It’s a rare snow day here at the ranch. After above average temperatures just a week ago, we’re now cold and dreary with big snowflakes falling.
We do need the moisture, as it has been months without any serious rain. The last couple of days have seen scattered showers, and todays’ cooler temps are leading to a gorgeous winter wonderland.
and the Javelina got into the act…
Update :
But wait, there’s more!
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has a long and proud history of serving the nation by responsibly managing land and resources for the use and enjoyment of the American people.
The BLM is responsible for managing public lands for a variety of uses such as energy and mineral development, livestock grazing, recreation, and timber harvesting while ensuring natural, cultural, and historic resources are maintained for present and future generations.
Today, more than 99 percent* of those lands and programs are located in the Western half of the United States. The BLM is relocating its headquarters functions and other supporting offices to the American West. This move will benefit the public we serve as well as the bureau and our employees. Moving the people who make critical decisions about the lands and programs we manage will help provide a greater on-the-ground understanding and will also foster better partnerships with communities and organizations there.
The BLM Headquarters move west means that most of the positions currently located in Washington, DC, will move to a new location.
It’s been a busy time here at the ranch. Not surprisingly, everyone who has been on the fence about buying land feels more motivated. I have clients who would love to come to their property and get away from the madness of the city, but they are locked down in Socal, and can’t leave. I believe that we’ll have a big uptick once the lockdown is lifted.
Some days, I feel a little depressed about it all. The anxiety of not knowing the future is disconcerting, and I feel a bit of unease in every waking moment.
Thankfully, I have our garden. Though it probably wouldn’t be enough to keep us from being a bit leaner later on, it’s relaxing, and I always leave the phone up at the house so as to have a brief moment of calm in the flurry. Having 40 acres means I don’t have to sit in the house, and that helps I think.
I’m also thankful of my career as a land broker. I have helped many people to move to this beautiful area. The solar off grid life is not the easiest, but there are many rewards that make the lack of convenience worth it.
Real estate sales are not easy. I’m reminded of the old adage that we in real estate just work half days, you know, 12 hours a day. It’s true!
For the buyers today, my job is just to know what’s best out there for the money. Stagecoach Trails being over 130,000 acres offers a variety of terrains and locations. Zeroing in on what the needs of the buyer are long term seems to be the most important thing.
Educating buyers on costs to do a well, septic, solar etc. may have prevented some financial mishaps (and cost a few sales.) Truth is that it really does cost more than you realize to get it all set up. If I can keep folks grounded in reality as to what it takes to live off grid, I feel it’s best for all of us in the long run.
For sellers the key is pricing. What one wants is not always what the market will bear. We’d all have loved to sold any stock investments in February, ah but it’s too late.
We have an abundance of inventory, but for the first time since the market started dropping in earnest in 2009, we are seeing some slight appreciation upward. There are fewer and fewer “bargains.” Buyers take note!
To all of you reading, please leave a comment or two. Thanks for stopping by! -Ben
Great article about the importance of viewing your home or other property through the eyes of your buyers. It’s so easy to ignore the little cosmetic things that over time we take for granted.
It’s also very important to use lighting to your advantage, and neutral colors often influence buying decisions in residential sales. Clean, neat, and smelling good are vital to sales.
With vacant land, there are many factors that go into pricing, but any property that at least has a small driveway leading to a parking/camping area already has a leg up on the competition, and it can be accomplished with just a few hundred dollars.
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Most sellers realize they are expected to do a few things to “spruce up” their home before they sell.
Do you understand exactly what you need to do and why? This information is vital to understand to positively position your house to sell.
This is just one part of the larger “total home transition”, but a critical part that will directly affect the list price, DOM (days on market) and ultimate sales price of your house.
The biggest mistake sellers make is not looking at their house through the eyes of the BUYER and not making the necessary visual and cosmetic updates in order to meet BUYER expectations.
Ask yourself, would you pay top dollar for your own house? If not, you need to understand why not and what to do about it.
We strongly encourage sellers to do a thorough (buyer-based) interior and exterior assessment of the house and property, in order to determine what “negative” issues need to be addressed to entice todays buyers.
Be objective and non-emotional when you do the assessment to create a task list and remain in control of the process. Gather the estimates to make a decision on which items will create the most positive impression and ensure the highest ROI (rate of return) on your investment.
Don’t get overwhelmed or be discouraged, it’s just a list. You have control of what you will ultimately decide what you will do and what you are willing to spend to do it. Understanding the financial impact of the decisions you will make is part of the process.
