I made this suggestion at least 4-5 times over the years..............

bswiv

Now is not the time.......but......it may just be in a year or so.

Rather than lease......BUY!

Sure.....it's a bit difficult, but it can be done. 

MCSHunter

My wife just retired last week so we are now looking for that perfect place in or around Thomasville Ga. It is hard in this crazy market since we live in south Dade County. By the time a property is listed, it' sold. 

bswiv

MCSHunter said:

My wife just retired last week so we are now looking for that perfect place in or around Thomasville Ga. It is hard in this crazy market since we live in south Dade County. By the time a property is listed, it' sold. 

As noted......now is not the time to buy. It's going to crash.......well.......at least history says it will.

And I would note this: Timberland at the prices being asked for now will not produce a positive cash flow. This being so once the upward pressure caused by speculation and escaping Yankees ( Some foreign action too. ) settles to a more reasonable level timberland will come down.

In 2008-9 land prices halved in places.

swampdog

“If I’d have known then what I know now, I would have done exactly that.” Solid advice, if the time is right and as you say the land resources will help fund the purchase. 

bswiv

swampdog said:

“If I’d have known then what I know now, I would have done exactly that.” Solid advice, if the time is right and as you say the land resources will help fund the purchase. 

If I'd not been such a coward we'd of done better........but we did okay.

My guess is that now is the time to scrimp and save and add to the pile in every way possible, along with reducing debt and cleaning up credit such that the powder is as dray as possible when it appears it's time to pull the trigger.

1-2 years........when it looks really bad.......buy.

And when the idea fails: Do not call me!

Floridahunt

I’m glad I got a home at the right time after the last boom ended so I didn’t have to deal with the current realty mess. I’ve been looking at land lately, I want a cabin in the woods. I’m watching prices and I have my eye on a few properties but I wont be seriously looking until mid next year.

Ruff One

I've always thought about answering your post on land ownership. My hunting history is probably no different then almost everyone on this forum. As a teen I hunted deer west of what's now Davie. Hunted all the south Fla. management areas. Started hunting toward the central areas. Hunted a Mormon lease. Got a GA. lease. Got an AL. one. My wife finally said" how much money are you spending on hunting. That's when a light finally went off in my head. Go buy land. Long story made short. I lucked out on a purchase in NE MO. Bought it 22 years ago. It's probably the best 80 acres in the US. I can do what I want. It's mine. Food plots. Deer management. Shot does when needed. Timber thinning. Every summer I have a skid steer and bulldozer come and do a project on my land. I have a two story house. Can do work on it. The key here is it's mine. The hunting. I have the chance of killing a BC buck at any time. We management our bucks. Turkey hunting is great. I know it's not for everyone but I wasn't sure if it was right for me. All I can say is I am so glad I pulled the trigger 22 years ago.

MCSHunter

I don't much care about the property creating any income. Just want a place where I can hunt deer and turkey on my own property. I am tired of playing this FWC Sp Opp and quota mess. I have killed a huge pile of deer from the Big cypress to Tallahassee. It is time for a little sitting on the back porch.

Ruff One

It has to be a large amount of land to produce income. And at today's prices large amounts are generally out.

OGBOHICA

Buy a small pc next to a big open WMA Or forest..if you cant afford a big pc

swampdog

I agree. Also have considered doing what Bohica said. At least you’ll be close to large parcels you can hunt on; possibly during the week. 

Turner River Terror

I kinda did it a bit different...
I've only got 10 acres but I have over 100 all around my house nobody hunts but me . An out of Town elderly owner that I've never even met and he's never been here. He bought it for the Timber 30 years ago and cut that and he's never been back.
The Big draw is my Lease that starts at my back fence and cost me $ 1,450 a Year . I'm on it 3 or 4 times a week all year long and it's 93 Thousand acres so I ain't gonna run out of room.
I kinda think to Manage Deer you need either 500 acres or great neighbors that think like you ...Good luck with that
Somebodys Grandkids always gotta shoot their first Buck and it'll end up being that big 8 you been letting grow..

altuck

I lucked out about 5 years ago found 60 acres, 30 minutes from home.
Terrible piece of property, sandwiched between interstate and railroad track
and subdivision of 5-10 acre tracts, wetlands, not worth much.

