Micro Florida Horse Farm

[TheJenners]

@enjoytheride

Sold or pending? We looked at several properties that were listed as pending and then they came back on the market as the financing fell through. Have your agent keep an eye on it. My property we bought a year ago went pending for 2 weeks and it fell through then we made an offer, argued for almost 60 days and finally closed.

Or see if the listing allows second offers, and offer more. I can’t remember the term but my Chief lost a house this way, and have countered another had he known.

[enjoytheride]

@TheJenners

Or see if the listing allows second offers, and offer more. I can’t remember the term but my Chief lost a house this way, and have countered another had he known.

Agree. Have your agent call their agent and indicate interest and see if you can get an idea of how serious the offer was. Even if the offer had preapproved financing it’s possible their type of financing isn’t going to cover the farm. I had to switch my loan type a few times and luckily my credit was good enough.

[fourfillies]

Mortgage rates just hit a crazy low. Anyone on the sidelines is going to be buying. Hard for a distant buyer. You may need a more aggressive local agent. Or be prepared to bring a cash offer if you have that luxury. Good luck. Farm shopping is so frustrating.

[btswass]

@fourfillies

Mortgage rates just hit a crazy low. Anyone on the sidelines is going to be buying. Hard for a distant buyer. You may need a more aggressive local agent. Or be prepared to bring a cash offer if you have that luxury. Good luck. Farm shopping is so frustrating.

We are lucky enough we will be buying cash. And we will definitely be switching agents. The agents excuse for not putting the offer in like I asked was they might not have accepted it without us seeing the house. I have a hard time believing that.

[spacytracy]

It IS frustrating. We looked for 3 years heavily. It was so disappointing to get your hopes up and put your daydream into a home and lose it.
I know the old “when the right one comes along” thing is tired, but it IS true. Patience isn’t my strong suit so I get it. But don’t try to make something unsuitable work because you’re sick of looking.
You’ve got the advantage of being able to be a cash buyer. Might just need to get a local agent to be more aggressive for you.
Good luck, you’ll find your dream place!

[btswass]

@4horses

My former property was a 1.25 acre lot with 2 horses. Very minimal grass. Right now I have 3 acres and 4 horses.

Smaller properties require intensive manure management. All my horses are drylotted during the winter, and only out at night during the summer. If you are willing to muck daily (and i mean daily), then you will do okay with a property that small.

Since you have a smaller property, you will need to manage scrap hay. Coastal hay tends to leave scraps or shafty small pieces with dust- all that goes in the compost.

Large properties are so much easier! Less mucking, more turnout time. The horses do not need as much consistent riding time because they are on turnout.

Keep in mind that small pond will probably triple in size during the rainy season. If this is South FL, your paddocks will probably flood for 6 months of the year. Look very closely at the neighbors properties and where the water is going to drain too. If the barn isn’t on a hill, the barn will flood too.

You should probably budget for several loads of fill to build up the property. South FL is notorious for flooding. If you think the property is high enough, think again! Plan on installing a drain on low lying areas, but you will need to drain the water somewhere.

I already muck daily. And hay will be fed in porta grazers so no waste left on the ground. They will be out anywhere from 12-24 hours a day depending on the weather. Probably stalled during the day in the summer and most likely out constantly in the winter. Pretty much how we’ve been doing it the last 5 years. My horse gets worked 5-6 days a week and is a lazy bum the rest of the time. The donkey and dogs will get playing and running around but my horse thinks that too much work and just watches :lol:

On our county GIS map in NY there’s an option to show any flood zones. Do you know if something like this exists for Florida? Does seem to exist on PAPA maps

[mmeqcenter]

@btswass

The agents excuse for not putting the offer in like I asked was they might not have accepted it without us seeing the house. I have a hard time believing that.

Also, who cares if they might not have accepted? Not your realtor’s call to make. You put in the offer anyway, no matter what you “think” the seller will do. At least then there’s a chance of you getting the house. No offer, no chance, period.

SMH. Glad you’re switching.

My county auditor website has the option to show flood zones on the property map. I doubt one exists for the state as a whole. Check the county of the property you’re looking in.

[btswass]

@mmeqcenter

Also, who cares if they might not have accepted? Not your realtor’s call to make. You put in the offer anyway, no matter what you “think” the seller will do. At least then there’s a chance of you getting the house. No offer, no chance, period.

