Top 10 Priorities When Purchasing Hunting Land in Alabama

Welcome to the John Hall and Company “How to Buy Land in Alabama Series”.  Pete Hall, John Hall and Company co-owner, shares the value of hiring a Buyer’s Specialist when buying land in Alabama. Pete Hall answers the question, “Why Hire A Buyer’s Specialist?” 

Purchasing hunting land is a large investment and commitment. You want to be sure you have a partner you can trust to guide you through the process. John Hall and Company is here to help! In the fourth part of the Buying Land in Alabama series, we will walk you through the top 10 priorities to consider when purchasing land in Alabama.

 

Price Range

Before you consider purchasing hunting land, it’s important to review your budget. Will you be writing a check or financing the land purchase? Crunch some numbers and see what you can reasonably afford. Having a price range in mind before you start the process can help you narrow down the ideal land for you. In addition to setting a purchase price range, it’s also important to consider additional updates the hunting land might need.

 

Need a little help figuring out your price range? John Hall and Company can connect you with lending resources to help you start your search with confidence.

 

Location

Just like with any real estate transaction, location is key and one of the first things you should consider. How often will you be traveling to the hunting land? Depending on your answer, you want to consider how long it will take you to get to the land. The closer it is to home, the easier it will be to hunt more frequently. You don’t want to spend more time driving to the land than you spend hunting. If you already have a favorite area to hunt, start by looking for property near the area.

 

Accessibility

Accessibility can play a major role in how long it takes to get to your property from home. Does the land have access from major highways and interstates? You probably don’t want your land too close to the city, but you want to be able to easily get to your property.  Depending on amenities on your property, you’ll also want to consider the proximity of a hotel.

 

Internal Road Systems

In addition to accessibility, it is also important to consider the accessibility of your property within the boundary lines. An internal road system allows you to access all the features your property has. Creeks, wildlife food plots, your favorite hunting spot, etc. Having internal roads can be the difference in allowing you to have full access and usage of your property.

 

Quality Timber

Evaluate the timber on the property. Timber can make up a large portion in the value of the property. Different types of timber can dictate what types of wildlife will use the property. For example, oak is a source of food for deer and can keep them on the land.

 

Creeks or Ponds

It’s important to assess if the hunting land has creeks or ponds. Water is essential for wildlife survival. Ponds also add additional value because they can be good for both hunting and fishing.

 

If the land does not have a creek or pond, you might want to evaluate adding a water source. This should be factored in when considering the cost of the property, as it can be an additional expense.

 

Wildlife Food Plots

Just like water, a food source is essential for attracting wildlife. Consider the trees, fruit, and bushes already existing on the property. Are there any existing food plots on the land? Based on the availability of food and the size of the property, you can determine if you’ll need to add any food plots and where you should add them.

 

Amenities

You should prioritize any amenities you feel are essential to you. Take a moment to think about how you, your family, and your friends will use the hunting land. Are you hoping to use the hunting land as a weekend getaway? It could be helpful to seek out land with a cabin. If it doesn’t already have amenities like a cabin, home, or barn, you want to be sure to consider if there is a good place to add them and if you can afford the additional expense.

 

Acreage and Size of Surrounding Landowners

Neighbors and surrounding land should also be considered when purchasing hunting land in Alabama. Observe the nearby properties. Ask questions about how or what these properties are being used for. Neighboring and nearby properties can influence value, wildlife, and your enjoyment of a property.

 

Accessibility of Utilities

Most people want to have access to utilities like power and water on their hunting land. You will want to prioritize finding out if the land you’re looking at has access to utilities. If it does not have utilities, it’s important to research the feasibility and cost of adding them.

 

As you can see, there are a lot of priorities to consider and evaluate when purchasing hunting land in Alabama. Your wants and needs are unique to you and how you plan to use the land. With more than 35 years of helping buyers and sellers, John Hall and Company can work with you to determine your top priorities and assemble a list of everything on the market that fits within your parameters. Even better, using us as your buyer’s agent costs you nothing!

 

Ready to get started? Call us today!

 

We invite you to review other articles in the John Hall and Company Selling Land Series

Why Hire a Buyer’s Specialist

3 Important Questions for Buying Land

First Steps to Prepare to Buy Land

Return to Our Articles Page

First Steps to Prepare to Buy Land

This is the third part of the series on Buying Land in Alabama. John Hall outlines how to prepare to buy land in Alabama. Mr. Hall’s advice comes from 35 years of helping buyers find their perfect Alabama property.

First Step to Buy Land In Alabama

My wife grew up on a farm in Huntsville, Alabama, and I grew up on a farm in Cecil, Alabama. My dad also owned the local corner store. He instilled in me a love for the land, business, family, and faith. My wife and I have passed on that legacy to our boys and grandchildren.

Today it is a blessing for me to have a business that helps individuals and families find their perfect piece of land in Alabama. I have been helping people for over 30 years invest in our state. There
are a few things I have learned in my time about land and selling land, especially when it comes to getting the recreation land that you have dreamed of for your family.

