Author Topic: getting a place (Read 1670 times)

JulOz · « **on:** April 13, 2018, 02:33:16 pm »

Hi all... I've been dreaming of having a smallholding most of my life and I think I've realised that the only way to get one might be to partner up with someone. So often when farms come up for sale they're out of my price range and have more land and outbuildings than I need, but you can see the potential for splitting them with someone and both having a smaller place. Do people here think that would be an achievable plan? Anyone interested?

arobwk · « **Reply #1 on:** April 16, 2018, 06:35:47 pm »

Joint purchase of property by unconnected parties is never going to be the easiest thing. That is not to say it is unviable. Whether it is achievable is another matter. Since you have asked, JulOz, whether anyone is interested, might be useful to also say where you are and where you would be looking to buy.

Maysie · « **Reply #2 on:** April 17, 2018, 10:27:22 am »

Having had direct experience of how awful it can be just living next door to bad neighbours, I would never even contemplate the idea of owning/sharing a property with anyone other than my life partner. I would not even consider this with family members, as I have seen it go wrong for others.

At the risk of sounding very negative, it seems like a recipe for future disaster at some point in the future when your ideas and direction inevitably part ways.

You may be better looking into a local farm cooperative which do exist in some places, so that you can get time working on the farm, but do not have the vast expense of owning/maintaining it.

Clarebelle · « **Reply #3 on:** April 17, 2018, 11:06:54 am »

A couple I used to work for bought a farm with another couple several years ago and it has worked out great, no problems. The farm had lots of sheds and land. The other couple had another farm already so they didn't need the buildings, they just wanted some more land. It meant my bosses had a smaller farm (still big enough for their needs) including sheds.

Both couples were after different things from the farm and neither could afford to buy it alone, it has benefitted everyone. So it can be done!

Maysie · « **Reply #4 on:** April 17, 2018, 02:55:48 pm »

I probably should have made myself clearer.

What I meant is that this obviously CAN be made to work for the right people, but if it doesn't work out, if the other person wants to move away, get married, or gets ill, it could to be a catastrophic end to your home life as you know it.

I should also have added that I am a strong minded control freak too!

JulOz · « **Reply #5 on:** April 20, 2018, 01:32:16 pm »

Maysie, I suppose I was thinking that although we'd buy it together, we'd agree - with some legal document - to split it and make it really clear who owns what. So then if the other couple/person want to move away they could just sell off their bit and me and my partner would be unaffected. You see farms being sold off in lots so I imagine it is possible to split up a farm legally - not sure if you'd have to get planning permission or something for this though, there is alot I don't know about this area so I was wondering if anyone else had tried it.
arobwk - I am looking mainly in the Welsh borders, ie Cheshire, Shropshire etc, but actually I'd go pretty much anywhere if the farm was right!