Land prices around Alpine or Afton, WY (Cody, Jackson: employment, to buy)

[UtahStar]

You sure we aren't related? You sound like me, I just have been so stunned by him saying "you know maybe it's time......" given I know he just bought two baby bulls (good blood but we'll see how it goes) that I'm sure "um um um" is all that came out.

BTW...what direction from Jackson is Boulder? Keep in mind I use to ski Teton and Targhee all the time so if you point me in a direction I can find it.

But thanks.....lets see what his reaction to THIS news is. He may say "ok sis....I changed my mind" but you know, it's hard saying with him. He's so different from me in some regards I wonder how we're even related some days.

EDIT: Never mind I googled it and then went "doh" like Homer from the Simpsons. I drove by Boulder then more times then I can count and spooky part is? I KNOW someone in that area! Spend 15 years in the land of Salt Lake and your brain goes to jello. So I'm not sure he'd want Boulder, but as I said, it's his call on this one. Again, thank you

[sunsprit]

Ah, just playin' around now ... look at the Rare Properties of Jackson website.

The ranches in the Afton area appear to be starting at $8,000 per acre for 40's ...

But the piece de resistance is the ranches they've listed close by Jackson.

For your review, a few offerings:

The GW ranch, operating as a guest ranch. Just 34 miles from Jackson town square. With 8 cabins and a main lodge, 45 acres. $9,500,000.

The Bull Creek Ranch, another guest ranch. With a new 6,500 sq ft main lodge and a couple of guest cabins. Not too far from town square. $12,995,000.

Just minutes from Jackson's town square is 100 unimproved acres, with 1/2 mile of Cody Creek flowing on the property. Unimproved land. No mention of any water rights to the creek, although the fishing is supposed to be good. You won't be using it for irrigation, and they're getting awfully sensitive these days about livestock polluting the creeks, so you might not even be able to use it for water for the bulls. Only $15,500,000.

Or an "inholding" in the National Forest, with permits for snowmobiles and access. 160 acres, unimproved land. There may be some issues about getting utilities to the site, or access during the winter months. Conservancy eligible. Only $24,000,000 .... or they'll consider breaking it up into 4 ea 40's, at a small premium price for the smaller acreage per acre.

And, the "best" listing I could spot today ... a 172 acre "parcel" on the Jenkins Ranch, 5 miles from town square. Spectacular views ... trees, mountains, forests, streams, ponds, with a 2,200 sq ft 3bd/1ba house. (I'll bet it's a large old line shack ... bunkhouse for seasonal ranch crews to you folks not used to ranching .... you know it can't be much when the listing realtor doesn't picture it or give much detail on the listing info). You'll be tearing the heart out of the family who have owned it for the past 70 years as they part with it for your $32,000,000. Of course, you'll have "end of the road privacy" off the 1/2 mile private road into the ranch that you'd use to access the place (oh, by the way ... you get to plow that private road yourself, it's not a public road. Gives real meaning to the words "gotta go plow the driveway").


You might ask if there's other "ranches" close by Jackson that aren't priced as recreational/resort properties. None. Zip. Nada. If you want acreage close by Jackson or in the 'hole ... this is what they go for. Priced as recreational places or properties suitable for development at Jackson area real estate top dollar.

[UtahStar]

Want me to show up with him and he strangles you? Don't give the man heart failure at 31!!!

But yeah I got this deep down sneaky feeling he's making phone calls as I speak. I made the mistake of saying "you know I haven't seen you in PERSON for 5 years (his schedule and my schedule just dont mesh well for the last few years...and we're family, go figure) and I knew he was out this way around his birthday. It took a bit of talking but I think that...and he knows there is NO WAY I would move to TN (a few too many tornadoes for MY liking), he's wanting to do two things at once. So....

who knows at this point. I'll tell you if I get a reaction from him on "oh I think I found one for 32 million". Either that or give you an address to send flowers to the funeral

[paintersspouse]

There are some more reasonable pieces of land in Star Valley. It reallly depends on what you need for land. It sounds to me like you will not have a large amount of animals, more like a select small breeding group.

I could PM you a couple of names for really good agents that could point you in the right direction. The selling season is just starting here and I have seen some really nice well priced properties show up.

Most people here in the valley buy their winter feed and therefore need less land.

[sunsprit]

Originally Posted by paintersspouse

There are some more reasonable pieces of land in Star Valley. It reallly depends on what you need for land. It sounds to me like you will not have a large amount of animals, more like a select small breeding group.

I could PM you a couple of names for really good agents that could point you in the right direction. The selling season is just starting here and I have seen some really nice well priced properties show up.

Most people here in the valley buy their winter feed and therefore need less land.

Absolutely. I've already pointed that out. But the OP wanted to relocate to Jackson because her husband might be able to land the job as a car rental agency branch manager.

Seriously, though ... the Star Valley is expensive for ranch land due to the tourism/retirement and scenery (with soils and water pretty good) compared to many other places in Wyoming. Ranchland in the South Central, SE corridor, Eastern corridor, and even up around Cody or Buffalo is much more reasonably priced. Closer to it's productive value instead of it's speculative value or tourist value. You can still get land around these areas for $1,000 per acre ... or less, if it's a large parcel. Not very likely in the Star Valley, where you typically see land prices that are multiples of those numbers ... much higher cost per acre than the land's productive value.

