What Mistakes Did You Make When buying Your Hunting Property?

[Tree Spud]

Biggest mistakes that can be made ...
- Not having an attorney review all docs ... you have no idea how many mistakes realtors, Title agents, etc can be make with improper and non-enforceable language.
- Trusting a banker and not getting commitments) it in writing.
- Always get a survey done on vacant or large parcel land.


After I bought biggest mistakes were ...
- Not screening property boundaries with spruce & red in the 1st year.
- Being the "good guy" wanting to fit in and trusting neighbors and giving them the benefit of the doubt when they should never have been trusted.
- Leasing land to a farmer for crops without a written agreement (see above for dishonest neighbor)

 

[Booner21]

I didn’t but almost went in on a ground purchase with my best friend at the time. my wife was strongly against it. I ended up buying my own place which was good as my friend and I haven’t talked in 5+ years. Amazing how life and goals change really glad I didn’t have to deal with that.


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[Garrett S]

Maybe the guys buying bigger properties get more effort. I was a $300k and under land buyer unless it had a house I’d want to live in on it, then I’d consider up to 3x that.

Congrats on your career and finances. Your theory is likely correct and I might as well be your lawn boy with that budget. I am trying to keep things less than 150k and was concerned with that despite assuming I was paid well and somewhat prudent with debt management and savings.


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[Garrett S]

Biggest mistakes that can be made ...
- Not having an attorney review all docs ... you have no idea how many mistakes realtors, Title agents, etc can be make with improper and non-enforceable language.
- Trusting a banker and not getting commitments) it in writing.
- Always get a survey done on vacant or large parcel land.


After I bought biggest mistakes were ...
- Not screening property boundaries with spruce & red in the 1st year.
- Being the "good guy" wanting to fit in and trusting neighbors and giving them the benefit of the doubt when they should never have been trusted.
- Leasing land to a farmer for crops without a written agreement (see above for dishonest neighbor)

Noted missed wetlands and utility presence on the purchase agreement already. Solid advice.

First thing I’m doing is meeting the neighbors. Second is posting it.


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[Wind Gypsy]

Congrats on your career and finances. Your theory is likely correct and I might as well be your lawn boy with that budget. I am trying to keep things less than 150k and was concerned with that despite assuming I was paid well and somewhat prudent with debt management and savings.


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I shouldn’t have thrown the house part in there. What I was trying to say is we were probably looking at similar properties that didn’t garner much attention compared clients selling/buying the million $+ properties that I saw that agent had listed. The property I almost lost was listed at $139k.

 

[Angus 1895]

I got land in unit 30 and unit 29 in Idaho.

U can’t archery hunt elk with unit 30, with a 29 tag. Or vice versa. It was not that big a deal when they let you buy two tags. ( when I bought the properties) .

Now U can’t . Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[Garrett S]

Random ask - How long would you think is reasonable and/or acceptable after submitting an offer on a hunting property through a realtor? (I’m also suspecting the current owners are Amish).

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Random ask - How long would you think is reasonable and/or acceptable after submitting an offer on a hunting property through a realtor? (I’m also suspecting the current owners are Amish).

I would expect the realtor to inquire about timeline for hearing back upon submitting the offer so you know what to expect and have a feel for timeline on acceptance/rejection, counter offer, or possible competing offer scenarios.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Your offer has an expiration date on it. They technically have until they or it is void.

 

[Garrett S]

Yessir. It was good for 3 days. Offer went in a week ago. When I reach out Thursday to the realtor there was a mention of Amish and brother who received the offer. Friday I was told they were discussing it and here we are today with no update. Trying to balance impatience with professional communication/updates.

No doubts that there are enough buyers and property interest that realtors can be as good/bad as they are with no negative results.

 

[Catscratch]

Lol, mistakes and advice are worth what you pay for them...

Mistake #1 is not buying more land when it was cheaper. In 20yrs I'll say it again.
Mistake #2 is going into too much debt. I'll never regret the debt I'm NOT paying on monthly.