Source: Would You Pay Top Dollar for Your Own House? – Realty Times
It’s the dog days of August, we can see the two dogs in the morning skies, that is Canis Major & Canus Minor. Canis Major has the brightest star visible from earth, Sirius.
This month we would normally be shuffling papers, and trying to get chores done before the heat gets too oppressive, like say by 8:00 am. Surprisingly, this year the calls and emails have continued through the summer, which has been mercifully nicer temperature wise too. We’ll see if sales follow; one can always hope. We have had a noticeably better year overall with a good positive trend that we’ve needed here.
The monsoon rains are very late this year. We had rain for about a minute one night last week, but that’s been about it. The humidity is higher now though. We had been 6-10% humidity most of June and early July, but now it’s more typically 25-35%. This weekend will see temperatures a high as 111 degrees in Yucca. We’ll be a precious few degrees cooler where we are, but it’s hot!
I believe that Yucca is the last great bargain in the West. We’re relatively close to smaller, but centrally located small cities, and those (Kingman, Lake Havasu City, and Bullhead City) are becoming pricier as we see an influx of new residents. While it’s 2-2 1/2 hours to Las Vegas, that leaves many possibilities for visits from family and friends. California is just 20 miles from Santa Fe Ranch Rd., and one can be at the beaches in a little over 5 hours (avoid rush hour!)
The opportunity today I believe is in trying to extend infrastructure (as in grid power,) or by finding good property and adding septic, well and even a home.
There is a need, but many don’t have the wherewithal or physical capability to take on a home building project. To me it’s a young man’s dream, but the builders do work very hard, and are often subject to the whims of the market as we’ve seen over the years.
Considerable electric and phone infrastructure already exists around Yucca, and one can easily envision more development. Sun City, Yucca? Don’t laugh. We have water, power, rail, interstate, and thousands of acres of inexpensive (relatively) land.
Meanwhile, as we’re more than 20 miles out, I don’t think we’ll have a Circle K at the corner any time soon.
The days are getting hotter, but June was nicer than most. Calls and emails have continued at a brisk pace, and we’re seeing many residential sales in Kingman, Lake Havasu City, and all of Mohave Valley/Bullhead City. It’s become a sellers market for homes, as we’re seeing an influx of new residents.
Meanwhile, land sales have picked up. The prices are still extremely attractive, but little by little the values are disappearing, and we’re seeing the beginnings of price appreciation in the Yucca area. The sellers here could sure use some relief.
It’s a mixed blessing though. We love our solitude & the remoteness, but it is welcome to see so many new faces. Shhh, don’t tell too many people!
We’ve had an extraordinary year, both in terms of rainfall, and also in terms of just nice weather. Instead of suffering through days of 100 plus degrees, it’s been pleasant 80s & low 90s. Everything is so green and beautiful this year.
People have discovered that Yucca is not only an inexpensive destination, but a high quality of life place too.
It’s all meant a big uptick in interest in the Yucca area. We’re putting in long days answering questions ranging from costs of solar systems to wells and septic systems. Between showings, emails, and a steady stream of calls, our days are fully occupied.
Blah blah blah, the travails of a land guy. Anyways, back to work…
Have a great June!
It was a busy week with a lot of clients and running around. It feels like I’ve been by all of the 130,000 acres at Stagecoach Trails.
Meanwhile, we ended up listing seven different properties in the Yucca area, and there’s some real beauties in the bunch.
There’s something for every price range, and a wide variety of properties either closer to town, or snuggled up by the mountains.
So don’t wait to buy land, buy land and wait…
Today, it’s been a little quieter, and I’m grateful. There are so many ranch chores that need my attention. Little by little I’m finishing those “must do’s” and getting caught up on gardening too.
Today was battery maintenance day where I clean all of the terminals on my 28 golf cart batteries (T-105s,) and check to make sure that every cell (3 to every battery) is full of distilled water. It’s pretty time consuming, but vital to battery life.
The weather is delightful, that time between the chill of winter, and the blazing heat of June. We’re loving it!
Every once in a while, someone will say “Well, I like Arizona, but I need four seasons.” I have to laugh; we’re freezing today!
We awoke to a snow covered landscape today, and even at mid day there are still patches of snow everywhere.
Check out these pictures:
Arizona made the list. It really is a good place to live off grid. Abundant sunshine & less government interference plus low land prices make for a near perfect place.
Don’t take my word for it:
