Consider These Five Factors Before Buying Land For Ranching
by Luke Fields
When buying land, one of the biggest considerations is what you want to do with the land. Buying a piece of land for ranching is different from buying a piece of land for crop farming. Below are five important factors to consider when buying ranching land.
Capacity
The capacity of the land is the number of animals it can carry. The capacity of the land depends on various factors such as the vegetation, forage conditions, whether the animals will be raised for meat or milk, the breed of cattle you are interested in, and the type of feeds (grain, grass, or a combination), among other things. Carry out thorough research to buy the right size of land for your purposes. You don't want to learn that you need at least a hundred acres to realize profit, but you only bought 70 acres.
Land History
If the land has not been previously used for ranching, then you should learn its history of use. You should know the type of businesses the land has supported, the chemicals (think fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides, among others) that others have used on the land, and the wastes others might have dumped on the land. Such things will determine whether you can raise healthy animals on the property.
Zoning
You may not have to worry about zoning if you want to buy an existing land. However, if you want to create a ranch from scratch, you must confirm that the local authorities allow ranching in the area. Find out whether you will be allowed to perform related activities such as herbicide and fertilizer use.
Accessibility
If there is one thing a good ranch needs, it is a proper access way. You will need a good road to drive animals in and out of the ranch, deliver food supplies, and even get workers in and out of your property. Ideally, your ranch should be served with a good public road. At the very least, you should have an easement that allows you to cross neighboring properties to get to your land.
Natural Hazards
Lastly, evaluate the natural hazards common to the area and determine whether they can affect your upcoming ranch. Things like wildfires, floods, and landslides can cause expensive losses. It is best to avoid them in the first place rather than expect to deal with them later.
Get a real estate agent with experience in land transactions to help you with the process. An agent will able to direct you towards quality ranch properties for sale. The agent will save you time and money and help you avoid regrets later on.
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About Me
Welcome to my website. My name is Larry Silva, and I want to talk a bit about private mortgage insurance. You may have heard the term PMI mentioned when you were in the process of purchasing real estate. When I first heard my lender talking about PMI, I was very confused. It was my realtor who sat me down and explained what private mortgage insurance was and when someone is required to purchase it. He told me that PMI is not lifelong insurance; it can be cancelled when the mortgage principal balance reaches a certain point. Once it was explained to me, private mortgage insurance was no longer a mystery or a confusing concept. I would like to pass on what I learned and hope that you find it to be of value.