All about supplementation. If all I had was 5 acres I'd hunt it, but would do so smartly. If that meant going to public every now and then so be it
Sorry, I disagree. Supplement all you want, but I cant understand why anyone that wanted to hunt would only have 5 ac to hunt on.
Because something is better than nothing. If your choices are hunt your small piece of land or not hunt or only hunt public, that small piece still would be valuable to me.
I would rather spend my money on 5 acres than to least 100 acres because at least I know my money is not really just going away. That 5 acres will never be worth less than what I payed for it. That money spent on the lease is gone the minute you write the check, never to be seen again.
If you value hunting on private property over public land why would you find yourself limited to that small and area? My contention would be that your not working hard enough to secure places to hunt. If it means that much to you make it a happen.
Never said I would limit myself to that small of an area, but if the right place came up for sale than I would consider buying it. I would hunt it and any other properties I owned and I would hunt as much private land(without leasing) as possible and I would hunt public land as a supplement if needed.
It isn't always by choice....amazes me some of you can't wrap your head around that. Up until two years ago I had a collection of a 9, a 4, a 2, a 2.5 and an 11 acre properties. None were obviously large but still yielded some awesome bucks given what many would view as a handicap All of the above taken out of the same tree on the same 2.5 acre spot All of the above off the 9 acre. Again not claiming to have trophy ground but solid no doubt for what we got. It can and has been done by countless others as well.
Small properties can be jackpots. Anyone that discounts small acreage is just not used to having to make the best of a bad situation.
Honestly, when it all boils down, on a 40 or even an 80 acre piece of land there is probably only a few acres that are productive from an actual hunting stand point. If you find that in a small tract for sale, what's the difference.
I have hunted (10) acre parcels that some would sell their mother to hunt. I have also hunted (100) acre parcels that I would never go back to. The size of the land is not as important as the location and other variables that surround the parcel. With that said I would never limit myself to just (10) acres, but I would for sure put it in the rotation.
Let go to the land of make believe: purchase 5 ac vs leasing 40 over 5 years. Purchase price 25K, 1500 closing costs, 1000 yearly taxes, lost interest over 5 years on the original 25K.... 1875( that not assuming compound interest and assuming your paying cash and not holding a note! Total cost to hunt you 5 ac for 5 years....a very conservative.... 8375 lease price 1500 per year for 5 years......7500.
The proof is in the pudding: With less than a $1,000 difference, what do you have hanging on your wall at the end of the five years? I don't think (40) acres is near enough to hunt either.
Several of you are missing the question the thread was premised on. its not about making the best of any situation. It deciding what to purchase based on your CHOICE.
Re-sale value of lease= $0 Re-sale of said 5 acres= Purchase + increase in market value (they don't make land) Not to mention where the heck are you coming up with $1000 for a 5 acre chunk of ground? I work with assessments and taxes for a living and even 5 acres of commercial vacant ground would be hard pressed to cost you that much a year in IN....and were are not one of the nice states when it comes to property tax.
By a 5 ac vacant lot in states like NY, MA or CT and wait for your tax bill.....and you better hope there aren't any improvements attached to it like water and sewer.
I'll lay it out with the example of the 5 acres I just yesterday offered to buy: $3200 purchase price...let's use an insanely high closing cost of $1500....not paying interest as outright sale so no int. loss...TOTAL MONEY OUT MY POCKET FROM PURCHASE IS $4700. Current taxes on the property is $540 a year (figured incorrectly though so I would appeal this but using it for example) $4700+($540x5) = $7400 in 5 years time. Get a lease for $1500 like stated x 5 = $7500 I can re-sell my 5 acres whenever I want and make money on original purchase....again I AM NOT SAYING leasing is wrong or your idea is wrong...but neither is the flipside of the coin as well.
I don't know where you live, but I wouldn't pay more than $20 a year in taxes on unimproved land. Also after 5 years of leasing you have lost $7500.00. LOST IT FOREVER. The purchased land still holds value, and most likely will have appreciated in value you have lost NOTHING. FYI, I wouldn't pay $5000 for unimproved land in my area, not even close. $2500 would be a max so the investment would be less than $15000 after closing costs and only about $20 a year in taxes. Now, do the numbers. That's only $3020 a year with a return on investment at any point. The numbers really don't lie.
Your argument make even less sense. If your paying that little amount per acre, and that little in taxes per ac why would you set out to buy as little a 5 acres for a purely recreational purpose .... Go buy something sizable that is better suited for the intended purpose.
I get the distinct feeling this is one of those "I reject your reality and substitute my own" moments. Sure...it's only debt and money...more acres means you have more area to plant money trees on.
