Would you sell hunting ground to buy a home you really want?

I bought 30 acres of ground with a fixer upper house in 2005. I've spent countless amounts of time, effort and money on the house and it still seems like a fixer upper. The hunting ground is decent, but not great by any means. No mushrooms, no turkeys. Just whitetail and small game. I don't know how to explain my feelings towards the property other than indifference.

My best friends mom recently passed away and he now owns her house. It's a nice home, better condition and location than mine. It was like my second home when I was a kid, I really like the place. He apporached me last night and said he would sell me the place at a VERY reasonable price. Of course, I'd have to sell mine first.

I have other (better) ground to hunt and spend alot of time hunting other property that my family and friends own. I'm just not sure what to do.

 

How much sense does it make financially? Room to buy more, land to hunt?

 

Is it still in Illinois??

 

Financially, it would cut my taxes and mortgage roughly in half. I could buy ground down the road, I have 40 acres now that my sister and I own in addition to my 30 acres/house. The only time I would miss hunting my current property is early bow season when I can be in the stand right after work. I wouldn't be able to do that if I moved, but my property has never really been a hot spot in the early season.

 

Unfortunately

 

If you can do it money wise okay, then i would. Better living conditions equals happier buttonbuckmaster.

 

Sounds to me like deep down you already know what's best..... Hope ya have some buddies to help with the move. LOL

 

sounds like a smart trade.

 

Move for the smaller payment. Then save that money. When you've saved enough... move out of state. :D

 

Can you somehow take on both?

 

No. Honestly, if someone buys my property, I'll be throwing in the house as a bonus more or less. If I sold just the ground, I couldn't give the house away. The taxes are too high, and its so rural, renting it would be difficult.

 

Unless I was really emotionally tied to the place with land (doesn't sound like you are), I'd make the decision based on $$$.

 

Here in PA in Lycoming county? Never. Elsewhere? Most likely.

If you truly could live without the extra space/land, go for it. It doesn't sound like you really need the land, nor do you hunt it as much, so I don't see a need in keeping it unless you don't feel you've fully exhausted the improvements you could make to better the hunting.

How much land is with the house you would want to buy? I know I'm not super fond of having neighbors after growing up without them, and now living my first four years with them, so that would certainly weigh on my decision.

 

I bought the place because it was in the school district my ex wife wanted. She also loved the house, I did not. I was gaining 30 acres to hunt, so I agreed to buy. We got divorced and she didn't want the house ( I didn't either, to be honest) so I got the house/ground. I have no attachment to the house whatsoever.

The house I'm considering is nearly the same sf, 10 years newer, more updates and move in ready. I'd probably do some painting, flooring but no major renovations are needed. The fact that its alot less $$ is a nice bonus.

 

About an acre, nice sized yard without having to spend all day mowing. The nearest neighbor is about 1/4 mile away and a trusted friend. The house is out of city limits but not in the sticks. Thats about perfect for me.

 

Bingo! Thats all you needed to say. Go for it. Good luck man.

 

I don't believe you need anymore convincing then. From the sounds of it, your mind is made up. Good luck.

 

Well it would depend on if you think you can sell your place. I talked to a realtor here about selling mine (I have a house on 37 acres) and she said it will be a tough sell because its hard (if not impossible) to find a bank willing to write a mortgage on any home with more than 10 acres so even if you found a buyer they may not be able to finance it without splitting it up. Maybe that's just here, I'm not sure but I would talk to a realtor first to see what they thought.

 

I've not heard of that. When I bought it I had offers from many banks, but I'm sure things have changed since then.

 

Depends how much trouble I'd have to find hunting land.