Think about your perfect property for you and your family and friends. Now, make a list of all the amenities that you want if you could find the perfect property.

What are your family’s land needs?

Imagine your family’s needs for the next 15 years. What type of property will fill those needs for them to grow into adulthood? 

  • What values and hobbies do you want to instill in your children?
  • How much time and sweat equity do you have to invest in the land?

In my book, there is nothing better in this world than teaching children how to live on the land through horticulture, learning about the environment, and stewarding the land well.

What do you envision on the Alabama land that you want to buy?

    • cabin
    • fishing lake
    • barn
    • established wildlife plots
    • hunting
    • bird trail
    • garden
    • home
    • animals

Land Buying Costs

Keep in mind a preferred “turnkey” family hunting/fishing property costs much more than “raw” land. Do you have the skills, resources, time, or expertise to build out your own amenities? Some buyers have the desire and expertise to construct amenities which takes time but saves a lot of money. We have a list of trusted partners to assist our clients within budget and build the land they desire because we want our clients to have the resources to build their dream recreational land.

Connect with an Agent

Once you have a vision and have identified your desires for the property, this is a good time to reach out to a John Hall and Company agent. I do encourage buyers to enlist the services of an experienced real estate land agent.

The term is a Buyer’s Agent and it costs you nothing!

Review the John Hall and Company agent page and pick out an agent that best fits your needs. Review their “bio” on their website to see which agent with whom you feel compatible. Pick one and call him to discuss your property requirements.

Your agent will pull up properties that they know best match your criteria and desires.  Your agent will diligently research the properties and set up tours to help you assess the properties. When you are ready to buy, your agent will prepare the sale contract and assist you with the details to a successful closing.  

Please give John Hall and Company a call at 334.270.8400 and speak with one of our experienced sales agents to discuss your perfect property.

Happy Hunting!

 -John E. Hall, Jr. CCIM

Download John Hall and Company’s checklist for buying property HERE. These are the questions that every buyer needs to be asking before they make a purchase.

 

We invite you to reveiw other articles in the John Hall and Company Selling Land Series

Why Hire a Buyer’s Specialist

3 Important Questions for Buying Land

First Steps to Prepare to Buy Land

 

Return to Our Articles Page

How aesthetic appeal can improve your land values

There are many ways in which a landowner can get an idea of how much their property is worth. John Hall & Company along with other land brokers can give a landowner their opinion of value simply based on recent comparable sales in the area. There is also the route of hiring an appraisal company to provide you with the value of your property. The total value for a property can be broken down into sub-categories to come up with the total value. Many recreational and timber properties can be broken down to the “bare land” value, timber value, and value of amenities. In this article, I want to share my thoughts on the aesthetic appeal of a property and how it can affect the “bare land” value of your property.

The aesthetic appeal to a property can be the difference in the land selling at $900 an acre for the “bare land” or $1,300 per acre for the “bare land. It is nothing more than the aesthetic appeal but adds value to your property. The location of a property has a lot to do with the “bare land” value of a property but if the property is not maintained or provided some TLC you will not see the same return in value. The aesthetic appeal of land can consist of something as simple as mowing and trimming limbs along a road system. Think of it as vacuuming your home and mowing the yard. If you were trying to sell your house and you had not vacuumed your home or cut the grass in over a year, do you think the potential buyers who come to view the house would even make an offer or if they did do you think they would be willing to pay a premium price? A few other aesthetically pleasing but small costs that can improve the value of your bare land can be planting fruit trees or other mast-producing trees around food plots, having a gated entrance to the property, adding culverts to creek crossings, or adding rock to creek crossings to give it a hard bottom. To compare to residential real estate think of this as decorations and furniture to make the home look better.

When buyers are viewing properties, and see that a property needs a lot of upfront work they most of the time discount the price they are willing to pay. This is to adjust for the upfront costs they will need to apply to the property when purchased. The value of the “bare land” in negotiations, although many times not specifically stated, is typically the value that will fluctuate the most. Buyers are willing to pay more for a property that is maintained and accessible over properties that are not. Recreational buyers tend to be willing to pay more for the property than timber companies or individuals strictly interested in the timber. Therefore, in order to obtain the best value for your property, it may be beneficial to manage your property catered towards recreation. However, this does not mean the timber value is not important because it can be a large portion of the total value of the property.

A maintained property is an aesthetically pleasing property. It is in the best interest of the landowner to keep that in mind if they are looking to obtain the best value possible in a sale. Sometimes landowners do not live nearby, have the time, or have the ability to maintain their property, and in that instance, we suggest leasing the hunting rights out. A hunting lease can be structured so that your roads will be maintained, food plots will be planted, and the property will be accessible.

John Hall & Company would be pleased to assist you with your land needs and would be happy to provide our opinion of value. John Hall & Company has been in the business of selling land since 1987 and we would be love to talk land with you!

Hoke Smith IV 

334.322.2683

hoke@johnhallco.com