People who've bought equestrian properties..?

[Gift Horse]

We have what I think is a big mortgage but a low loan-to-value. We will be renting one of our buildings to a furniture maker from July to help with the mortgage - yes, it was important that we could generate some sort of income from the place if we needed to.
We have a couple of old wooden stables for the horses - I would love a school but it will be a while before I have saved enough for the materials.
My priority was location, generations of my family have lived in the area and I feel a sense of belonging here - I am three miles from my mum & dad, sister, brother, aunties, uncles and cousins! The hacking is good, it's peaceful (on a bridleway so no through traffic) and I can commute to work
It's hard work nothing has been maintained and we don't have much equipment other than a pick up truck, post knocker, roller and hand tools. We are making progress though, we moved in Sept 2014 and we have already planted 1,000 trees and replaced all the sheep netting and barbed wire - we put electric tape on the posts most of which were sound (although we replaced a few). We made a start on the hedge laying in the autumn - ditches and stone walls next. I truly love it here even though I have just spent the evening returning next doors bullocks and fixing their fence!
Best of luck with your move

 

[Red-1]

We bought ours 17 years ago. It only has a couple of acres grazing, but it does have a small school and a lovely yard. There is safe hacking, but it is very limited. Small village, but no open land riding.

I don't want or have anyone on here apart from my horses, that was the reason for buying, but more importantly if I do then I may find that business rates on the stables and arena cost 10X what I would earn. That plus insurance, it is not worth it.

I love that the school is mine to use whenever I like, and in my time here we have produced 5 eventers, up to Intermediate and CCI*, even with limited facilities.

It is only now, that I have retired, that I really miss more exciting hacking. Having said that OH has bought me a 3.5 tonne box now I am doingless, so it is less trouble to pop him in and go hacking elsewhere.

Our loan was for about 70% of the house price when we moved in, but with it being 17 years ago the houses were cheaper then. The loan would not have allowed business use.

I would do it again, sacrifice land and top hacking,for the ability to see my horse outside the back door. I still would not want to have liveries.

 

[xch4r]

I'm so envious of all of you, some land and building have come up for sale closer to home than the yard. We hack past it so know it's well looked after, has huge barns and a good chance of planning permission for house and stables a but more land than I wanted but know a few farmers looking for grazing for their sheep so that could sort that out....but no way we could afford the mortgage, dad retires in 13 years, his mortgage ends in seven and sister is a carer worker in a home so doesn't have the extra.

How did you all find your places?

Word of mouth?

Internet?

Rural scene, rural and equestrian are good websites, right move is good if you know how to spot the houses that might have land and stables. I was just looking at rural scene one day as I love looking at all the lovely houses and imagining in 10 years that I would have one and what I would have. (I look at normal houses too... Maybe I'm just nosy, rightmove is my fave.) Then one day I saw our house.. Was on the market fairly cheap for what it is, in a location that was in the direction of where we would eventually move to. I spoke to my other half and asked if it would be a possibility. Said I would be happy to commute to work and that it had business prospects as well and he said that actually yes we could afford it and we could have a look at it!! We'd already spoken about what we wanted in the future I just never thought he would be willing to move! Couldn't be here without him. However we had to move from Windsor (lovely beautiful area with fantastic travel options and nightlife) to Boston, lincs (in the middle of nowhere, no trees or hills and it takes me 15-20 mins to get to tescos. You have to drive most places.) the sky here is beautiful though and I have taken some fantastic photos, because it's so flat you get some fantastic views and light. Plus the cost of living genuinely is cheaper than down south.

Basically what I'm saying is sometimes you have to wait for the right place and literally seize the moment and jut go for it! I was terrified at first as it was my first house and I didn't want to leave my work but I'm so glad we did.

It probably won't happen yet but just keep checking those websites and maybe one THE house will come up. Xx

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Rural scene, rural and equestrian are good websites, right move is good if you know how to spot the houses that might have land and stables. I was just looking at rural scene one day as I love looking at all the lovely houses and imagining in 10 years that I would have one and what I would have. (I look at normal houses too... Maybe I'm just nosy, rightmove is my fave.) Then one day I saw our house.. Was on the market fairly cheap for what it is, in a location that was in the direction of where we would eventually move to. I spoke to my other half and asked if it would be a possibility. Said I would be happy to commute to work and that it had business prospects as well and he said that actually yes we could afford it and we could have a look at it!! We'd already spoken about what we wanted in the future I just never thought he would be willing to move! Couldn't be here without him. However we had to move from Windsor (lovely beautiful area with fantastic travel options and nightlife) to Boston, lincs (in the middle of nowhere, no trees or hills and it takes me 15-20 mins to get to tescos. You have to drive most places.) the sky here is beautiful though and I have taken some fantastic photos, because it's so flat you get some fantastic views and light. Plus the cost of living genuinely is cheaper than down south.

Basically what I'm saying is sometimes you have to wait for the right place and literally seize the moment and jut go for it! I was terrified at first as it was my first house and I didn't want to leave my work but I'm so glad we did.

It probably won't happen yet but just keep checking those websites and maybe one THE house will come up. Xx

Thank you. As brother is disabled I have certain criteria, would want a house, preferably a bungalow so no stairs for him as well. I've seen so e beautiful places hat would suit us but in the wrong direction

It will happen some day

 

[MagicMelon]

mortgage: Yes, we are pretty maxed out. Monthly payments are a killer, but we were late getting onto the property ladder.

Was it important for you that the land / property could or have potential to pay its own way at all? Livery / holiday cottage etc?: No, I think its very hard to get a property to pay for itself by way of livery or a holiday cottage. My OH's parents used to own a house which had 3 holiday cottages and it was always a bit of a struggle as you had to advertise them etc. to get the business and then it was always very tedious having to clean them etc. and maintain them (which costs).

What equestrian facilities did you require as a minimum? Acreage, ménage etc.?: I just wanted land. The land I have isn't enough but I have to make do until we can afford more land with the next property whenever we can ever afford to move (would love a school as well - my ultimate dream)! We built stables ourselves.

How important was the house / location?: Not massively important, we really needed a big enough house with land and that was our priority. As a result, we live quite near a huge windfarm and on top of a hill so its usually windy and we get bad snow But I still love it here. Location-wise, we had an area that we needed to stay in for work.

How've you found managing all the extra space / land / buildings?: Easy as I already had land and stables at my mothers house so have always been used to maintaining it. I'm just bummed at the amount of painting of outbuildings / sheds etc. that always seems to need done every summer!

Are you glad you made the move!?: Yes, just need more land! But I would hate to keep my horses at livery and have been lucky to never have had to so far.