The end of 17 years of QDM

[Longleaf]

Sorry to read this yoder, but I definitely get it. I'm dealing with the sale of my wife's family farm right now to some developers that want to build houses on it. This is an LLC situation as well where each sibling has equal ownership in the LLC. Each of the sibblings are in their late 70's to mid 80's and are thinking about the next generation and what becomes of the asset. When you get to the next generation it goes from 4 to 9 and those 9 are spread all over the country with different ideas and goals and lives. It gets messy quick.

Land ownership is changing significantly right in front of our eyes in some parts of the country. It is going to create a heck of a challenge for future generations that like to do what we do (hunt, fish, manage wildlife). For many, the money will get blown on other "things" and be gone in no time. Meanwhile land prices continue to climb.

I think you are on the right track to keep relationships intact while using your share to pursue your own place. Remember the old saying that where one door closes, a window opens somewhere else!

 

[yoderjac]

Sorry to read this yoder, but I definitely get it. I'm dealing with the sale of my wife's family farm right now to some developers that want to build houses on it. This is an LLC situation as well where each sibling has equal ownership in the LLC. Each of the sibblings are in their late 70's to mid 80's and are thinking about the next generation and what becomes of the asset. When you get to the next generation it goes from 4 to 9 and those 9 are spread all over the country with different ideas and goals and lives. It gets messy quick.

Land ownership is changing significantly right in front of our eyes in some parts of the country. It is going to create a heck of a challenge for future generations that like to do what we do (hunt, fish, manage wildlife). For many, the money will get blown on other "things" and be gone in no time. Meanwhile land prices continue to climb.

I think you are on the right track to keep relationships intact while using your share to pursue your own place. Remember the old saying that where one door closes, a window opens somewhere else!

Well said. When we spend our lives with regrets looking at only the down side, it can be pretty depressing. We make the best choices we can given the information we have at the time, and look for the next open door. I prefer to look at the years of enjoyment it gave me and hope for the best going forward.

 

[William Allis]

Have you looked at The Nature Conservancy? They have saved a lot of land from being developed.

 

[yoderjac]

Have you looked at The Nature Conservancy? They have saved a lot of land from being developed.

Nope, we had full control of the decision and made our choice.

 

[Longleaf]

Have you looked at The Nature Conservancy? They have saved a lot of land from being developed.

I am a big fan of the Nature Conservancy and conservation easements in general, but I think it is always important to keep in mind that despite our best wishes, some places are going to develop, and probably should be developed to better the community as a whole.

In the case of my wife's family's farm, it sits close to the intersection of two major interstates, has a rail line running through part of it and is in a corridor slated for development in a community that has been "disadvantaged" since the end of the Civil War. Tying that land up in a conservation easement that limits the future use doesn't accomplish much when it ends up being several hundred acres completely surrounded by development. Then what? Sell it to the state or county to be a park? That's about all you could do. Its' pretty hard to manage a deer herd, or turkey population in a situation like that. We already have enough trouble with trespassing with the little development there is. Imagine adding thousands more people all around. It becomes a nightmare.

All things to think about when you are searching for a place to buy. I used to think I wanted to buy a place and put an easement on it to never be developed. "Forever" is a long time. Would be a shame to leave an asset to future generations that they couldn't do anything with and couldn't enjoy it the way I see it being enjoyed now. As time has passed, I've come to learn that it needs to be in an area that can truly be preserved.

 

[yoderjac]

I am a big fan of the Nature Conservancy and conservation easements in general, but I think it is always important to keep in mind that despite our best wishes, some places are going to develop, and probably should be developed to better the community as a whole.

In the case of my wife's family's farm, it sits close to the intersection of two major interstates, has a rail line running through part of it and is in a corridor slated for development in a community that has been "disadvantaged" since the end of the Civil War. Tying that land up in a conservation easement that limits the future use doesn't accomplish much when it ends up being several hundred acres completely surrounded by development. Then what? Sell it to the state or county to be a park? That's about all you could do. Its' pretty hard to manage a deer herd, or turkey population in a situation like that. We already have enough trouble with trespassing with the little development there is. Imagine adding thousands more people all around. It becomes a nightmare.

All things to think about when you are searching for a place to buy. I used to think I wanted to buy a place and put an easement on it to never be developed. "Forever" is a long time. Would be a shame to leave an asset to future generations that they couldn't do anything with and couldn't enjoy it the way I see it being enjoyed now. As time has passed, I've come to learn that it needs to be in an area that can truly be preserved.

Yes, the only way I would ever consider a conservation easement is if the property was threatened by eminent domain seizure Short of that, If I owned the property, I can always say no if I fell it is my best interest. When we purchased this property, we thought it had long-term potential as some kind of industrial park. It has a gas pipeline and fiber running through it, has a RR bordering it and access to a highway. Given the LLC members wanted to sell it, I think solar is a better option for me. The income stream is better, and there is a good chance we will still have some land to hunt, and if the solar project falls through, we will still have the full property to hunt instead of the long-term income.

You are right, this is not a property in the wild. It has considerable development surrounding it. I would rather see a place like this developed and more rural places preserved.