking at used machines was somewhat fruitless in that once I would have equipped it as a TLB and mower, the savings was small enough that buying new made more sense. Just a thought to add.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Good luck in your future purchases with house, land and tractor. Hopefully you can find a good deal on a used TLB in good shape. A good TBN member turned me on to a used deal on a B26 which I got for $20,500 with 60 hours on it. It and my RTV900 are my two great finds on used. Most folks start looking at used and soon find like MoMower that the used are prices similar to new but financing a used tractor will cost more interest than you will save over new pricing with 0% interest financing. If you have cash laying around to pay for a used tractor it can be a good deal sometimes (unless the owner wants all his money back which most of them seem to think they are entitled too).

I love being able to just go to my shop, get on my TLB and do some little 10 minute to half hour project that needs doing but would never get done if I had to rent equipment, so I think you are on the right track to buy what you need. I have put almost 300 hours on my B26 since I bought it in 2012. I still have less than 100 on my P7010 bought new in 2010. The little TLB is just perfect for most of my chores and even though my LS has cab and air, it is used only for bush hogging and tilling operations and everything else is done with the B26. If you can find a B series TLB, it will give you a bit more capacity than a BX for about the same price. They wont be a B26 in capacity but will be better than a BX. The B26XX or B29XX series tractors will do well when it comes to backfilling that pool. That is what I would do if I were you, just fill it in with dirt, maybe chip off a foot or so of the top rim.
I kind of envy you all the chores you will be doing if you get that house. I have just about ran out of things to do around my place.

 

[Kan1ck]

Good luck in your future purchases with house, land and tractor. Hopefully you can find a good deal on a used TLB in good shape. A good TBN member turned me on to a used deal on a B26 which I got for $20,500 with 60 hours on it. It and my RTV900 are my two great finds on used. Most folks start looking at used and soon find like MoMower that the used are prices similar to new but financing a used tractor will cost more interest than you will save over new pricing with 0% interest financing. If you have cash laying around to pay for a used tractor it can be a good deal sometimes (unless the owner wants all his money back which most of them seem to think they are entitled too).

I love being able to just go to my shop, get on my TLB and do some little 10 minute to half hour project that needs doing but would never get done if I had to rent equipment, so I think you are on the right track to buy what you need. I have put almost 300 hours on my B26 since I bought it in 2012. I still have less than 100 on my P7010 bought new in 2010. The little TLB is just perfect for most of my chores and even though my LS has cab and air, it is used only for bush hogging and tilling operations and everything else is done with the B26. If you can find a B series TLB, it will give you a bit more capacity than a BX for about the same price. They wont be a B26 in capacity but will be better than a BX. The B26XX or B29XX series tractors will do well when it comes to backfilling that pool. That is what I would do if I were you, just fill it in with dirt, maybe chip off a foot or so of the top rim.
I kind of envy you all the chores you will be doing if you get that house. I have just about ran out of things to do around my place.

Well, the first course of business is to see whether or not we actually acquire this property.
And even though we feel a sense of urgency in getting the three of us under one roof, we still want to be cautious and not insist on this particular property "at all costs".
When we bought our current house, it was after looking for 3 months and we checked out a bunch of properties in 3 counties before settling here.
I credit my wife with having honed her " house shopping skills" to the point where this prospective property is already at the top of the list without us having any doubts about whether we really liked it or not.
Regarding the projects and chores. I have always been a busy bee person, so if we get this property (or a different one) it will still be pretty much status quo for me, as far as projects/chores go.
I have a lot of thoughts to digest about TBL ownership and will be testing the waters soon. I appreciate all the thoughts and suggestions put forth by everyone thus far. I am weighing them all and trying not to get hung up on any OCD line of reasoning.

 

[Cherokee140]

I just bought a few months ago. I have 13ac and ended up with the BX25D....many have said I bought a machine too small. However after using it for these past few months I have not come across one single project it has been too small to do. I am sure it would not run my old round bailer and such...but I don't do that anymore. I am moving dirt, planting trees, digging up trees, clearing brush. The more I use this machine I think the only thing it is too small for is some peoples ego's. First stump we dug up was about 18" and the hole ended up being about 5' deep.

The 2025 you are looking at is not that much bigger then the BX. Personally I have found the ability to squeeze the machine into small places to be very valuable. And doing the jobs when you want or have time to work on them is a huge plus. The one thing you should keep in mind is if you want to mow with the machine as well you want to keep it light and nimble as you can. Personally I am a huge fan of the little machines, what they can do is really just amazing.

 

[Buggs67]

I found looking at used machines was somewhat fruitless in that once I would have equipped it as a TLB and mower, the savings was small enough that buying new made more sense. Just a thought to add.

Same here. I found for just a few more $$$ I got new. And after I use it I could sell it and recoup most of the $$$. BUt I think pick your property, and then think about a tractor.

BTW, I wish I'd bought mine 10 years ago. I think of all the work it could have done and the back breaking labor I would've been saved. Better late than never.

 

[Buggs67]

I just bought a few months ago. I have 13ac and ended up with the BX25D....many have said I bought a machine too small. However after using it for these past few months I have not come across one single project it has been too small to do. I am sure it would not run my old round bailer and such...but I don't do that anymore. I am moving dirt, planting trees, digging up trees, clearing brush. The more I use this machine I think the only thing it is too small for is some peoples ego's. First stump we dug up was about 18" and the hole ended up being about 5' deep.

The 2025 you are looking at is not that much bigger then the BX. Personally I have found the ability to squeeze the machine into small places to be very valuable. And doing the jobs when you want or have time to work on them is a huge plus. The one thing you should keep in mind is if you want to mow with the machine as well you want to keep it light and nimble as you can. Personally I am a huge fan of the little machines, what they can do is really just amazing.

Check out 4shorts BX25D.

Also there is the Kioti CS2410.

 

[GPintheMitten]

It might take a while to find the right deal, but I bought used with only about 115 hours. In my case it was a B2620 with a mmm and loader. I have recently added a BH6500 backhoe that was never used by the original owner.

I see others once in a while for sale on Craigslist. When you're ready, try using SearchTempest to expand the cities to search in.

People buy stuff and then change their minds to buy bigger, smaller or just get rid of it. In my case, I saved a lot of money.

As to size, I would think a BX or similar size in other brands would be fine for what you described.

As far as I know, for the pool, you pull the liner and demo the sides (maybe galvanized metal panels about 3 feet tall all around), then back fill. I helped my FIL put in an inground pool 30 years ago, The sides were as described and the bottom and tapered sides were sand screeded and worked like concrete. Then a plastic liner covered everything. A mechanical or hydraulic thumb would come in handy for the demo.

By the way, nice job on the water management on the current house.