Land for sale, would you buy it?

[meesha]

Happy Easter all .

Would be interested in opinions on this!! Will reveal why later ...

2 acres for sale, nice area but access is down 50m of very rutted puddly track then through a gate, onto the farmers field then through your own gate. This would mean in winter you would not be able to get a vehicle to the field and even walking last bit across the farmers field ..( prob only 10 metres) would be v wet .. he would not let u put down any stone or touch his field.

Also same farmer has a right of way through the field for sale, gate is one end, other gate opposite end of field, so essentially he could be going while length of it. Doesn't look like he uses it much though and he does have other access. Field has water . Would need fencing and old falling down stock proof ripping out

Would u buy it?

Thanks in advance, choc for all lol

 

[Hobo2]

Probably not especially if it was your only option of grazing. If it was a bigger acreage maybe. I am sure you could find better or just be happy with how you keep what ever you have now.

 

[Glitter's fun]

I wouldn't , no.
Too many future problems if you fell out with the farmer or if he sold the rest to someone you didn't get on with or who wanted to come & go through "your" field with dogs etc or who left the gate open.
I rented a field for a while that had a right of way across it to another field. My heart was in my mouth each day to see what had happened since I was last there (gate open onto the road, person using it to throw balls for their dog (!), next door's sheep in my bit - different thing to stress about every day). I gave it up - very glad it was only rented.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Happy Easter all .

Would be interested in opinions on this!! Will reveal why later ...

2 acres for sale, nice area but access is down 50m of very rutted puddly track then through a gate, onto the farmers field then through your own gate. This would mean in winter you would not be able to get a vehicle to the field and even walking last bit across the farmers field ..( prob only 10 metres) would be v wet .. he would not let u put down any stone or touch his field.

Also same farmer has a right of way through the field for sale, gate is one end, other gate opposite end of field, so essentially he could be going while length of it. Doesn't look like he uses it much though and he does have other access. Field has water . Would need fencing and old falling down stock proof ripping out

Would u buy it?

Thanks in advance, choc for all lol

1. Depends on cost
2. How desperate you are to have your own land
3. if there was much land around to buy around your area
4. what permissions or restrictions were on it
5. it there was good hacking around
6. what the ground was like
7. what maintenance was needed in levelling - harrowing- weeding
8. if there was a footpath in it.
9. what area it was in
10. electricity
11. who pays the water as you might have be latched onto the farmers water

 

[Above the snowline]

Are the fences in good order - good fences make good neighbours. The right of access could be a problem- imagine the mess in wet weather from tractors, trailers, herds of sheep and cows . Does the farmer currently own the field? If yes then he could of deliberately not used his access so the field looks good until sold. No vehicle access in winter could cause problems - vet, dead horse removal, farrier. It could work if you live very close to the field and have stables and a winter turnout area. Also think of the future- if the access isn’t used now it could be later. Who is responsible for the track maintenance and does it have to be kept in reasonable condition. Do you have shared maintenance of your boundaries-sheep and cattle are hard on fences.

 

[blitznbobs]

We buy a lot of land and this really sounds like a big hassle in lots of ways what if you need to repair fencing ? What about power and water? Not big enough to be worth the stress and hassle

 

[meesha]

Thanks guys, I'm asking as I've put a cheeky offer in as it has access to it from back of my existing land (small wooden sleeper crossing there at present so i would need to drop pipe in rean and make bigger crossing) I wouldn't therefore need to use the rutted track or cross farmers field. I know the farmers in question who has access across it and he never uses it as he has a different route but it wouldn't bother me if he did as I wouldn't be putting buildings up, it would just be additional grazing and if I sold it would be sold along with my other field which has road access, yard etc

Water is on meter but a mess as currently coming off my meter so obv not an issue there lol . No power but my stables have solar etc. Fencing no issue as I would only fence a few meters and take out stock proof and it has reans round it with some hedge.

Curious to see with all its issues if it will attract much interest as I've offered a low figure and no doubt they are hoping for alot more if it goes to auction...if it had good access and no right of way it would be worth almost double!!

