Newly-retired educators preparing to ret. in Sheridan--help (Buffalo, Story: for sale, real estate) - Wyoming (WY) - City-Data Forum

Rene67 · 06-19-2019, 09:17 PM

Hello.Been a long time since we've posted.Years ago we were on here seeking job advice... Fast forward- retired and ready to settle. We grew up in Colo. and have made many trips to the area,spoken to locals,made some connections,etc. With the kids off to college,we are excited and prepared to join the friendly folk of Wyo. **However**,we're having a terrible time finding a lot ( other than the country club/HOA scene- which is a "no"),or less than an acre in our desired location,Sheridan. A realtor reached out to a couple of land owners asking if they'd be willing to sell a small portion,but no response. Hoping someone here would entertain the thought or know someone who would. The other day I was driving down the road,feeling discouraged, then remembered this forum and decided to put our situation out there! Can't hurt! Will be moving likely within a year.

branDcalf · 06-20-2019, 08:14 PM

Have you looked in Story, Ranchester, or Dayton? And I guess none of the existing houses are suitable. I can understand. It's a tough market, given the available inventory.

I've been in the area for more than ten years. I know many land owners, but nothing for sale like what you hope to find.

nm9stheham · 06-23-2019, 08:49 AM

Is there a rough price limit for the lot, and how close to Sheridan does it need to be?

IMHO, don't judge each HOA as the same..... many municipal codes are requiring an HOA be formed as part of any new development for the simple need to have someone own the roads and maintain them. So I'd advise not crossing those off of my list out of hand; if you see a lot that interests you, and has an HOA, ask for a copy of the covenants, read them, and judge from that.

nowhereman427 · 06-24-2019, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rene67

Hello.Been a long time since we've posted.Years ago we were on here seeking job advice... Fast forward- retired and ready to settle. We grew up in Colo. and have made many trips to the area,spoken to locals,made some connections,etc. With the kids off to college,we are excited and prepared to join the friendly folk of Wyo. **However**,we're having a terrible time finding a lot ( other than the country club/HOA scene- which is a "no"),or less than an acre in our desired location,Sheridan. A realtor reached out to a couple of land owners asking if they'd be willing to sell a small portion,but no response. Hoping someone here would entertain the thought or know someone who would. The other day I was driving down the road,feeling discouraged, then remembered this forum and decided to put our situation out there! Can't hurt! Will be moving likely within a year.

We have come up dry with finding anything in Sheridan area.

jody_wy · 06-24-2019, 08:50 AM

most land owners don't want to go thru a subdivision to sell an acre of ground...

Rene67 · 06-24-2019, 10:39 AM

Not sure what you mean. There aren't too many formal subdivisions that we saw.

Rene67 · 06-24-2019, 04:48 PM

As far as HOAs, we see there are plenty of lots in golf communities, but the fees are strangling we hear. That's why we're looking for someone that might be willing to sell a small portion of their acreage-- someone who owns a few acres , but would sell an acre or... something of that nature.

NW Crow · 06-24-2019, 05:55 PM

Lot prices look a lot lower near Buffalo WY compared to what I see for Sheridan.

WyoNewk · 06-24-2019, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rene67

As far as HOAs, we see there are plenty of lots in golf communities, but the fees are strangling we hear. That's why we're looking for someone that might be willing to sell a small portion of their acreage-- someone who owns a few acres , but would sell an acre or... something of that nature.

It's been 20-25 years since I gave up my real estate broker's license, so some things have changed since I was "in the know," but I doubt too much has changed in Wyoming. And at that time, a property owner could sell a piece of his land without going through the whole subdivision routine, but he could only do it once (before going through a complex subdivision thing). It's set up that way so a rancher can break off a piece of his land for a relative or whatever without all the complexities of establishing a subdivision. So it's not a simple thing to sell a few acres off of a ranch. Well, it IS simple once, but only once. Not many ranchers would want to do that, because then they can't do it again for a family member, etc. At least that's how it used to be, and I'd be surprised if it's changed.

I think this held true for any and all property owners, at least after they've owned the property for awhile. (Can't really recall how it works. I've been forgetting a little daily for 20 years, so not much has been retained at this point!) So your best bet to get someone to sell you a few of their acres might be to find a small acreage, like you say -- 10 acres that they'll break in half because they need some money more than they need 5 of their acres. I'd suggest you look into that with a Wyoming attorney to verify it's still done that way, and if it is, then run a want-ad in the Sheridan Press explaining what you're wanting to do. You might catch a small land owner who reads it and thinks, "yeah, I could sell off that patch of weeds and get both a neighbor and some spending money." Might be worth looking into for you, anyway.

If you do try this, your ad should be written to sell you to potential land owners who might see it and think, "They sound like they'd be good neighbors!"

I do know of a vacant property on the edge of Ranchester that has 10-20 acres with an older but remodeled house and a few out buildings, but it's actually now in the city limits, and I don't think it can be broken up without going through a city subdivision process. It's owned by a mortgage company, and of course they want to sell it. I don't know for how much, but I know others have been interested in it but become uninterested for some reason. I'm thinking it's because they can't run animals on it. Something like that has been killing interest in it, anyway. It's been empty for a few years now. The for sale sign has been removed now for a year or so, but I know it was still owned by the mortgage company as of a month or two ago.

jody_wy · 06-25-2019, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rene67

As far as HOAs, we see there are plenty of lots in golf communities, but the fees are strangling we hear. That's why we're looking for someone that might be willing to sell a small portion of their acreage-- someone who owns a few acres , but would sell an acre or... something of that nature.

it raise the appraisal price of the remaining property, it takes a surveyor to mark off the property. you now have a close neighbor, you might complain about cows , horses or farming practices, they might have a dog that will cause livestock issues. they might sell after they get built to someone that will cause even more problems. So why cut up and subdivide a place when it easier to keep it all squared up. Pulse there already subdivisions out there why make more when they are not needed?