SMH. Glad you’re switching.

My county auditor website has the option to show flood zones on the property map. I doubt one exists for the state as a whole. Check the county of the property you’re looking in.

Exactly. So beyond furious at her. Just couldn’t believe it. We’ll probably never find a similar property that we could actually afford. We looked at the palm beach county mapping website. It’s a little confusing but couldn’t find anything about showing flood zones

[mmeqcenter]

I found this but, I’m not really sure how to use it:

http://maps.co.palm-beach.fl.us/cwgis/?app=floodzones

[suzyq]

FEMA has flood maps just Google FEMA flood map and then your city or county should get you something.

ETA when buying a property always ask the selling realtor if the house has flooded before. Realtors can correct me, but I believe they are not required to disclose this unless you ask.

[Calamber]

@Marla 100

my first Florida home only had total of 2.5 acres. Daily, I dreamed of having just 5 ac. It would have been heaven as 2.5 ac. is very difficult to do realistically. You’re constantly rationing turnout time on a little grass pasture. You’re constantly rotating horses. Lots of hand leading to and from. You’re constantly monitoring them tearing up the pastures.
I would not do it again, honestly.
I’d do with less house for more pasture. Just my experience. You can always improve the house but you can’t add onto
the land.

Agreed, I would never do what you are contemplating. I want turnout, usually also, minimum to most areas is one acre per grazing for a horse. Zoning laws do not always reflect reality in suburban areas. Not humane in my book either

[Calamber]

@btswass

Exactly. So beyond furious at her. Just couldn’t believe it. We’ll probably never find a similar property that we could actually afford. We looked at the palm beach county mapping website. It’s a little confusing but couldn’t find anything about showing flood zones

Flood zones are only on FEMA maps. Do not trust Florida realtors to tell you any of this. We had a yard which used to be a stream and swamp, we knew we were in a flood zone because civil engineer husband knew where to look at FEMA site. RE agent said nothing. It flooded nine iinches in backyard, they do not tell you even if house flooded, they do not have to, but your flood insurance company will find out if claims have been made.

[clanter]

@btswass

Exactly. So beyond furious at her. Just couldn’t believe it. We’ll probably never find a similar property that we could actually afford. We looked at the palm beach county mapping website. It’s a little confusing but couldn’t find anything about showing flood zones

here is a link to FEMA flood zone maps for the entire country… just enter the address of the property… nearly instant response when I searched our address

https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search?

[Calamber]

Alligators are an issue with ponds iin all of Florida especially in the south. Be aware, they migrate constantly.

[Calamber]

@enjoytheride

Agree. Have your agent call their agent and indicate interest and see if you can get an idea of how serious the offer was. Even if the offer had preapproved financing it’s possible their type of financing isn’t going to cover the farm. I had to switch my loan type a few times and luckily my credit was good enough.

Best and highest offer is the term they use to negotiate when multiple offers come in. Cash trump’s all financing. We lost out on that here in Maryland because we were not cash buyers

[Calamber]

@Lucassb

That size property sounds difficult to me, but if you are already used to managing under those constraints you may be able to make it work.

Personally I agree with those who point out that you can always improve a house - I am in the middle of updating the “meh” rancher we bought because the horse facilities were awesome, and although of course there are the usual hassles, I actually really like getting to renovate things to my own taste.

Also NY state is not Florida. Heat, humidity and bugs, plus a lot of Sandy soil make management very different. Not saying it cannot be done but I would not.

[happilyretired]

Be sure zoning allows for horses on that size lot. Also check elevation and FEMA flood zone maps – a lot of land in South Florida is low lying and very wet, particularly in the summer wet season. Even with 15+ acres in Central Florida we have times when some of the pastures are too wet for turnout. You won’t have much “wiggle room” with that small of a lot.

[Lucassb]

@btswass

We are lucky enough we will be buying cash. And we will definitely be switching agents. The agents excuse for not putting the offer in like I asked was they might not have accepted it without us seeing the house. I have a hard time believing that.

The agent doesn’t get to make that call. They are legally obligated to present any offer from their buyer to the seller. I would be having a conversation with the broker and perhaps with board of realtors about that.

[cardinale]

Bluey, you post the best pictures, of worst-case scenarios.

[Bluey]

@cardinale

Bluey, you post the best pictures, of worst-case scenarios.

I think is very interesting that alligators can and would climb fences.