Niobrara County, north of Lusk (SIXOFONE & SUNSPIRIT) (lease, how much)

[igloo]

SIXOFONE & SUNSPIRIT - you folks seem to know a lot about the area I have in question. Some time ago, I was considering property 8 miles north of Lusk, but that didn't work out. Now, there is a 2800 acre place 13 miles northeast of Lusk. It is a ranch set up and just from a cursory review of information and pictures it appears promising. I realize that the last forum entries you helped me with indicated concern with water questions and rights, etc. I would assume that being only 5 miles further up than the last property, the wind and snow conditions would be the same. Just FYI, jobs and school (my boys are homeschooled) are no problems.

Any opinions/informations/suggestions you folks may have would be appreciated. Thanks.

[sunsprit]

I'd say that the concerns expressed previously are still valid when checking out properties in the area.

Know what you're buying. Is it all deeded land, or does the acreage count include leased lands?

Visit with the prospective neighbors and get their viewpoints on the area, and the property, if possible. Get farm and ranch records from the sellers, if possible. After all, you're not just buying a residence, you're buying a working property and that's a business which deserves full disclosure re the value of what you're paying for the place.

Find out as much as you can about "historic use" and locals use of the land; with over 4 sq miles of land, you need to not be blindsided by use that can be adverse possession of your property. You don't want to discover that on your place is the traditional "party site" for the local high schoolers (as was on a portion of the ranch where I'm now at), or that a neighbor uses your pastures to access his land because it's more convenient than the public roads leading to his place. Or that the locals consider some of your land their prime hunting spot in season because grandpa started hunting there way back when .... Or that the neighbors use your place for their dog training or other recreation.

Check with the local county departments for zoning and planning, easements, the state engineer for water rights, and get your own survey (the fences may not agree with your boundaries). If there's water rights, find out how much has actually been delivered over the past few years. Don't forget to get your own well water quality tests ... and you're looking for comprehensive testing to include heavy metals, pollutants, herbicides, fertilizers, ... stuff far in excess of the basic colliform count and so on. Yes, it's expensive to get those water tests ... but I've seen way too many properties sold with water quality issues that had been adversely affecting people and livestock using it for generations and they didn't know it was the cause of problems.

If you're looking at older structures, evaluate them carefully for suitability for your needs. You can spend a lot of money on infrastructure if it's not up to par. Same thing with the housing on the place ... be very careful about proper plumbing, wiring, and physical structure/condition. These are issues that can rapidly affect your investment; not saying that a house in poor condition shouldn't be bought, but that you should be aware of what you're buying and price it accordingly. Sometimes, on these older ranches ... it's more cost effective to burn and bulldoze and build anew.

Visit the county assessor's office and get their estimate on your new taxes. They may be significantly higher than what the seller has been paying in the past, which is all they have to disclose to you.

Good luck!

[jody_wy]

we looking at a place a little farther north it is not listed but a big 39,741 acre place close to it is. That country is just ranch no farming unless theere is some prairie hay worth putting up . there was some intermitting seasonal streams, and reservoirs , but most the water is from well and in a pipe. Still looking at the place just need a buyer for my place.

[sixofone]

I agree 100% with all of Sunsprit's observations and add the following:

1. I've had unsatisfactory experiences with some local contractors. This isn't an indictment of all contractors in the area, but the guys I was unlucky enough to deal with insisted they needed $$ up-front, then proceeded to quit with the work only partially finished. Other people have had the same experience. My advice-- pay only for work that has been completed and purchase your own materials. The county court-house can tell you who's been sued for non-performance.

2. There are a lot of home-schoolers in this area, but most of the kids I know also enroll part-time in the public schools so that they can play sports. Niobrara County High, in Lusk, is the county's only HS. There are less than 100 kids in the whole school, so if your boys are at all athletic, the football coaches will be overjoyed to meet them.