Non-mistake #1 was building my dream home on our dream land and living there with my wife who wanted to be there as bad as I did.

I read an article about a realtor in CO who was placing elk and deer sheds on the land before tours. I've had very positive experiences with realtors but that is just plain crappy!

 

[b116757]

Lol, mistakes and advice are worth what you pay for them...

Mistake #1 is not buying more land when it was cheaper. In 20yrs I'll say it again.
Mistake #2 is going into too much debt. I'll never regret the debt I'm NOT paying on monthly.

Non-mistake #1 was building my dream home on our dream land and living there with my wife who wanted to be there as bad as I did.

I read an article about a realtor in CO who was placing elk and deer sheds on the land before tours. I've had very positive experiences with realtors but that is just plain crappy!

I’m curious why building your dream house on your dream property was a mistake this seems counter intuitive to me.

 

[Catscratch]

I’m curious why building your dream house on your dream property was a mistake this seems counter intuitive to me.

That was my #1 NON-mistake.

 

[b116757]

That was my #1 NON-mistake.

Missed that in your post

 

[Garrett S]

4 offers, 9 walked, 2500 miles, 3-4 dozen phone calls and at times felt like I was trying to push water up hill… and it happened. And boy did it happen. The phrase of “you’ll know when you know” is so true. I was ready to spend money in 15 minutes of the walk.

Hoping I am only posting in this thread for an update… not errors. Lol

 

[Triple C]

I'll 2nd Catscratch...Wish I had bought more land a few years ago.

 

[Bill]

I'll 2nd Catscratch...Wish I had bought more land a few years ago.

Indeed!

 

[AtomApple]

Or look for a Cabin on 2 acres, down the road from some big chunks of public. You’ll be able to sell real quick if needed, potentially income producing rental, can bring all your friends and not worry about them shooting “your deer”, give you a joke base to learn some neighborhoods and where might want to buy land, maybe make some friends who could hook up an off market deal

Shhhhh, don’t give away this secret. lol. It was a lot easier to talk the wife into a lake cabin than a chunk of hunting land. Tons of state forest and county owned land around to hunt. The only issue is, lots of other hunters too. You have to have time to do a lot of scouting. I have yet to harvest a deer up there, spent more time on improving the cabin than hunting or fishing, but I knew that goin* in. I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for major projects. Looking forward to more outdoors time.
FWIW: 2.5 hour drive from home, empty nester for 2 years.

 

[bwoods11]

I sell in real estate in Minnesota. Take pics of your farm every time you are out (all seasons) keep deer pics, trail cam/harvest, trees, food plots, ponds, habitat, heavy deer trails etc…

You many never sell, but if you do, those pics will really help you get the max dollar for it.

 

[Spike_Horn_Shooter]

Shhhhh, don’t give away this secret. lol. It was a lot easier to talk the wife into a lake cabin than a chunk of hunting land. Tons of state forest and county owned land around to hunt. The only issue is, lots of other hunters too. You have to have time to do a lot of scouting. I have yet to harvest a deer up there, spent more time on improving the cabin than hunting or fishing, but I knew that goin* in. I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for major projects. Looking forward to more outdoors time.
FWIW: 2.5 hour drive from home, empty nester for 2 years.

Sorry. I blew the game up!

Seriously though, I have 100 acres 3 hours away in NY, hunt public in VT by my house and hunt big chunks of public in Ohio while staying at an ABnB.

I might have more fun in Ohio. I can chase around whatever deer I want and if I screw it up I’ll just go find another one.

There is no stress with a small camper lot, and it gives a really fun atmosphere when you can invite your buddies and not worry about managing deer, and all the work that comes with it. Plus the more buddies you got hunting with you, the more scouting you get done.

This year I did pretty good, after striking out for two years waiting on a big one. But my group is putting together a plan for a scouting / camera trip in September to really get intel on some good bucks.