You have to play the game. That’s for sure.Yeah we had a pool guy, a landscaper and a cleaning lady. Did it for years but after the kid left he was the messy one, he and his friends used the pool. And yeah three AC units running in Phoenix. What the hell are we doing here? The master bedroom had a side reading room. Not useful when there are two of us. It actually wasn’t useful before. All the furniture and the paintings and pictures. I just woke up one day and thought I’m done with this shit. This is stupid. So we moved to Missouri and got this place. 1500 square feet on a full basement so not all that much smaller but the basement is unfinished. One AC unit. We can clean this one our selves.That’s awesome. We have 12 acres now. Trying to make a deal on the neighboring five. We wanted 40 but this one popped so cheap we jumped on it. And honestly 12 acres is a lot of work. Once the cattle get here it will actually be easier.We started that plan three years ago. Sold our big house and bought the property (not 100 acres, wish it was) and built what we could for cash. Both vehicles are a bit older but paid off. The barns need some work but we’re getting there. Next up is the cattle. Setting up the watering system and fixing up the fences. Part of that includes clearing the pong perimeter of over growth. A lot of work but love it.If I happened to be in the top 10% I would have moved long ago.
Eh...it ain't that easy.
The Wife and I are in the top 5% but if we were to move that money flow would end.
Our plan is to make sure we're good with our savings for fifteen years,and when I say good we keep up our current lifestyle.
After that we keep pulling from our savings but rely on SS as well.
Hell,we spend less now in our fifties than we did in our 30's and 40's.
In other words we're finding that we dont need or want the latest and greatest shit.
Our end needs are going to be simple,50 to 100 acres of land how much really depends on what the piece of property offers.
A SxS side,a tractor with a front end loader and box blade,a pond with a dock,shooting range and a Barndominium with a large shop.
Yep....
We can sell the house here in Katy for easily 600k. It's way too big for the Wife and I and we only bought it because the Wife just had to have it....she regrets it now.
That'll pay for the land and the Barndominium for the most part.
But yeah I know what ya mean about loving it!!!
Our last weekend place was only ten acres but it had 100 yards of river front on the S Llano river.
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I kick myself in the ass daily for selling it.
But man did I have a blast improving the property!!
Time spent on the tractor was a joy rather than a job.
It’s fantastic out here though. We enjoy every minute.
We left a 5k square foot home. Like you it was so much work with cleaning and the swimming pool. No kid after graduation so a large portion was just empty. I was actually wondering what the wife would say when I suggested selling it and down sizing. As it turns out she was all for it. Best decision ever.
Yeah...
This house is just shy of 5k square foot and we bought it even though we had no kids.
Way To Big!!!
3 forken A/C units with furnaces to match. A roof that cost over 20k to be replaced. We pay for the pool cleaning these days and if I could dig the damn thing up i'd give it away for free I would.
Do you plan on raising the cattle for a profit or is it just for an ag exemption?
Depending on the acreage we end up with I'd like to lease out 20 acres by the road and let someone else deal with the cattle and I get the Ag exemption...plus a freezer full of beef.
I might have some yard birds and some Guineafowl to act as guard birds but other than that I want to do some Bass husbandry with crappie in a another lake.
I want to make some money with the cattle. We can run five here and keep them well fed. One will be ours. A full side of beef is plenty for us for a year. The other four can be sold. Luckily we have a breeder near by so I can buy calves and not need a bull. Don’t have to go far to get them. Not a bad deal. The sales can just go to buying more property and getting more cows. If I get that five next door I can have ten. Double my money. But it needs cleared out. Will take some work.
Dont really have the desire to raise cattle.
I see it more as an ag exemption.
I dont have to mess withem and I get beef and lower taxes.
Funny thing...when we bought the second river place the county adjuster came out and said we should claim the ag exemption.
Told him we dont plan on raising animals or farming and he said....thats okay,everyone out here does.
We actually told him no.
I'm not leaving myself out there to be nailed at a later date.
Dont know how familiar you are with small town politics and newcomers,but I dont trust em coming from a small town myself.
Our place is mostly county. But yeah, it takes a bit to get into the program.
Our place on the S. Llano was in Kimble county.
Only 6k people in the entire county.
There's far more deer than people.