 

[Equi]

If it has the ability for planning you may have bids but then access doesn’t seem easy so planning may not even be an issue.

 

[meesha]

You might get planning for stables but not sure how you'd access land in winter, def no planning for house!! Also you would need to make sure you didn't block farmers access !!

 

[ihatework]

As it backs onto your land I’d consider it if you can get it at right price.

 

[tda]

The thing is , to me it looses value because of the access, but because you own adjoining land it raises in value to you.
It's ok saying the farmer doesn't use the access currently, but what if he did start using it, weekly or daily, how would you feel then..

I'm considering approaching my neighbour about one of his smaller fields which backs onto mine. It is otherwise landlocked by his land so no value to any other buyer, only me, and I know his price will be a premium one if I can get him to put a value on it

 

[Rowreach]

Given your updated information then yes, I would try to buy it, if the price was right. It may well be unattractive to other bidders given the access, which is not such a problem for you.

 

[Glitter's fun]

Thanks guys, I'm asking as I've put a cheeky offer in as it has access to it from back of my existing land (small wooden sleeper crossing there at present so i would need to drop pipe in rean and make bigger crossing) I wouldn't therefore need to use the rutted track or cross farmers field. I know the farmers in question who has access across it and he never uses it as he has a different route but it wouldn't bother me if he did as I wouldn't be putting buildings up, it would just be additional grazing and if I sold it would be sold along with my other field which has road access, yard etc

Water is on meter but a mess as currently coming off my meter so obv not an issue there lol . No power but my stables have solar etc. Fencing no issue as I would only fence a few meters and take out stock proof and it has reans round it with some hedge.

Curious to see with all its issues if it will attract much interest as I've offered a low figure and no doubt they are hoping for alot more if it goes to auction...if it had good access and no right of way it would be worth almost double!!

Wish i hadn't bothered replying - complete waste of time, that's a completely different question!

 

[meesha]

It was the farmer who has access who asked me if I was buying it as he was worried who might ..(not his land obv)

 

[Barton Bounty]

Go for it, it doesnt sound like it will be of much benefit to anyone else to be fair
Is there no other access the farmer can get to the other fields? Like, he couldnt make an access through another field? No way round it?
That is something I would discuss with him. As I wouldnt want someone having access when I have my animals in the field….

 

[Above the snowline]

Sounds like the farmer is hoping to buy it and is sussing you out. It would put the value of your property up. It’s you against the farmer - land wouldn’t be of much use to anyone else. I’m surprised the farmer hasn’t trashed the field by using his access - thus putting you off and buying it himself.

 

[meesha]

Wish i hadn't bothered replying - complete waste of time, that's a completely different question!

Lol ..not a waste of time, I wasn't trying to trick you. I wanted to see if other people would be interested in the land !!

 

[meesha]

Go for it, it doesnt sound like it will be of much benefit to anyone else to be fair
Is there no other access the farmer can get to the other fields? Like, he couldnt make an access through another field? No way round it?
That is something I would discuss with him. As I wouldnt want someone having access when I have my animals in the field….

He has another access so doesn't use the one though the field I'm looking at ...but no-one else would know that !!

 

[Barton Bounty]

He has another access so doesn't use the one though the field I'm looking at ...but no-one else would know that !!

Thats good then. Sounds like a good buy for you

 

[rabatsa]

It sounds as if you and the farmer who has the access are the only two who would benefit from buying the land. Neither of you will want to pay a huge amount, so I suspect you were being sounded out as to your interest as to what sort of bid the farmer would be making.

 

[SantaVera]

No unless it's quite cheap I think it would be difficult to resell.

 

[Hackback]

We bought 2 acres of a field that adjoins our land, but the farmer charged us a premium for that reason. Not as much as he charged some neighbours down the road who bought 0.25 acres of the field for the same price as we paid per acre. The farmer's reasoning was that as their property and garden has frontage to the main village road and they have plenty of room to access the field from the road through their garden, that made their little piece of land a potential building plot.

