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FirstLight

(14,079 posts)
Tue Jul 9, 2024, 05:22 PM Jul 2024

(cross post from Farm/rural) Need help with selling property!

We've got family property of 40 acres in Sonoma county by Armstrong Redwood np. It's very rough, pretty much a jungle with redwoods LOL.
There's septic, a spring, electric, and a dirt road that needs some TLC.

My sister had it listed couple years ago with some bougie ass guy out of Santa Rosa who drove a BMW. Not the type for this property.

I need to either find me a rough and ready realtor who can handle this jungle, or I need to post it someplace and sell it myself. The latter is not my ideal, it's more important to get high dollar sooner the better. We're getting too old to be worried about it.

Does anybody know of good prepper sites or forums to go on to look for potential buyers? I would totally fix this up and make it something if I could, but my age and physical issues make it too difficult. So the best second option is to use this as investment capital for my wife and me to find something for our future.

Seriously, any help would be appreciated!!!

7 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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(cross post from Farm/rural) Need help with selling property! (Original Post) FirstLight Jul 2024 OP
You might try a google search for how to sell rural property. Lonestarblue Jul 2024 #1
Already done so FirstLight Jul 2024 #2
I would qoogle commercial realtors in your area, pick the ones with the best sale track record & contact them ImNotGod Jul 2024 #3
List it on Zillow WhiteTara Jul 2024 #4
Seems like you have two choices. usonian Jul 2024 #5
Thanks for all the information and thoughts FirstLight Jul 2024 #6
Did not know about steep. usonian Jul 2024 #7

Lonestarblue

(11,807 posts)
1. You might try a google search for how to sell rural property.
Tue Jul 9, 2024, 05:32 PM
Jul 2024

Check out the towns closest to your property to see if one has a real estate agency specializing in rural property. Good luck.

FirstLight

(14,079 posts)
2. Already done so
Tue Jul 9, 2024, 05:39 PM
Jul 2024

Thought I found a realtor in the town.

she chickened out, couldn't handle the dirt road, even though she lived in the area her whole life...

ImNotGod

(460 posts)
3. I would qoogle commercial realtors in your area, pick the ones with the best sale track record & contact them
Tue Jul 9, 2024, 05:56 PM
Jul 2024

They seem to get the best prices for vacant prop that need attention. Been there, done that. The real estate market has never been hotter so is a good time to sell.

usonian

(13,772 posts)
5. Seems like you have two choices.
Tue Jul 9, 2024, 06:52 PM
Jul 2024

Have it cleaned up a bit or wait for a buyer willing to take on the cleanup for a lower price.

It might be hard to find a realtor with the resources. In fact some might cut corners, or rely on some pal with a kickback.

When I moved to the Sierra foothills, I didn't care about the 6 out of 7 acres of brush, the 8 foot high kind. Yerba Santa, buckbrush, etc. I had my area of clear and level ground and lots to do moving in

The day after I moved in, luck says it was CalFire inspection day. They asked me to clear one slope near the house of the low stuff. I started, and too much of it was poison oak, so I got a crew to finish the job. Family operation.


Having said that, even if there's no home there (you don't mention one) it might be mighty good to have much of it cleared for fire reasons, even if anyone building there would have to later on. ???

There is a ton of clearing going on in the forests here. If you can find a crew, good. My neighbor has one come almost every year to trim or clear.

Over 10 years I cleared much of my property because the first was a trail, and then more trails, and then I saw manzanitas hidden that needed to be seen and so on, but that task is basically done now. It transformed my jungle into an arboretum and rock climbing park on either side. Your needs are simpler. There are real estate people who specialize in land. How to find a trustworthy one with the right skill set?

The 6% (3 and 3) rule was settled to be void, so things are up in the air now, though land alone had a different fee structure.

A crew with heavy equipment can work real fast. A nearby land was cleared in a month, not my 10 years.

All that I mentioned are from my experience here.

Not sure if Craigslist is any help. Take a look?

I once did a FSBO and paid the buyer's agent 3% in a tough market at the time. Hard to imagine now!


That's all I can think of for now. Maybe more later.

FirstLight

(14,079 posts)
6. Thanks for all the information and thoughts
Wed Jul 10, 2024, 12:48 AM
Jul 2024

Unfortunately, it's just so steep and so densely vegetated that it would be nearly impossible for me to get in there or even know where to hire somebody.

I might have to fork over the cash just to get somebody to clear the brush out of the road so that the road is passable and then we can let somebody else deal with the jungle...

usonian

(13,772 posts)
7. Did not know about steep.
Wed Jul 10, 2024, 01:02 AM
Jul 2024

I've got steep. All work by chainsaw. Neighbor's lot was pretty even by comparison. Bulldozers did most of the work.

Sounds like the road needs work just to get in and show. Good luck however it works out. Someone should have the fortitude to get the necessary work done. Or the money! I have been living some time in a double-wide that actually is a nice home. Hope there's a flat spot!


Location and vista, if any, should do.

All I really needed was the clear couple of acres. The rest was "fun" and exercise. I won't do any more. I am guessing that most folks won't need too much space for a home, and if someone wants to go to town on the vegetation, that's their option.

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