Approaching landowners to buy land that's not for sale

dianaofthedunes · #1 01/19/10, 02:13 PM

Hubby and I are just getting started down our homesteading path. Since We only have a half acre, we're using it to acquire basic skills (gardening, raising chickens, canning and preserving, etc) in preparation for someday moving out to a bigger bit of land.

My job takes me all over our county, and I often see properties that look like what we're looking for. I've looked up some of them on our county's online plat book, which also provides the owner's names and addresses. Would it be weird to send these folks a letter asking if they'd be interested in selling some of their land?

Has anyone else done this, and how did it turn out? Any suggestions for introducing myself? Should I tell them what my goals for the land are? Specify a price range we're looking at? I don't want to sound like a wacko...

Thanks in advance!

Mike in Ohio · #2 01/19/10, 02:19 PM

I've contacted landowners before. I prefer to look up their phone number if possible and give them a call. I explain that I own property adjacent to (or near) theirs and have been considering acquiring additional land for our farm and wanted to see if they would consider selling theirs (or some of theirs).

If they aren't interested, no harm no foul.

Mike

chewie · #3 01/19/10, 02:21 PM

i did this. seen a barn with a house that was no good, but liked the spot it was on. the barn was good. talked to a fella who knows who owns what, and tracked down the owner. they are self proclaimed 'land hogs', never selling, but she'd take me to go look. after seeing the spot i asked about, she said she had something else for me to see--it had a nice barn, an older modular and a yet older farmhouse. long story short, this was how i got our property. she even let us buy on contract.

be polite, mention how you've admired their property and if they ever would consider selling, let you know. no harm in trying, it got us on a 16 acre place with good barn and all utilites already routed in!

and just because they haven't listed the place with an agent, or posted a sign, doesn't mean its not for sale!

TurnerHill · #4 01/19/10, 02:23 PM

Happens all the time.

I go one step further (and I realize that some people will consider me a vulture for this):

I look for landowners who owe back taxes, either on the parcel I'm interested in or on other property. These people can be especially amenable to selling when someone shows up with enough cash to solve their immediate problems.

Wolf mom · #5 01/19/10, 02:25 PM

No reason why not.

Just get your ducks in order first. Know how to write a contract, what NEEDS to go in it. What raw land sells for in the area, etc, etc. Know about water, electricity, surveying, etc first.

Let them know up front that you are NOT a realtor or working with one as many realtors write letters saying they have an "interested buyer".

And be prepared for many no reply's or just plain NO. Don't take it personally. - the more NO's you get, the sooner you'll get to that one YES!

HAd a friend that did that - saw an elderly lady trying to dig weeds. She was so frustrated she said "YES!" when they walked up to her and began talking.

MN Gardener · #6 01/19/10, 02:33 PM

DH and I just did this last month. There is a farm we drive by ever so often and always talk about how much we would love the place. One day when we were heading that way we typed up a letter and stopped by the house and DH introduced himself, told him if he ever wanted to sell the place to give us a call. The husband was really cranky, took the letter and said they were going to sell in the spring. So hopefully we will get a call.

ErinP · #7 01/19/10, 02:40 PM

Well we know all of the landowners in our area, so yeah, we've talked to them. But it's not like a cold call. I havne't had any experience with that.

With us, it's more like "Hey Sally... You know that little corner with the windmill you guys have up by our place? We've noticed you guys haven't pastured that in at least the six years we've been in the neighborhood... Would you ever considered selling it?"

Usually the answer is no. Most land in this area has been in the same family for a couple of generations at least. And, if it is for sale, it's because they need the money and it's a much bigger parcel than we could ever afford...
But it never hurts to ask!

BTW, I'll admit-- I find it amazing that so many of you don't know your neighbors!

farmergirl · #8 01/19/10, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErinP

BTW, I'll admit-- I find it amazing that so many of you don't know your neighbors!

I know, right? Maybe it's just me being a chatty cathy, but I have met and know well almost all of the people within a mile of our place. Knowing one's neighbors makes all the difference when it comes to comfortable living in the country

7thswan · #9 01/19/10, 03:15 PM

Sure, do it. We sold our land to a homeschooling family that wants to homestead. They wrotes us a letter and told us about themselves. Our property was up for sale at one price then the housing bubble hit, we sold it for less than 1/2 what we had it for sale at. If you knew what we lost, you could cry with me. But we took it off the market,leased it to them while they saved the down payment, they had a garden and built a small cabin for use during the day with the 4 kids. We sinse have fought the Law over it and Won and have sold it to them on a Land Contract. They love the place as much as we did, we just needed more land, and it all has worked out well. Good Luck.

**highlands** · #10 01/19/10, 03:29 PM

One thing not to do is be rude. I have had people approach me and offer ridiculously low prices for land. I politely say what I would take. I'm not desperate to sell and they get rude when I don't take their low ball offers. When they make unpleasant comments it doesn't help them. The oddity is they say nasty things and then continue making offers. Each rude remark just makes me less incline to sell and jacks up the price. I don't want a difficult neighbor.

