Baymule
Herd Master
Slightly hilly is nice, but lurching up and down hill isn’t too much fun anymore. Downhill-lay down and roll? Uphill-you are SOL!
Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along
- Thread starter Ridgetop
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Ridgetop
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Hills are great for views but not for every day feeding and checking flock. Wonderful as vacation property. Forgot to say that no AG exclusion puts property taxes at $3,000/yr. High.
Air BNB is an option but would not want to rent property for less than 2 weeks due to having to get someone out to clean, sanitize, wash bedding & towels, remove trash, make beds. and replenish TP, etc. Also check contents of home for damage. Would need to charge large cleaning fee to get someone to go out there to clean since most cleaning services want to do a lot of houses close to each other in town. Travel time loses them $$ unless you pay a premium for the time they would have to travel to property.
Has 3 bedrooms with beds for 6 (one bed is twin with trundle). You could replace one large sofa with sofa bed to sleep 2 more. But do you want that many people? How much could you get for it and would it pay for cleaning, and breakages?
Have 30 more days (until midnight on 30th day) to find and identify property. Maybe new properties coming on market soon.
Then went back to look at Highway house. 45.8 acres in L shape with long side along hwy. This would give option eventually to subdivide and sell off a couple of lots if we needed $$ down the road. Would definitely double fence entire front fence line. DH already looking into 6' deer fencing for perimeter of whatever we buy.
Hwy house has 4 offers already - listed on June 21. Also has a current pasture tenant for $1200/yr to graze his registered cattle (12-15 cows calving). He also keeps up fences, sprays pasture, and can take crop of hay if he wants. Grass is excellent condition. Owner's son is her realtor and she showed us the house both times and gave us lots of information. Lovely woman. She is moving into Sulphur Springs since house and property has become too much for her she says. House is in excellent shape. Allowing for need to update carpet and paint can be rented as is. Formica counters in kitchen and baths are in excellent condition so might wait to replace counter tops until we move in. Lots of paneling, brick fireplace with insert. Wallpaper needs to come down in bathroom where it is peeling over tub. and
Hwy house was built in 1972 by current owner and her husband, The farm was bought by them 65 years ago when husband came home from WWII. Bought with his GI bill through Veterans' Land Board of State of Texas. Her husband's family has been in Texas since 1830. She and husband ran a small grocery in Yantis. Their original farmhouse burned down in 1971 and they built this one themselves. Extra heavy insulation and ceiling (attic floor) is shiplap. As a side note the owner told us that in the side yard is a well (since filled in) that was used by travelers through area to water their mules, horses, and teams early in the 1800's until the auto age. Love the historical details supplied by the owner. Her late son wrote histories of the area and Wood county. Oversize attic space (standing height) runs entire house and is accessed through crawl space in carport. Duct work in attic can be moved to one side allowing full use of attic space.
DH really likes this house, as well as the property and layout. It is a nice open floor plan inside. Open floor plan is not my favorite since I am a more formal person, but as I get older I have relaxed my entertainment style, and since I will give much of my entertainment dishes, chafing dishes, crystal, etc. to DDs and DDILs, this would work for us. Nice size MBR has adjacent bath with oversize tiled shower at one end of the house while other 3 BRs and bath are at other end. Would give us an office and guest room whie giving DS1 a room and some privacy. We might live in this one while building another house on rear of property if we buy this. Then keep current house as rental for extra income.
Easy 10 minutes to I30 to Dallas. 8 miles to Sulphur Springs - Walmart, Lowes, shopping etc. 10 minutes other way to public boat ramp and park on lake. DH talking about buying boat if we were to buy this house - pontoon since we are too old to waterski anymore and floating on a big pontoon with friends sounds like fun in the summer. (Dana and BJ take note!)
Kris said house would easily rent for $1200. Owner said to check with her SIL (he is realtor in area) since there are no rentals available and would possibly rent for more. It is 4 BR 2 BA 1900 sf so nice size with small carport. Since we need to rent house for 2 years this is a good thing. As is current pasture rental since tenant would like to stay and doesn't over graze. Cattle fat and in great shape on grass. Owner says her husband used to cut at least one cutting of hay every year and ran 20 cows with calves as well. In drought years he would not cut hay, but grass stayed good for cows.