I work it, planting food plots and persimmon trees, fertilizing native browse.

I draw deer from neighboring property and every year I shoot 3 or 4 deer,
no trophies but good eating. and when I want to get away from home,
I tell my wife "got to work on the farm"

Pinman

If you wait until you can afford to;
   - Get Married
   - Have kids
 or Buy real estate, you'll never do it.

My Dad's boss, who started Pantry Pride and JM Fields, owned 56,000 acres west of West Palm Beach and started the city of Royal Palm Beach in it. 

One of the best pieces of advice he gave me was "You will always make money with land....IF....you can hold on to it. 

OGBOHICA

Too bad he didnt keep it un developed!

lilwoody

I got this place in Pisgah National Forest 10 years ago. Sits on 10 acres and was less than the open fisherman I was looking at. Best money I've spent, especiallysince Florida fishing rules are geared towards catch and release. Heading up Monday to see about culling the turkey herd and check on the pet Rainbows.

bswiv

lilwoody said:

I got this place in Pisgah National Forest 10 years ago. Sits on 10 acres and was less than the open fisherman I was looking at. Best money I've spent, especiallysince Florida fishing rules are geared towards catch and release. Heading up Monday to see about culling the turkey herd and check on the pet Rainbows.

Is it as nice a escape there in August as I'm imagining it is? 

Pinman

OGBOHICA said:

Too bad he didnt keep it un developed!

All about the Benjamins....

lilwoody

Yup at 3600 ft elevation it might hit 85 in the sun, on the hottest day of the year. Move into the shade and it will be 75. I've never sen it above 65 at night, ever. I have seen it below 10, plenty.

FloridaOD

Great idea and thank you Ben for your continued posting on this.
Maybe consider getting together with a couple of friends, buddies and pooling resources for a down payment, finance the balance. Pay the mortgage with monies that would have otherwise gone to Lease dues. 

Consider purchasing adjacent to existing preserved conservation lands. 

Ha!...... everybody wants a ten acre parcel bordering a WMA. 

Don’t forget about purchasing adjacent to lands that are protected by conservation easement.

After a long search I managed to purchase a small acreage parcel within a Florida National Forest. “ Inholding”.
Great private camp, step off the property on to National Forest Land.

Turner River Terror

I could never afford to buy my Lease...so for a Grand or so I can hunt it , Put in Plots and hang Stands everywhere. Got about a dozen out now.
Hunting pressure is low and I'm content...but one of the few sadly.
Times have changed for sure.

hoggator

Personally , I would  never pay SoFL lease prices. If I pay that type of money I want a deed to go with it. Even if it’s financed.  I understand how it works with supply & demand, travel expenses to go cheaper , … If I even considered paying that type of $$$ for hunting, it would be a out of state dream hunt. I’ll just stick with the WMA’s & some of the frustration that comes with them. Everyone once in a while, you actually have great experiences out there & you earn them. 

Pinman

If you go the buying a piece of land with others route, be careful, VERY careful who you go into a partnership with. You are putting alot of the risk in someone elses hands. I had a share with 12 others on a 90 acre camp. The Treasurer, the TREASURER, neglected to pay the real estate taxes. A tax certificate was issued, and the property was set to go to auction the ONLY notice of pending sale went to the new treasurer (me) because NONE of the other officers had updated their addresses with the state division of corporations. I sold my share the next year. Be careful.

Big Mak

I agree.  Any real estate partnership needs to spelled out in detail before the endeavor, and everyone needs to be on the same page concerning obligations,  goals,  management, buy out, and redress. Then stay the course with total transparency unless a unanimous decision to make changes arises. Those grey areas that are left unaddressed will surely muddy up the experience at some point.