ErinP · #11 01/19/10, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by farmergirl

I know, right? Maybe it's just me being a chatty cathy, but I have met and know well almost all of the people within a mile of our place. Knowing one's neighbors makes all the difference when it comes to comfortable living in the country

I completely agree.
Though I know everyone within about 15 miles of our place.

Then again, we're probably talking a similar number of people.

haypoint · #12 01/19/10, 04:09 PM

I have bought over 400 acres and none of it was "for sale".
In Michigan, I can get owner's names and address from the County Secretary.
" I'm interested in buying your land. I want to prevent development and provide a place for wildlife and wildflowers." or some such line. People are more apt to sell if they think it is going "to a good home". If they don't want to sell, let them know you are interested and if they change their mind, leave a phone number they can call you at a later date.

DAVID In Wisconsin · #13 01/19/10, 04:10 PM

I sold 8 acres once to some nice folks who just stopped by and asked if I'd sell it! Can't hurt to try.

littlebitfarm · #14 01/19/10, 05:52 PM

Before I bought the farm I stopped and talked to the old couple in the original farm house. He shot me a price but it was more than I could afford at that time. Bought the farm anyway. Moved a mobile home in and then replaced it with a house. The old man died (he was 90). His only son came out form California for the funeral. I had him up to the house. Explained to him that I knew it was the wrong time but I wanted him to know that when that house became available I was interested.

The old woman lived there another 10 years. I kept an eye on things. By the time she was 94 she couldn't stay by herself anymore and there weren't funds for full time care (they had already reverse mortgaged the house to pay for the last year). He called and said she needed to go into a nursing home and I could have the house for the amount owed on it.

So I know have the original house (100+ years) that belonged with the farm.

Kathie

Common Tator · #15 01/19/10, 06:13 PM

We got our ranch when we found it, fell in love with it, and spent two years talking the absentee owners into selling it to us.

And since we bought it we have received dozens of letters from folks who want to buy it from us. Many are form letters asking if we are tired of paying taxes on worthless land, (usually worded slightly more diplomatically). Those go straight into the trash.

Several have been offers for much more than what we paid. We actually did show it to someone looking to turn it into a summer camp, and our property was once a boy scout camp and still has some of the facilities.

If we ever get a solid great offer, we will probably accept and go find someplace with better access, better condition and in a lower priced area.

ronbre · #16 01/19/10, 06:24 PM

with the housing market as it is a lot of people have pulled their homes off of the market or haven't put them on..cause of the lousy prices houses and land are going for ....so sure..approach them..all they can do is say no..or yes.

however..approach all of your local banks first..and ask them if they have any available repo small farms or houses..esp in the really depressed areas..they have them by the tons !!!!

TnAndy · #17 01/19/10, 06:38 PM

BIL bought 27ac that adjoins us this way. Went to the county tax office, got the name/address of the folks up in Ohio that owned it, wrote them, and the folks not only sold it to them, but carried the financing as well.

Worst that can happen is they can say no, or price it more than you want to pay....in which case move on to the next piece !

Jennifer L. · #18 01/21/10, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haypoint

" I'm interested in buying your land. I want to prevent development and provide a place for wildlife and wildflowers." or some such line. People are more apt to sell if they think it is going "to a good home". If they don't want to sell, let them know you are interested and if they change their mind, leave a phone number they can call you at a later date.

I would never, EVER sell land to someone who had a line like that! That's exactly what the land speculators are going to tell you to get you to sell and then they are going to develop it or sell to someone who is going to develop.

Jennifer

fantasymaker · #19 01/21/10, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7thswan

Sure, do it. We sold our land to a homeschooling family that wants to homestead. They wrotes us a letter and told us about themselves. ............................... They love the place as much as we did, we just needed more land, and it all has worked out well. Good Luck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Common Tator

We got our ranch when we found it, fell in love with it, and spent two years talking the absentee owners into selling it to us.
...............................................
.......................

If we ever get a solid great offer, we will probably accept and go find someplace with better access, better condition and in a lower priced area.

Are you seeing a trend here? Go in person tell them what you have in mind and get to know them, It dosent hurt to let them know your resorces are limited but NEVER try to tell them their land is worthless.
The guy that wont would never sell his land for $2000 an acre and lose hs bragging rights will "GIVE " his place away for $900 a acre to help his friends that nice young family.

LOL Common Tater almost any farmland you go to would be cheeper wouldnt it? Personaly I think you have a miricle place!

Michael W. Smith · #20 01/21/10, 08:19 AM

It NEVER hurts to ask!

Once we had our farm, we knew an older couple that had 12 acres of land adjoining ours. For all intents and purposes, the land was "landlocked", no roads or anything in to it. They had inherited it from one of their parents who ended up with it because people owed them money and they just gave them the land to pay off the debt.

Anyway, I introduced myself to the couple and told them if they were ever interested in selling, to let me know. About 4 years later, they came to my house and asked if I was still interested. I sure was! The deal was made right then and there - $1000.00 / acre.

Just let people know you aren't a developer - you are looking for land to build a homestead on. While they might not be ready to sell now, they might look you up when they are ready if they have your name, address, and phone number.