True Horse Definitions

Just for fun this week, I'm giving you the true definitions of the different disciplines of riding. Please don't be offended......I'm a trail rider:)


Natural Horsemanship devotee looks like a throwback from a Texas ranch, despite the fact that he grew up in the suburbs of NJ. Rope coiled loosely in hand (don't want to send any messages of tension, after all) in case he needs to herd any of those kids on rollerblades away from his/her F-350 dually in the WalMart parking lot. Cowboy hat is strategically placed, and just soiled enough to be cool. Wranglers are well worn, with that little wrinkle above the instep of the ropers, and lots of dust (well, you know, from the round pen) on the lower legs.

Dressage Queen is freshly coifed. Not even she remembers her own hair color, but she has taken great pains to ensure that Rolf, the hairdresser, makes the perm and highlights look "natural." Diamond studs are elegant and stately, and not so large that they blind the judge during the entire passage-piaffe tour. $30 dollar denim jumper worn over $300 full seat white breeches and custom Koenigs.

Hunter/Jumper competitor is in an aqua polo and those breeches whose color could be compared to, um, well, okay, let's say they're khaki. The polo is so that folks will think they're a jumper rider until they put on their shirt and stock tie. Baseball cap is mandatory after a ride, in order to provide free advertising to that trainer's stable for whom they shell over a mere grand or so per month, and to hide "helmet head."

Eventer is slightly hunched over. This could be from carrying three saddles, three bridles, three bits, and all related color coordinated gear to every event, or it could possibly be a defensive posture where he/she is unconsciously protecting his/her wallet, which is, of course, nearly empty from buying three saddles, three bridles, three bits and all related color coordinated gear. Looked down on by the H/J's as "people who just run their horses at fences" and by the DQ's as "not real dressage riders" Eventers are smugly convinced that they are in fact the only people in the horse world who CAN ride, since the H/J's don't jump real fences and the DQ's don't ride real horses.

Trail Rider is usually found wearing a "wife beater" (wife beaters know no gender) and jeans with several rips, tears and holes in them from being rammed into trees, wild rose bushes and rocks. Their 15 year old Justin boots are cut, stratched and marred so badly from being drug acrossed trees and dunked in rivers that you can't even remember what color they are. They usually have very, very nice saddle bags neatly tied on their saddle; nothing but the best for their beverage of choice.

Endurance addict is wearing lycra tights in some neon color. Has not read the rule that lycra is a privilege, not a right. The shinier, the better, so that they can find her body when her mount dumps her down (another) ravine. Wearing hiking sneakers of some sort and a smear of trail dirt on the cheek. Sporting one of the zillions of T-shirts she got for paying $75 to complete some other torturous ride. Socks may or may not match (each other).

Backyard rider can be found wearing (in summer) shorts and bra, (in winter) flannel nightgown, muck boots, down jacket. Drives a ford tempo filled with dirty blankets and dog hair. Usually has deformed toes on the right foot from being stepped on in the Walmart sneakers that are worn for riding. Roots need touching up to hide the grey. 2-horse bumperpull behind barn filled with sawdust/hay. Can be found trying to teach her horse to come in the kitchen to eat so she doesn't have to walk all the way to the barn.

Until next week......Happy Trails.

Financing Homes on large acreages

Well it doesn't seem like much of a problem. You have good credit, your home in the city is now under contract, you are pre-approved for far more than the country home on 40 acres you want to buy, so what could go wrong? You stop by your mortgage company, you've been with them for you years, you have a great relationship, and you went to high school with the manager. So imagine your shock when you find that they tell you they can't finance your mortgage.

Why not you ask? They then tell you that they are very comfortable financing homes in the city but they do not finance homes on large acreages, generally they draw the line at homes on 10 or fewer acres. All of a sudden what seemed to be your seamless easy move to the country is now at risk.

You are shocked and offended, how dare they turn you down after all those years, you'll just take your business elsewhere. So you just march down the street and find that the competition turns you down as well. What now?

You have just learned that sometimes it's difficult to find lenders willing to finance purchases of larger tracts of vacant land, even those with a home on them. So what are your options?

There are lenders that specialize in financing vacant land, and homes on vacant land. One of the largest of these is Farm Credit. They can take care of the entire mortgage. The downside is that they generally ask for more of a down payment and their rates are usually higher than the mortgage you are used to getting for your suburban home.

Another option is to contact banks with mortgage departments in the small towns and rural area where you new home is located. Another avenue is to use a mortgage broker whose job it is is to know where these types of loans can be found. These lenders are used to this situation and often can make the loan on the land in house and send the loan on the house and part of the acreage to the secondary market, just like you are normally used to doing.