In our case the farmer had other interested parties so we didn't have a lot of choice. Your circumstances sound totally different so I guess your seller can't hold you to ransome like ours did. Do you have another friendly farmer who could give you some insider info? We get all our intel from the farmer who empties my muck trailer!

 

[Above the snowline]

After eating a large lunch I’ve decided that buying it would be an excellent idea. So would bribing the farmer to give up his right of access. It would put up the value of your property and give you a lot of enjoyment. If you decide to give up horses you could let someone graze their sheep on your land so you wouldn’t have to look after it. It would be a pity to miss out on buying it due to a low offer. It’s worth far more to you than anyone else. At least land doesn’t break your heart and your bank account! If you go broke you could rent out your land and stables.

 

[PurBee]

In your specific situation id buy it as it extends your own acreage, as it backs onto your land.
I’d want to agree with farmer a designated path along the boundary the farmer were to use to access his other field off the 2 acres, and have that legally agreed and marked on the deed map when ownership gets transferred.
This enables you to easily fence the path off, if you were to graze it for any animals, to keep animals safe and farmer - and also possible future owners of the field If farmer ever sells.
The situation of verbal ‘yes you can access your field via mine’ could in future lead to grief if it is not stipulated the exact route of path of access, and that be fenced off. Insurances due to injury because horses ran up to person crossing field, and they slipped and broke their leg etc….could create a tricky situation. So a legally bound agreement pathway marked on the map, enables a path fence to be erected to keep people and animals safe.

If i was an outside buyer I wouldnt buy it for grazing, not with the terrible access of the rutted track. Getting deliveries of feed there would be impossible. Hauling bales in car or 1 large round in a small trailer per week in winter would grow wearying very quickly! I already have a hard to access for haulage trucks place, and its a PITA for large deliveries. Only ballsy irishmen with old large trucks who are well-versed with these rural tracks dare use them…but DHL and couriers with shiny new company trucks dare not even try! Having good access is precious, and so any land with really horrid access is off-putting to many, making that land a lot cheaper than good access land.
Also farmer wanting access across land will put many outsiders off, so it would be a hard-sell for many preferences, which makes it worth less per acre, even good quality soil land sells for half per acres due to public footpaths crossing it, than completely private land.
Im always looking at land for sale to see how the market is doing, and always the ‘too good to be true price’ for what seems like lovely land in a lovely uk county, ends up with most fields having public rights of way paths in them.

The farmer could get more per acre if he could use a different access to his fields, by not crossing the 2 acres he wants to sell.

Also, consider your own land layout - the access you would have to the new 2 acres - is that accessway fairly dry all year round? If not, factor in a few loads of road planings or whatever rubble you use for hardcore tracks, as that will be a godsend to access your new fields. I have fields that you had to cross to get to other fields…a long line of fields. It was a few years before i could access the bottom acres, because the larger main field was VERY wet and couldnt be used daily as a path to get to better quality fields below. I did a mega drainage job on that field and constructed a 100m rubble all weather track.
Even tho most fields seem fine underfoot for us all year round, as you know, once horses get using a track on the soil they soon churn it up, add rain, and bog-pits are easily created. I now make rubble access pathways and dont bother even trying to keep mud paths good and re-seed etc - there’s no grass species in existence with strong enough roots to withstand horse trampling it daily, no matter the soil or climate. Rubble access ways really are a blessing in winter.

For 2 acres, with access by farmer, if the soil is grazing grassland status, and i could use it 12 months of the year, i’d offer 8-10k per acre, considering the access issues and rights of way by former owner.
If its wet rough grazing, thats easily drenched in winter making it hard to use for heavy animals, and only summer use i’d offer 5/6k p/acre max.
If there’s a mature tree/bush boundary to the fields i’d offer a bit more per acre, than a field with just stock fencing.

 

[poiuytrewq]

No If I was someone else but yes if I was you!
I had a very similar sounding field. Access down a track, through a locked gate across someone else’s field and actually through a further 2 gates. It was quite a pita. Especially carrying hay etc in winter and once when the first fields owner allowed some colts to be grazed in her field.
If I had different access through there are a lot of security benefits of a bit of land like that. It gave me more peace of mind that the horses were safe.