[paintersspouse]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

Absolutely. I've already pointed that out. But the OP wanted to relocate to Jackson because her husband might be able to land the job as a car rental agency branch manager.

Seriously, though ... the Star Valley is expensive for ranch land due to the tourism/retirement and scenery (with soils and water pretty good) compared to many other places in Wyoming. Ranchland in the South Central, SE corridor, Eastern corridor, and even up around Cody or Buffalo is much more reasonably priced. Closer to it's productive value instead of it's speculative value or tourist value. You can still get land around these areas for $1,000 per acre ... or less, if it's a large parcel. Not very likely in the Star Valley, where you typically see land prices that are multiples of those numbers ... much higher cost per acre than the land's productive value.

There are other things that make Star Valley desirable. If all you are looking at is price than they would not be looking here.

[sunsprit]

Originally Posted by paintersspouse

There are other things that make Star Valley desirable. If all you are looking at is price than they would not be looking here.

Would you care to enlighten the thread with your knowledge of what those "other things" are that make "Star Valley desirable"?

Feel free to compare and contrast to other ranching areas of Wyoming and how price (which is a critical aspect of ROI in the ranching business) would be justified in Star Valley compared to other places ....

[paintersspouse]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

Would you care to enlighten the thread with your knowledge of what those "other things" are that make "Star Valley desirable"?

Feel free to compare and contrast to other ranching areas of Wyoming and how price (which is a critical aspect of ROI in the ranching business) would be justified in Star Valley compared to other places ....

Am I reading this wrong that sounds a bit confrontational? Am I supposed to sell someone on Star Valley?

The OP has already stated that Star Valley is where they would like to look. I am sure they know what the benifits are.

[UtahStar]

But given me and sun have been talking directly about the amount of land we would need (we would have at least 3 bulls and probably 5 cows to START but obviously that number would increase as they bred, we bought more bulls or cows etc) could we start "semi-small"? Yeah maybe but I would prefer to start out larger and know I have the land when my brother says "hey here's 3 ,more for you" or whatever, plus horses, and ....who knows. I hope you understand. I would like to be closer to Jackson but sun did suggest a few other spots that honestly? Escaped my mind.

I know that it could be a hike to a decent grocery store (hike meaning 25 miles or more one way), I know that the valley is mostly LDS (I live in SLC UT and I'm not LDS so its not like it bugs me), and I know in the winter it could be a bit ...shall we say isolated from the rest of the world? I would welcome it.

Why are we looking? Becuase my brother is currently running this operation on land that him/family/friends owns in TN and he knows there is a limit and the limit is coming soon. We can only grow so much there, and thus for him to split the company has some logic.

But please, if you can add anything to what sun feels, go right ahead. Right now things are at the baby steps so nothing has been chiseled in granite or gold or such, it's only on paper.

BTW if you know some real estate agents that my brother might want to talk to--please drop me a message and let me know. I'm just the "middle man" on this--he's the one with the money and ultimately its HIS decision

[paintersspouse]

Originally Posted by UtahStar

But given me and sun have been talking directly about the amount of land we would need (we would have at least 3 bulls and probably 5 cows to START but obviously that number would increase as they bred, we bought more bulls or cows etc) could we start "semi-small"? Yeah maybe but I would prefer to start out larger and know I have the land when my brother says "hey here's 3 ,more for you" or whatever, plus horses, and ....who knows. I hope you understand. I would like to be closer to Jackson but sun did suggest a few other spots that honestly? Escaped my mind.

I know that it could be a hike to a decent grocery store (hike meaning 25 miles or more one way), I know that the valley is mostly LDS (I live in SLC UT and I'm not LDS so its not like it bugs me), and I know in the winter it could be a bit ...shall we say isolated from the rest of the world? I would welcome it.

Why are we looking? Becuase my brother is currently running this operation on land that him/family/friends owns in TN and he knows there is a limit and the limit is coming soon. We can only grow so much there, and thus for him to split the company has some logic.

But please, if you can add anything to what sun feels, go right ahead. Right now things are at the baby steps so nothing has been chiseled in granite or gold or such, it's only on paper.

BTW if you know some real estate agents that my brother might want to talk to--please drop me a message and let me know. I'm just the "middle man" on this--he's the one with the money and ultimately its HIS decision

I am not LDS, and have not found that to be of any concern here. I PM'd a agents name that has a good reputation.

Star Valley is no longer an isolated community. It has grown in leaps and bounds and there is more and more amenities all the time. We even have a grocery store that is open on Sunday now.

I have no idea if you are going to have a small select breeding program or you need lots and lots of land for a more ranching type of business. If you are looking for 1000's of acres than this would be the wrong place. If you would be happy with 40 acres than it can be done.

You will have better luck with prices from Thayne to Afton. Alpine and Etna has most of it's land priced too high or too subdivided. That does mean a longer commute if someone works in Jackson.( Closer to Jackson, the higher the prices.)