Looking at a home with land

finally decided that the drive will be worth it, im already in the north branch area and am going to do a walk through of a house on 50 acres of woods tonight about 40 minutes north of me.
I’ve never been a land owner besides my 1 acre in nb. When looking to purchase land especially all forest what do you look for. Obviously I want it for hunting and atv trails but I have no idea what to expect. Im meeting with the realtor but have requested the land owner to take me around so I have a idea on the lay out. The house is small with a big over sized 3 car garage and a pole building. I know what to look for in the home but not the land

Congratulations Bearcat. I don’t have any tips for what to look for on the land but that sounds awesome.

Rodwork wrote:

Congratulations Bearcat. I don’t have any tips for what to look for on the land but that sounds awesome.

Thanks bud. I’ve been looking hard and ready to act fast. I didnt come from a family with money land cabins or anything. Ive worked my butt off to get to this point and I’d love nothing more then to buy a place knowing one day I can give it to my son. And until then hunt my own back yard.

Since you mentioned ATV trails, I would certainly agree with looking at the entire property, and see if there is already evidence of trails running thru the property now, there may be neighbors that consider those 50 acres open grounds.

HRG

I ask about any easements that might be placed on the land and I also ask the owner about any people who currently have hunting permission or have access to the land for hunting or other uses if you plan to post it.

If this were me and purchasing was coming to fruition I’d buy a ton of signs to post the land and make the rounds to introduce myself to the owners neighboring parcels and somewhere in the chat let them know the property will be posted.

Would you build a new house or do what’s need to the smaller place to your liking? Sounds like a dream property.

Tom Sawvell wrote:

I ask about any easements that might be placed on the land and I also ask the owner about any people who currently have hunting permission or have access to the land for hunting or other uses if you plan to post it.

If this were me and purchasing was coming to fruition I’d buy a ton of signs to post the land and make the rounds to introduce myself to the owners neighboring parcels and somewhere in the chat let them know the property will be posted.

Would you build a new house or do what’s need to the smaller place to your liking? Sounds like a dream property.

Yeah thats my plan is to renovate and maybe a future addition. I definitely need to know the access and who else has verbal rights with the now owners and make it clear that is no longer a deal in the most respectful way possible. And put up many signs stating private property. And give them time to remove any deer stands they want to. My plan is to look at the place tonight and if its to my liking I will make a offer and then make my rounds to the neighbors. Which on the satellite mapping there are not many close neighbors. I think every one in the area owns a big chunk.

That’s awesome Bearcat, literally living the American dream bud! I’d take some pics while walking around, make a note of type of tree’s/woods, maybe take a soil sample for your info and to possibly get a Ph test done. I have no experience here, just spitballing some things off the top of my head.

I would be looking for a current land survey and if not done figure out a way to get one done before purchase. Around her lately some parcels have been sold and when an actual survey has been done the fence ( property lines ) have been way off to the tune of an area totaling 5 acres. One neighbor had to purchase 3 acres from the new buyer to the tune of $24,000 other wise he had no front yard or driveway.

Make sure to look for a place I can park and leave my ice house. Don’t worry, I wont burden you with handling any cash for a slip rental. Let me know when I can move it up there.

Thanks guys for the input. The lad survey is the one big ticket on my list so I know exactly what is and isn’t mine same with easements as already mentioned. It also says it has a oversized pond with catfish and other fish in it that peaks my interest on how they are in there and how they survive.

404 ERROR wrote:

Make sure to look for a place I can park and leave my ice house. Don’t worry, I wont burden you with handling any cash for a slip rental. Let me know when I can move it up there.

Description and realtor says the yard is 4 acres and the rest is woods creeks and a pond.
So I have plenty of room up here for you.

Hot Runr Guy wrote:

Since you mentioned ATV trails, I would certainly agree with looking at the entire property, and see if there is already evidence of trails running thru the property now, there may be neighbors that consider those 50 acres open grounds.

HRG

I’d definitely put alot of value in checking into neighbors. My dad’s land has some characters for neighbors. One particular side, the family has been around awhile. The generation born in the 40’s was born on the property we now own. The next 2 generations feel like they’re still entitled to walk 4wheeler and dang near hunt our place. My Dad was never one to confront folks, so it took 20 years of me trying to get the message across “respectfully”, they now have a decent understanding of the lines.

I hope it goes through for you! Sounds like an absolute dream!

Good Luck Bearcat hope everything works out for you. Sounds like a nice place.

Best of luck Bearcat. Sounds like a sweet spot.

Along with Tom and HRG’s input I would also verify that the land isn’t in any forestry programs or anything like that for tax break purposes. Not familiar with MN but in WI there are programs that will give you breaks on taxes, but they somewhat have control over when and what you need to harvest. There are programs that keep the land private or open to the public. Might be a good idea to confirm if the neighboring properties are in these as well. Best of luck on being a landowner, it’s rewarding!

Sounds pretty perfect Bearcat.
Something to consider, if you have creeks and ponds on the property. Beavers are a real problem up north right now. If they take up residence you may lose access to some of the land. Our neighbors at our land up north have 300 acres and last year 250 of it was under water or inaccessible due to flooding caused by beavers.

From your writings, this is a major investment for you. Spend the money on an attorney to review the title, it is cheap insurance. It is likely that land title in the county you are considering uses registration of deeds and encumbrances to determine property rights. The attorney will flesh out the ownership picture, define what easements, liens and other interests exist on the property.

Some counties, including Hennepin, use a Torrens title system that is analagous to a car title. It’s simpler to register a property interest and to look them up than reviewing an abstract and or file in a non-Torrens county.