 

[claracanter]

I’d be interested to know what the going rate. For grazing land per acre is currently? You said it’s worth nothing to anyone else but is of value to you

 

[Goldenstar]

Access to your own land , buy it .
I bought land last year four and a bit acres access from my land had to fence and put in water it was £20,000.
really nice shelter paddock .

 

[meesha]

In your specific situation id buy it as it extends your own acreage, as it backs onto your land.
I’d want to agree with farmer a designated path along the boundary the farmer were to use to access his other field off the 2 acres, and have that legally agreed and marked on the deed map when ownership gets transferred.
This enables you to easily fence the path off, if you were to graze it for any animals, to keep animals safe and farmer - and also possible future owners of the field If farmer ever sells.
The situation of verbal ‘yes you can access your field via mine’ could in future lead to grief if it is not stipulated the exact route of path of access, and that be fenced off. Insurances due to injury because horses ran up to person crossing field, and they slipped and broke their leg etc….could create a tricky situation. So a legally bound agreement pathway marked on the map, enables a path fence to be erected to keep people and animals safe.

If i was an outside buyer I wouldnt buy it for grazing, not with the terrible access of the rutted track. Getting deliveries of feed there would be impossible. Hauling bales in car or 1 large round in a small trailer per week in winter would grow wearying very quickly! I already have a hard to access for haulage trucks place, and its a PITA for large deliveries. Only ballsy irishmen with old large trucks who are well-versed with these rural tracks dare use them…but DHL and couriers with shiny new company trucks dare not even try! Having good access is precious, and so any land with really horrid access is off-putting to many, making that land a lot cheaper than good access land.
Also farmer wanting access across land will put many outsiders off, so it would be a hard-sell for many preferences, which makes it worth less per acre, even good quality soil land sells for half per acres due to public footpaths crossing it, than completely private land.
Im always looking at land for sale to see how the market is doing, and always the ‘too good to be true price’ for what seems like lovely land in a lovely uk county, ends up with most fields having public rights of way paths in them.

The farmer could get more per acre if he could use a different access to his fields, by not crossing the 2 acres he wants to sell.

Also, consider your own land layout - the access you would have to the new 2 acres - is that accessway fairly dry all year round? If not, factor in a few loads of road planings or whatever rubble you use for hardcore tracks, as that will be a godsend to access your new fields. I have fields that you had to cross to get to other fields…a long line of fields. It was a few years before i could access the bottom acres, because the larger main field was VERY wet and couldnt be used daily as a path to get to better quality fields below. I did a mega drainage job on that field and constructed a 100m rubble all weather track.
Even tho most fields seem fine underfoot for us all year round, as you know, once horses get using a track on the soil they soon churn it up, add rain, and bog-pits are easily created. I now make rubble access pathways and dont bother even trying to keep mud paths good and re-seed etc - there’s no grass species in existence with strong enough roots to withstand horse trampling it daily, no matter the soil or climate. Rubble access ways really are a blessing in winter.

For 2 acres, with access by farmer, if the soil is grazing grassland status, and i could use it 12 months of the year, i’d offer 8-10k per acre, considering the access issues and rights of way by former owner.
If its wet rough grazing, thats easily drenched in winter making it hard to use for heavy animals, and only summer use i’d offer 5/6k p/acre max.
If there’s a mature tree/bush boundary to the fields i’d offer a bit more per acre, than a field with just stock fencing.

Really useful, thank u, lots to think about ... I'm offering a good amount I think but still half i paid for mine a year ago (mine has road frontage, no access rights)

 

[meesha]

Access to your own land , buy it .
I bought land last year four and a bit acres access from my land had to fence and put in water it was £20,000.
really nice shelter paddock .

Blimey I wish lol...prices round here are double or quadruple that!! But I agree too good an opportunity to miss...at the right price !!

 

[meesha]

Round by us with road frontage you would pay £23 an acre...based on last year...and what I paid for my original bit of land... Not sure if prices have dropped a little in line with house prices ....this bit with bad access is half that