1 native pecan, 1 thin shell pecan in back yard. Huge Catawba trees 3 sides of house keep house and yard cool. Community water for house - deep well will irrigate all property and water livestock but needs some sealing to be drinkable - has crack(?) allowing ground water to contaminate. HVAC only 4 years old. Metal roof. Newer black appliances stay. Extra large septic doesn't collect gray water. Gray water leach lines - lines leach into front corner of pasture across driveway. Some need repair or replacement since cows have tramped them and damaged some. Need new lines and need to fence off that corner so cattle can't damage again. Hot wire around corner came down allowing cows access. Possibility to fence off leach lines and plant fruit trees inside the fence?
Would have to put up large carport for trailer and truck. Need barns and shop building (old barn is not in good condition but could be repaired). There is small shed for tools as well about 8' or 10' x 12'. Two ponds. One needs to be dug deeper since it has been sloughed in by cows. (Opportunity to dig both ponds deeper and use dirt to build firing range backdrop.) Scattered large shade trees on property. Hay farms on each side - easy to find someone to cut and bale our hay. Or sell us hay if needed.
This property would be very nice for us EXCEPT FOR HIGHWAY! DH said he would put in a circle drive so wouldn't have to back onto highway from driveway. And would fence along front of house and install electric gates. As investment with rental, this would work very well Giving us a property in TX to move sheep, equipment, dogs, and selves to. Then we could either build another house or buy another property after sale of our current house.
DH loved it though and the house fills the bill for a good rental for the next 2 years. Red sandy loan soil with excellent grass hay pasture. Put in an offer on it at full price. Just heard this evening from Kris that we got it. Probably a good investment with highway frontage for access to subdivide if necessary. Property in mountains was beautiful but at our ages we need more access to medical facilities, not less. Could not subdivide or even build another house or building on it due to difficult access. Price was good considering prices of properties we have seen, what house was like, and possibility of subdivision of 45.8 acres with access from highway. If it doesn't go through for whatever reason (survey, inspection, etc.) we will be back where we started and have to start over. Sheep and dogs won't be on property for 2 years so plenty of time to come back to property several times a year and arrange for fences, barns, and shop building to go up. Found another RV park with a pool closer to the property than Rusk. Might stay there next time.
Now we go through the process of inspections, survey, loan, etc.
Air BNB is an option but would not want to rent property for less than 2 weeks due to having to get someone out to clean, sanitize, wash bedding & towels, remove trash, make beds. and replenish TP, etc. Also check contents of home for damage. Would need to charge large cleaning fee to get someone to go out there to clean since most cleaning services want to do a lot of houses close to each other in town. Travel time loses them $$ unless you pay a premium for the time they would have to travel to property.
Has 3 bedrooms with beds for 6 (one bed is twin with trundle). You could replace one large sofa with sofa bed to sleep 2 more. But do you want that many people? How much could you get for it and would it pay for cleaning, and breakages?
Have 30 more days (until midnight on 30th day) to find and identify property. Maybe new properties coming on market soon.
Then went back to look at Highway house. 45.8 acres in L shape with long side along hwy. This would give option eventually to subdivide and sell off a couple of lots if we needed $$ down the road. Would definitely double fence entire front fence line. DH already looking into 6' deer fencing for perimeter of whatever we buy.
Hwy house has 4 offers already - listed on June 21. Also has a current pasture tenant for $1200/yr to graze his registered cattle (12-15 cows calving). He also keeps up fences, sprays pasture, and can take crop of hay if he wants. Grass is excellent condition. Owner's son is her realtor and she showed us the house both times and gave us lots of information. Lovely woman. She is moving into Sulphur Springs since house and property has become too much for her she says. House is in excellent shape. Allowing for need to update carpet and paint can be rented as is. Formica counters in kitchen and baths are in excellent condition so might wait to replace counter tops until we move in. Lots of paneling, brick fireplace with insert. Wallpaper needs to come down in bathroom where it is peeling over tub. and
Hwy house was built in 1972 by current owner and her husband, The farm was bought by them 65 years ago when husband came home from WWII. Bought with his GI bill through Veterans' Land Board of State of Texas. Her husband's family has been in Texas since 1830. She and husband ran a small grocery in Yantis. Their original farmhouse burned down in 1971 and they built this one themselves. Extra heavy insulation and ceiling (attic floor) is shiplap. As a side note the owner told us that in the side yard is a well (since filled in) that was used by travelers through area to water their mules, horses, and teams early in the 1800's until the auto age. Love the historical details supplied by the owner. Her late son wrote histories of the area and Wood county. Oversize attic space (standing height) runs entire house and is accessed through crawl space in carport. Duct work in attic can be moved to one side allowing full use of attic space.
DH really likes this house, as well as the property and layout. It is a nice open floor plan inside. Open floor plan is not my favorite since I am a more formal person, but as I get older I have relaxed my entertainment style, and since I will give much of my entertainment dishes, chafing dishes, crystal, etc. to DDs and DDILs, this would work for us. Nice size MBR has adjacent bath with oversize tiled shower at one end of the house while other 3 BRs and bath are at other end. Would give us an office and guest room whie giving DS1 a room and some privacy. We might live in this one while building another house on rear of property if we buy this. Then keep current house as rental for extra income.
Easy 10 minutes to I30 to Dallas. 8 miles to Sulphur Springs - Walmart, Lowes, shopping etc. 10 minutes other way to public boat ramp and park on lake. DH talking about buying boat if we were to buy this house - pontoon since we are too old to waterski anymore and floating on a big pontoon with friends sounds like fun in the summer. (Dana and BJ take note!)
Kris said house would easily rent for $1200. Owner said to check with her SIL (he is realtor in area) since there are no rentals available and would possibly rent for more. It is 4 BR 2 BA 1900 sf so nice size with small carport. Since we need to rent house for 2 years this is a good thing. As is current pasture rental since tenant would like to stay and doesn't over graze. Cattle fat and in great shape on grass. Owner says her husband used to cut at least one cutting of hay every year and ran 20 cows with calves as well. In drought years he would not cut hay, but grass stayed good for cows.
1 native pecan, 1 thin shell pecan in back yard. Huge Catawba trees 3 sides of house keep house and yard cool. Community water for house - deep well will irrigate all property and water livestock but needs some sealing to be drinkable - has crack(?) allowing ground water to contaminate. HVAC only 4 years old. Metal roof. Newer black appliances stay. Extra large septic doesn't collect gray water. Gray water leach lines - lines leach into front corner of pasture across driveway. Some need repair or replacement since cows have tramped them and damaged some. Need new lines and need to fence off that corner so cattle can't damage again. Hot wire around corner came down allowing cows access. Possibility to fence off leach lines and plant fruit trees inside the fence?
Would have to put up large carport for trailer and truck. Need barns and shop building (old barn is not in good condition but could be repaired). There is small shed for tools as well about 8' or 10' x 12'. Two ponds. One needs to be dug deeper since it has been sloughed in by cows. (Opportunity to dig both ponds deeper and use dirt to build firing range backdrop.) Scattered large shade trees on property. Hay farms on each side - easy to find someone to cut and bale our hay. Or sell us hay if needed.
This property would be very nice for us EXCEPT FOR HIGHWAY! DH said he would put in a circle drive so wouldn't have to back onto highway from driveway. And would fence along front of house and install electric gates. As investment with rental, this would work very well Giving us a property in TX to move sheep, equipment, dogs, and selves to. Then we could either build another house or buy another property after sale of our current house.
DH loved it though and the house fills the bill for a good rental for the next 2 years. Red sandy loan soil with excellent grass hay pasture. Put in an offer on it at full price. Just heard this evening from Kris that we got it. Probably a good investment with highway frontage for access to subdivide if necessary. Property in mountains was beautiful but at our ages we need more access to medical facilities, not less. Could not subdivide or even build another house or building on it due to difficult access. Price was good considering prices of properties we have seen, what house was like, and possibility of subdivision of 45.8 acres with access from highway. If it doesn't go through for whatever reason (survey, inspection, etc.) we will be back where we started and have to start over. Sheep and dogs won't be on property for 2 years so plenty of time to come back to property several times a year and arrange for fences, barns, and shop building to go up. Found another RV park with a pool closer to the property than Rusk. Might stay there next time.
Now we go through the process of inspections, survey, loan, etc.
Baymule
Herd Master
This is wonderful!
Mini Horses
Herd Master
TOLD you first property!!! 
Later subdivision might be perfect. Actually...never know what else you might find once there, options! It's workable. Haying neighbors? Jackpot! Trust me, there will come a day when you'd rather sip wine on a pontoon than clean sheep jugs!!! 
You got pictures, right?????????