Might seem obvious but I’d want to know what amount of the land is considered wetlands. What amount is buildable. Might not be a concern now but at least you’ll know

Brad Dimond wrote:

From your writings, this is a major investment for you. Spend the money on an attorney to review the title, it is cheap insurance. It is likely that land title in the county you are considering uses registration of deeds and encumbrances to determine property rights. The attorney will flesh out the ownership picture, define what easements, liens and other interests exist on the property.

Some counties, including Hennepin, use a Torrens title system that is analagous to a car title. It’s simpler to register a property interest and to look them up than reviewing an abstract and or file in a non-Torrens county.

Is this not included by the title company and title insurance when you close on a home? (Assuming you use a title company)

Title insurance is insurance – payment if the title search includes a mistake. If there is a significant mistake the payment likely won’t make you whole in your mind. A local real estate attorney is much more likely to do a thorough search and alert you to potential land mines.

Don’t get bogged down in too many details. There’s a lot of things that need to be handled before purchase but right now you’re just evaluating the property to see IF you even want to buy it.

Focus on things that you really want that you cannot change if they’re not already on the property. For example if there is a neighbor’s house too close to the areas that you would want to hunt there is nothing you can do to change that after purchase.

Next look at the things that you really want and decide is it practical to develop them on this property. For example some properties have good potential to develop food plots other properties have next to none. in some places it is practical to dig a pond to provide water and in other areas it’s completely impractical and you’re better off searching for a property that has better potential.

finally go around and absolutely meet all the neighbors of all neighboring properties. Get a feeling for what they are like. if you drive up to a place and it’s full of wrecked cars and trashed trailer houses that may be a sign for some people that there’s a situation there with neighbors they don’t want to deal with.

Again when evaluating the property focus on the things you want but cannot change about this property.

Grouse

Finding a lender that understands acreage is a hurdle all by itself. Its possible that they will only finance the house and what is deeded to that.
Next thing is to look for garbage in the woods. I looked at my land in the winter. I happened to stop on top of a burned down trailer that was hidden in the snow. Then a couple piles of tires in the back corners. I had the DNR show up to my house on opening day the first year! He said he wanted to show up before the neighbors started arguing. He then thanked me for moving in-between them. I never seen him again.
Im probably close to where you are looking, west of Pine City – north of Grasston. Let me know if I can help in any way.

sand-burr wrote:

Finding a lender that understands acreage is a hurdle all by itself. Its possible that they will only finance the house and what is deeded to that.
Next thing is to look for garbage in the woods. I looked at my land in the winter. I happened to stop on top of a burned down trailer that was hidden in the snow. Then a couple piles of tires in the back corners. I had the DNR show up to my house on opening day the first year! He said he wanted to show up before the neighbors started arguing. He then thanked me for moving in-between them. I never seen him again.
Im probably close to where you are looking, west of Pine City – north of Grasston. Let me know if I can help in any way.

Yeah im a little worried about all the hill billy neighbors up that way. But on the map I don’t see any close neighbors. Im headed up to look at the place now. And no im more toward rock creek. East side off of 70.
But my brother owns the 75 that connects to little walleye landing in your neck of the woods next door to the winery

Bearcat89 wrote:

finally decided that the drive will be worth it, im already in the north branch area and am going to do a walk through of a house on 50 acres of woods tonight about 40 minutes north of me.

Good for you man. I gotta say I’m jealous of people in your area. I’ve lived in SE MN my whole life and while I truly do love the farm country and it’s who me and my family are, I think living north of the metro and being that much closer to all that northern/north central MN has would be awesome. Good for you and if you’ve gotta drive a bit farther to work but it means coming home and your off time will be better it’ll be worth it.

Bearcat89 wrote:

Yeah im a little worried about all the hill billy neighbors up that way. But on the map I don’t see any close neighbors. Im headed up to look at the place now. And no im more toward rock creek. East side off of 70.
But my brother owns the 75 that connects to little walleye landing in your neck of the woods next door to the winery

If you’re that close we are all neighbors! Ha! Is that the Fitsimons over there at the landing? Anyhoot the people up here are very honest and some just like to be left alone to live. They share and help when needed. Always a bad egg here and there but I have some good neighbors. I still commute all the way to Somerst WI, 140 miles a day. But I get to come home and watch the same 5 cars drive down my dirt road and I know them all. Something to be said about that.

]

When you meet your neighbor and if they hunt, I would suggest that you tell them if they have a wounded deer that 1-3 of them can go and retrieve it but make it clear that you don’t want a wholesale deer drive on your property, also I’m not sure how MN. law reads, but here in Wisconsin, if there is a fence between your property and your neighbor, you are responsible to maintain 1/2 of that fence line, in Wisconsin you are to maintain the right half when looking towards your neighbor from your property.

My experiance with the ML County GIS site is that it is very accurate. Like within a foot. I don’t know if Pine? Co. is the same but maybe.

Well the land was everything I’ve been looking for. A fully stocked huge pond with bass crappie sunnies and cats. Seen a big buck in the back yard as we did our walk through, but the house
Needed more work then I anticipated. So now I’m on to the pros and cons of buying and doing a live in remodel or take on a second mortgage and live here while I remodel, which is not my goal.
Or let it go and keep searching.

i would just over whats the land is worth at this time,

Bearcat89 wrote:

Well the land was everything I’ve been looking for. A fully stocked huge pond with bass crappie sunnies and cats. Seen a big buck in the back yard as we did our walk through, but the house
Needed more work then I anticipated. So now I’m on to the pros and cons of buying and doing a live in remodel or take on a second mortgage and live here while I remodel, which is not my goal.
Or let it go and keep searching.

Leave a offer that allows you to sleep better and keep looking.