What to Consider Before Buying an Equestrian Property

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Buying a horse property is a very different experience from a conventional home purchase. The first and most important step is to work with an experienced equestrian specialist, but there are some additional items you should also consider before buying.

Location, Location, Location

When looking at equestrian properties, one of the most important things to consider is location. You want to make sure the property is near resources you will need like feed and tack stores, local vets, and more. You should also consider everyday needs, such as groceries, gas, shopping, and community amenities.

Knowing Your Needs

Having a clear vision of your specific needs is a very important step when buying an equestrian property. For example, a casual rider doesn’t require the same capability and organization as a professional equestrian, and similarly, a professional will often need a horse property with strict specifications.

Property Features and Facilities

Something to consider is the soil type on the land you’re looking at. There are 12 different soil types and some of the best for horses are sandy, loamy, organic soils. Not only is this the best option for your animals, but these characteristics will also impact the quality of grasses for pasture growth. Whether you decide to pasture or hay feed, ensure there is adequate hay storage, especially for winter months when, depending on what part of the country you live in, grass may not be as ample.

Other important features to consider are:

  • Does it have indoor stalls?
  • Does it have multiple fenced pastures for rotating your livestock? This will ensure the ultimate health of your pasture and the grass that is produced.
  • Are riding trails nearby or will you have to trailer to get to trails?
  • Is there an indoor or outdoor arena? These are important for training, breaking, and even veterinary care, at times.
  • Does it have a secure tack room that rodents cannot penetrate?

Accessibility

Accessibility is another important factor to consider. This includes the convenience of your land but also important resources like water. Each horse will drink approximately 5-10 gallons of water per day; therefore, readily available potable water is vital. The accessibility of your horse property is crucial for bringing in vets, food supplies, and getting around quickly in emergencies. The navigation around your property should be easy to swiftly get from the home to the barn or other facilities. Suitable access to the barn with wide turnaround driveways is essential, which may include grading an additional access road.

Flexibility is Key!

The more specific your property criteria, the more challenging it may be to check everything off your wish list. While it’s important to know what you want from the property, it’s equally important to be open minded and realize that the property may require some extra work to meet all your needs.

The post What to Consider Before Buying an Equestrian Property appeared first on Fort Collins Real Estate | Fort Collins Homes for Sale & Property Search.

What to Consider Before Buying an Equestrian Property

/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

Buying a horse property is a very different experience from a conventional home purchase. The first and most important step is to work with an experienced equestrian specialist, but there are some additional items you should also consider before buying.

Location, Location, Location

When looking at equestrian properties, one of the most important things to consider is location. You want to make sure the property is near resources you will need like feed and tack stores, local vets, and more. You should also consider everyday needs, such as groceries, gas, shopping, and community amenities.

Knowing Your Needs

Having a clear vision of your specific needs is a very important step when buying an equestrian property. For example, a casual rider doesn’t require the same capability and organization as a professional equestrian, and similarly, a professional will often need a horse property with strict specifications.

Property Features and Facilities

Something to consider is the soil type on the land you’re looking at. There are 12 different soil types and some of the best for horses are sandy, loamy, organic soils. Not only is this the best option for your animals, but these characteristics will also impact the quality of grasses for pasture growth. Whether you decide to pasture or hay feed, ensure there is adequate hay storage, especially for winter months when, depending on what part of the country you live in, grass may not be as ample.

Other important features to consider are:

  • Does it have indoor stalls?
  • Does it have multiple fenced pastures for rotating your livestock? This will ensure the ultimate health of your pasture and the grass that is produced.
  • Are riding trails nearby or will you have to trailer to get to trails?
  • Is there an indoor or outdoor arena? These are important for training, breaking, and even veterinary care, at times.
  • Does it have a secure tack room that rodents cannot penetrate?

Accessibility

Accessibility is another important factor to consider. This includes the convenience of your land but also important resources like water. Each horse will drink approximately 5-10 gallons of water per day; therefore, readily available potable water is vital. The accessibility of your horse property is crucial for bringing in vets, food supplies, and getting around quickly in emergencies. The navigation around your property should be easy to swiftly get from the home to the barn or other facilities. Suitable access to the barn with wide turnaround driveways is essential, which may include grading an additional access road.

Flexibility is Key!

The more specific your property criteria, the more challenging it may be to check everything off your wish list. While it’s important to know what you want from the property, it’s equally important to be open minded and realize that the property may require some extra work to meet all your needs.