Later subdivision might be perfect. Actually...never know what else you might find once there, options! It's workable. Haying neighbors? Jackpot! Trust me, there will come a day when you'd rather sip wine on a pontoon than clean sheep jugs!!! You got pictures, right?????????
farmerjan
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I think from the sounds of it, this might be the smartest move for now. As you said, you might find something else when the time gets closer to moving and your house gets sold. The possibility of subdividing off a smaller piece would also offer other income possibilities....
Having bought this one where I am, and not on a major highway, but a well traveled busy road....I GET IT......but I am looking at future potential.... and a possible rental after I am here for a year or two, knees fixed, work done to make it totally usable.... and this cannot be subdivided.....
If the craziness in this country keeps up, you might seriously want to think about putting your current one on the market soon and making a move sooner rather than later.... If inflation starts to climb more, you may not be able to get yours sold.... and let's face it, Calf does not have a very good reputation for being people/farmer/common sense friendly at this point and time.
Also, if there is a good tenant for the land, who is not abusing it, that is a real plus.
Having bought this one where I am, and not on a major highway, but a well traveled busy road....I GET IT......but I am looking at future potential.... and a possible rental after I am here for a year or two, knees fixed, work done to make it totally usable.... and this cannot be subdivided.....
If the craziness in this country keeps up, you might seriously want to think about putting your current one on the market soon and making a move sooner rather than later.... If inflation starts to climb more, you may not be able to get yours sold.... and let's face it, Calf does not have a very good reputation for being people/farmer/common sense friendly at this point and time.
Also, if there is a good tenant for the land, who is not abusing it, that is a real plus.
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Ridgetop
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Yes, finally happening. Glad you can all see the potential in this parcel. If we were moving here immediately to live in this, it might be different, but for now, needing to rent it for 2 years to satisfy the 1031 business, this is a great rental home. After so long it is almost an anticlimax! Not as thrilled as I expected, probably because of highway. 
But the pasture is in great condition, not over grazed which can happen with tenant who doesn't care about the land.
Got pix but for some reason my phone is sending them to my email address but they do not arrive from my phone in my computer. They arrive from DH's phone so when we go back will take and send from his phone to email so I can post. In the meantime, the address is 6069 W State Highway 154 Highway S, Yantis, TX. There are pix on line on this. Got a shock when I went on the website to get the address since the status is "pending"! Then I remembered that the "pending" buyer was us!
DH LOVES the entire property but I hate the highway. DH is super stoked about getting the property, wanted to offer more $$ than list price but wouldn't let him. Agent said it wasn't necessary. DH says the house "feels like home". Just occurred to me that his parents' home had wood paneling, brick fireplace, similar color kitchen cabinets, and countertops! Will I be living in my in-laws old home?
DH wants me to renovate the kitchen before we move in, and do some other renovations. A few other tweaks. Also considering extending the patio on the rear (possibly a deck instead?) and making it a screened in porch with a ceiling fan that we can enjoy without bugs. At first I thought we might make the door and window to patio into a slider but with brick exterior, I have decided to just replace the solid door with a glass garden door instead of cutting into brick exterior. A glass dual pane garden door will let more light into room without demolition.
Actually it is a very solid built brick house with a large living and dining space and very large kitchen. Owner has a table height peninsula she loves, but she is only about 5' tall so likes the shorter height. Kitchen is large enough to put in an island instead of peninsula later. Won't do anything except paint and new carpet for tenants, but will probably remodel before we move in. For now we will paint inside, remove peeling wallpaper in family bath, add shower in the family bath tub (very easy to access plumbing since owners put in an access panel for plumbing in the cabinet that backs up to tub), and put in new neutral carpet. Both bathrooms have laundry bins in cabinets which is very nice feature. Right now we will do minimum for rental and then decide if we will do much else or build another house away from the highway.
Property is in Wood County, not Anderson or Houston Counties. Up in Yantis. Actually between Yantis and Sulphur Springs, but beautiful soil and pasture. And Sulphur Springs Livestock Auction Yard is between house and Sulphur Springs. Very close so will have to check to see what prices are once we are here. Mostly cattle around there.
Will need barn and shop buildings but can install those later when we move back. They will go between current house and possible new build so we can use from either location. I am toying with idea of putting in new double wide or modular with floor plan of one on Palestine property - loved that floor plan. Or even just buying another property after we move here and sell our CA house. At least now we will have a place in Texas to which to move ourselves and our sheep and dogs while selling our CA place. (Or renting it to our son.)
Going to Sulphur Springs tomorrow to do paperwork on sale. Will go to County to check requirements of Ag exclusion with our sheep. Will also visit senior center to check out possible bridge clubs, and livestock auction yard to check eventual sales of sheep. 55 4-H clubs in Wood County. We will be able to volunteer. Catholic church in Sulphur Springs. Nearest ACBL bridge club is Lake Springs, Pittsburgh, or Canton. Need to find party bridge group nearby.
Got to go. Lots of gunshots close by. Probably at coyotes. Or liberals.
DH watching shark week with guest William Shatner - Captain Kirk is apparently afraid of sharks. Spock not with him to mind meld with it. Guess Scotty will just have to beam him up.
Love Texas!
But the pasture is in great condition, not over grazed which can happen with tenant who doesn't care about the land.Got pix but for some reason my phone is sending them to my email address but they do not arrive from my phone in my computer. They arrive from DH's phone so when we go back will take and send from his phone to email so I can post. In the meantime, the address is 6069 W State Highway 154 Highway S, Yantis, TX. There are pix on line on this. Got a shock when I went on the website to get the address since the status is "pending"! Then I remembered that the "pending" buyer was us!
DH LOVES the entire property but I hate the highway. DH is super stoked about getting the property, wanted to offer more $$ than list price but wouldn't let him. Agent said it wasn't necessary. DH says the house "feels like home". Just occurred to me that his parents' home had wood paneling, brick fireplace, similar color kitchen cabinets, and countertops! Will I be living in my in-laws old home?
DH wants me to renovate the kitchen before we move in, and do some other renovations. A few other tweaks. Also considering extending the patio on the rear (possibly a deck instead?) and making it a screened in porch with a ceiling fan that we can enjoy without bugs. At first I thought we might make the door and window to patio into a slider but with brick exterior, I have decided to just replace the solid door with a glass garden door instead of cutting into brick exterior. A glass dual pane garden door will let more light into room without demolition.
Actually it is a very solid built brick house with a large living and dining space and very large kitchen. Owner has a table height peninsula she loves, but she is only about 5' tall so likes the shorter height. Kitchen is large enough to put in an island instead of peninsula later. Won't do anything except paint and new carpet for tenants, but will probably remodel before we move in. For now we will paint inside, remove peeling wallpaper in family bath, add shower in the family bath tub (very easy to access plumbing since owners put in an access panel for plumbing in the cabinet that backs up to tub), and put in new neutral carpet. Both bathrooms have laundry bins in cabinets which is very nice feature. Right now we will do minimum for rental and then decide if we will do much else or build another house away from the highway.
Property is in Wood County, not Anderson or Houston Counties.
Up in Yantis. Actually between Yantis and Sulphur Springs, but beautiful soil and pasture. And Sulphur Springs Livestock Auction Yard is between house and Sulphur Springs. Very close so will have to check to see what prices are once we are here. Mostly cattle around there.Will need barn and shop buildings but can install those later when we move back. They will go between current house and possible new build so we can use from either location. I am toying with idea of putting in new double wide or modular with floor plan of one on Palestine property - loved that floor plan. Or even just buying another property after we move here and sell our CA house. At least now we will have a place in Texas to which to move ourselves and our sheep and dogs while selling our CA place. (Or renting it to our son.)
Going to Sulphur Springs tomorrow to do paperwork on sale. Will go to County to check requirements of Ag exclusion with our sheep. Will also visit senior center to check out possible bridge clubs, and livestock auction yard to check eventual sales of sheep. 55 4-H clubs in Wood County. We will be able to volunteer. Catholic church in Sulphur Springs. Nearest ACBL bridge club is Lake Springs, Pittsburgh, or Canton. Need to find party bridge group nearby.
Got to go. Lots of gunshots close by. Probably at coyotes. Or liberals.
DH watching shark week with guest William Shatner - Captain Kirk is apparently afraid of sharks. Spock not with him to mind meld with it. Guess Scotty will just have to beam him up. Love Texas!
Baymule
Herd Master
Going to Splash Kingdom in Canton. See y’all Thursday!
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Ridgetop
Herd Master
If weather is bad for pool, let me know if you want to reschedule. Really want you and kids to have fun time swimming. Don't want to disappoint those little girls.
Finnie
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I am visiting Texas this week, too. But way over in El Paso. My daughter just moved here.
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Ridgetop
Herd Master
Everyone is moving to Texas! Why? Because it is a great state!!! LOL
Driving or flying?
Driving or flying?
