# Offering to buy land not for sale



## KH_EKU (Dec 14, 2012)

Long story short, I'm wanting to buy a farm that isn't posted for sale. The landowner is 104 and the only use the land gets is his cousin cutting hay off it and me hunting it. I don't know the guy outside of his name or his age. He barely remembers sometimes that he's even talked to me before. He knows my father in law pretty well which is who I have to mention each time we talk to find some common ground. I know offering to buy land that isn't for sale can be tricky, and since the gentleman is 104 and sometimes has difficulty comprehending things makes it a little more challenging. I'm wanting to talk to the guy in person when I first offer, and probably will take my father in law with me, but does anyone here have any tips or recommendations to what to say or how to approach making an offer? Thanks in advance.

Side note: I've had others tell me, "just wait until he passes and it may go up for auction". I know that sounds kind of harsh, but if that does happen I know I can't compete with either of the 2 people who will buy it. Both are filthy rich older guys. One farms with his son and his grandson on essentially a ranch to one side of it. The other guy is another big farmer who touches something and it turns to gold, who also just bought the other neighboring farm for $100k more than it's asking price just to beat out the farmer previously mentioned. I've been to 3 farm auctions since living here and all three times one of those 2 bought it for far more than what it was worth just to beat out the other. So just my luck this farm is right in the middle of the 2 and I know both will want it. So I feel the only way for me to ever get a piece of it is to buy it before he does pass and potentially go to auction.


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## kiyote (Jun 15, 2014)

KH_EKU said:


> Long story short, I'm wanting to buy a farm that isn't posted for sale. The landowner is 104 and the only use the land gets is his cousin cutting hay off it and me hunting it. I don't know the guy outside of his name or his age. He barely remembers sometimes that he's even talked to me before. He knows my father in law pretty well which is who I have to mention each time we talk to find some common ground. I know offering to buy land that isn't for sale can be tricky, and since the gentleman is 104 and sometimes has difficulty comprehending things makes it a little more challenging. I'm wanting to talk to the guy in person when I first offer, and probably will take my father in law with me, but does anyone here have any tips or recommendations to what to say or how to approach making an offer? Thanks in advance.
> 
> Side note: I've had others tell me, "just wait until he passes and it may go up for auction". I know that sounds kind of harsh, but if that does happen I know I can't compete with either of the 2 people who will buy it. Both are filthy rich older guys. One farms with his son and his grandson on essentially a ranch to one side of it. The other guy is another big farmer who touches something and it turns to gold, who also just bought the other neighboring farm for $100k more than it's asking price just to beat out the farmer previously mentioned. I've been to 3 farm auctions since living here and all three times one of those 2 bought it for far more than what it was worth just to beat out the other. So just my luck this farm is right in the middle of the 2 and I know both will want it. So I feel the only way for me to ever get a piece of it is to buy it before he does pass and potentially go to auction.


good luck!

if he is having difficulty comprehending it may get complicated.

does he have any family ? or anyone looking out for his interests?


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## KH_EKU (Dec 14, 2012)

To my knowledge he has no kids or spouse. I’m really hoping to run into the cousin who cuts the hay as I’m sure he’ll probably have some knowledge if he’d be willing to sell.


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## knapper (Feb 5, 2010)

Ask him about who is taking care of the guys money and power of attorney. If he dose not have any heirs he might know. If not help him to get some and not you. so those guys trying to get it pay dearly for it.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Worth is determined by whatever someone is willing to pay. Period.


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## kiyote (Jun 15, 2014)

glenway said:


> Worth is determined by whatever someone is willing to pay. Period.


that is true but suppose he was offered a dollar an acre and because he was not in right mind accepted it.

I would call that theft. I could not do that.

not saying anybody here would either.

just saying ,I wouldn't go after the land, unless this guy had some one looking after his interests.

of coarse one wants to get the best deal they can but not at the expense of swindling a man with cognitive issues.

I have seen this done and it's just wrong.

like I say, not speaking that anyone here would do such a thing.

just pointing out that unless he has some sort of representative , I would be a bit leary of trying to deal with him, if for no other reason then that I might be percieved to be a thief by others in the county.

to do so , you could be setting yourself up for misery. no land is worth that.

I am probably not expressing my intent well but hope you get my meaning.

it's kind of the same principle as a DR. or a priest being alone behind closed doors with a woman.

might be perfectly above board and innocent but will likely not be PERCIEVED that way


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## KH_EKU (Dec 14, 2012)

Never thought of that kiyote. Thanks for the advice. With that being said It's probably best that I avoid going to him first and try to work with someone within his family to get a feel of the situation. I think that'll not only be easier but will also ease some minds that I'm not trying to take advantage of anyone.

I'm new to this area and hardly know anyone outside of my wife's immediate family, the last thing I need is to piss off any locals lol


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## murphyranch (Dec 9, 2015)

I've been in this situation a couple of times, one with a neighboring rancher who was diagnosed with cancer at 62 and was given less than 6 months to live and another gentleman was in his 90s who started out with 640 acres and when he passed had put together over 25,000 acres of bluestem prairie. Both times I asked if they had a convenient time that I could come by and visit with them. When I did get the chance to talk with them I brought my wife and 2 daughters with me and first told them that I am buy no means being a funeral chaser, but was a young man only wanting to provide for my family,run a good herd of cows and be a good grass man leaving the Osage a better place for whoever it is to take my place. I admired and respected both men and told them if that was not possible was there a way I could lease it and make any heirs a respectable income. Both men told me they appreciated my approach and said that many buzzards were circling making outlandish offers and all were denied solely on the way the went about it. I ended up leasing a large portion of the older mans ranch and still do today, 16 years later. My neighbor with cancer passed away earlier than expected but had a son in the insurance business who came home to the ranch. My family leased some of his country until he got his feet under him and things figured out about ranching and is a very good neighbor. I think a lot of it has to do with the way you approach it. Good luck.

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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Good stuff, men. When I referred to "someone", I meant someone or anyone who would offer the most.

When I bought some land, it was attached to my original parcel. That land was probably "worth" more to me than it would have been to others. Just because I may have given more than anyone else, doesn't mean it wasn't worth as much *to me* as I agreed to pay. Value or worth can be very subjective - kind of like beauty being defined in the eye of the beholder.

I like the way Murph went about his land acquisition in that he treated the potential seller the way he would want to have been treated.

At any auction, the high bidder wants the item more than anyone else, because to him/her it *was* worth it. To everyone else, it wasn't. Although unsuccessful bidders may grumble, it's irrelevant.


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Yep--- your liv'in right Murphy--- that be'in truthful with other folks works pretty good most of the time--- I'll bet most of the folks on the other side of the big river don't know what that means though---

awprint:


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## murphyranch (Dec 9, 2015)

Losing good neighbors across the fence line from you is not a good thing when that land will be on the auction block. You can pick your nose but you can't pick your neighbor when there's an auction. Another thing to mention to a landowner who is considering an auction of his land and holdings is what it will cost him to hire auctioneer company, advertising and other hidden fees and if they charge a percentage or a set rate. Large attractive pieces of land bring out the big money guys, so the company will usually do percentage and advertise it far and wide. Smaller tracts not so much.It's similar to buying a house outright from the owner other than having a realtor handle it. After pencil is put to paper often times it's more profitable for them to sell it themselves-first-if they are sound of mind and body and have a previous relationship to someone like a good neighbor.

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