The post What to Consider Before Buying an Equestrian Property appeared first on Fort Collins Real Estate | Fort Collins Homes for Sale & Property Search.

10 Tips to Minimize Stress When Selling Your Home

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Posted in Selling by Guest Author 

 

When I was growing up, my family must have moved a dozen times. After the first few moves, we had it down to a science: timed out, scheduled, down to the last box. Despite our best efforts, plans would change, move-out and move-in days would shift, and the experience would stress the entire family out. Despite the stress, we always managed to settle in our new home and sell our old one before the start of school.

With a lot of planning and scheduling, you can minimize the stress of selling your house and moving. Here are some tips:

Plan Ahead

Know when you want to be moved out and into your new home and have a backup plan in case it falls through. Before you sell your home, familiarize yourself with local and state laws about selling a home so you’re not caught by surprise if you forget something important.

Lists and schedules are going to be your new best friend through the process. Have a timetable for when you want to sell your house when you have appraisers, realtors, movers, etc. over. Also, keep one for when your things need to be packed and when you need to be moved into the new place. I suggest keeping it on an Excel sheet so you can easily update it as the timeline changes (and it will – stuff happens).

Use Resources

First time selling a house? Check out some great resources on what you need to know. US News has excellent, step-by-step guides on what you need to know to sell. Appraisers and realtors can also be good resources, and since you’ll be working with them through the process, be sure to ask them questions or have them point you to resources.

Appraisal

Have your house appraised before you sell so you know your budget for your new home. This will help you look for an affordable home that meets your family’s needs. It will also help you maximize the amount you can receive for your old home. You can also learn useful information from an appraisal, such as which repairs need to be made, if any.

Repairs

Does your house need repairs before you move? If so, figure out whether you’ll be covering them, or whether your buyers will (this will be a part of price negotiations, so factor it in with your home budget). Will you need to make repairs in your new house, or will that be covered? Either way, make sure you know which repairs need to be made – and either be upfront with buyers about them or make them before you sell.

Prepare to Move

If you’re moving to a new town or a new state, you need to prepare more than just a new home. Research doctors and dentists, places to eat, and what to do for fun. If you have school-aged children, look at the local school district or private school options – not only to learn how to enroll your kids, but also to get a feel for the school culture, see what extracurricular activities your kids can do, what standards/learning methods your kids’ new school will implement, etc.

Packing

Think: how soon are you moving, what will you need to use before you move, what can get boxed and what needs to stay out?  The sooner you’re moving out, the sooner you need to pack, but if you have time, just take a day per weekend to organize a room, pack what you want to take and arrange to donate what you want to get rid of.

Downsizing

Moves are a great time to purge old, unwanted and unused stuff from your home. Sometimes, it’s necessary if you’re moving into a smaller space. Either way, as you pack each room, think about whether you use what you’re packing to take with you. If you do, pack it to go. If not, put it in a separate box to go to your local donations place. You can also call some organizations to have your unwanted things picked up, no hassle.

If You Have Kids

Moving with kids can be extra stressful. Be sure to include them in the process. This is a wonderful opportunity to teach younger children about moving and prepare them for the changes it brings. Older children can help out with responsibilities, like packing their room or researching their new town.

Your New Place

Moving into a new place takes some planning as well. Once you’ve bought your new home or condo, design at least a basic outline for where your stuff will be set up. Make necessary repairs and decorate (painting, for example) before you unpack. Ideally, you should have some time to do these things before, but if you don’t, don’t be in a hurry to unpack everything – it can be a hassle to paint if you have all your furniture and bookshelves up!

Staying In Touch and Making New Friends

Finally, moving can mean good-byes with family and/or friends. Social media is a great way to keep in touch with people after you’ve moved, but distance can still weaken these old relationships. Make some time to call or message your old friends to keep in touch. Pair that work with a concerted effort to meet new people. See what hobbies or groups are in your new area and start there. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but it can make your new house a home and make your new town a community you can enjoy.

 

Patrick Bailey is a professional writer mainly in the fields of mental health, addiction, and living in recovery. Patrick is currently a writer for Mountain Springs Recovery as well as on his own blog.

The post 10 Tips to Minimize Stress When Selling Your Home appeared first on Fort Collins Real Estate | Fort Collins Homes for Sale & Property Search.