There is a catch though. You usually have to have the land surveyed and broken into two parcels. One parcel will contain the home and 10 or fewer acres. The other parcel will be the balance of the land left when the house and 10 acres is subtracted. This will entail some expenses. There will be a survey fee, and usually some fees from the county where the lot split is done. It will also often take 60+ days to get approval for the county for this to occur.

So if you are planning on buying a home on a larger parcel of ground it is well worth your time to know in advance what lender will work with you and what the county regulations are to make this happen. Seem complicated? No need to worry just contact an experienced realtor who handles rural property and they can make this an easy process for you, make sure you are properly financed, meet all county regulations and write a contract that eases through this whole process.

Don't know of any such realtors? Well let me suggest you call 913-837-4665, or email infor@RuralKC.com and I'll bet we can find one for you.

FSBO or Realtor

For Sale By Owner or Realtor?????

There was a For Sale By Owner sign seen in a yard recently and it read: "We shoot every third Real Estate Agent that stops here, and the second one just left".


"Why do we need a real estate agent? After all, an agent will charge thousands of dollars to sell even an average home, and that commission comes right off the top! Heck, with the Internet and all, we can do practically everything that an agent would do, so why should we pay out all that money?" Many home sellers have similar thoughts, and because so much money is at stake, these questions deserve some serious thought.In today's world, the sale of real property is not just a marketing exercise; there are many legal issues involved which can create liability in the sellers. Of all the things you want and expect from selling your home, a lawsuit is probably not one of them.Unfortunately, residential transactions have seen an alarming increase in the number of claims and lawsuits. Of these claims, the majority are filed against sellers, by their buyers. Home sellers who think they can "go it alone" might want to seriously ponder the observations of a lawyer who has defended many sellers and real estate agents against claims made by "the Buyers from Hell." In most states, the process by which title to real property is transferred is rather complicated, and the typical home seller is not familiar with the many legal issues that can and do arise, even in a fairly simple transaction. Important decisions must be made concerning contract terms, escrow matters, transfer of title, apportionment of costs and any number of other matters. Also, bear in mind that a simple missing word, or a mistake in grammar can create a dispute which, in turn, can give rise to a lawsuit. Aside from the problem of drafting the contract language itself, sellers can face other dangers as well. For example, did you know:

That buyers who look for "FSBOs" usually offer 6-10% below the price of comparable properties because they know you are not paying a commission?

That there are substantial risks involved when a seller agrees to "carry back" a note from the buyer; risks that can cost you thousands of dollars?

That your good credit rating can be ruined by your buyer's default, many months, or even years, after that buyer "assumes" your loan?

That a clever buyer can stay in possession of your property for many months after he defaults on the contract, and in effect "live for free" at your expense?

So, please take the time and think about what the safest and most cost effective way to sell your home might be.

Until next time.......Happy Trails. Danicia

Did you know you can put land in your IRA?

Most people are completely unaware that you can buy land as part of your portfolio in an IRA. After the recent collapse of the stock market people are becoming a little less sure of the advice that they get from their financial advisors and are wondering if there are better, safer, cheaper altertnatives. Land may be among them. Below is an article published in a recent edition of Landthink blog, that provides more details. If you'd like us to help you with a land purchase just let us know and we'll be glad to assist.

You can invest in Land, improved or unimproved with a “Self Directed Retirement Plans” since the IRS has allowed them. No one wants to talk about it. “They”, the investment firms do not make money on a Land transaction because “they” are not licensed real estate agents. Only licensed real estate companies can take commissions and are not allowed to pay referrals except to other active real estate firms.

The traditional investment community has had control of over 97% percent of the retirement accounts and they have been making a great living off your hard earned money.
Your stock broker or financial advisor will not advise you how to take money away from their pockets and invest in real estate through your IRA, or 401K plan either. The financial magazines run large ads for brokerage firms and mutual funds T.V. and radio investment shows are supported by the same Wall Street advertising dollars…your money.

Stated on the IRS website “…..because of “administrative burdens”, many IRA trustees do not allow IRA owners to invest IRA funds in Real Estate. IRA law does not prohibit investing in Real Estate but trustees are not required to offer Real Estate as an option.” No commission for real estate sales may have a say here described as “administrative burdens”.

Be careful who you choose as your custodian. Most of these “professionals” are part of the same old 97% controlling crowd previously mentioned. Our recommendation is that you find one that charges an administration fee and believes in Land Investments.

HORSE VS. HUSBAND (OR WIFE)

As you may know, the Rural KC Team specializes in selling country homes to people that are looking for the "good, clean country living". More likely than not, when folks buy their first property with acreage, they soon long for their own horse. Here are a few comparisons you might want to keep in mind.

GOOD THINGS ABOUT HUSBANDS
Husbands are less expensive to shoe.
Feeding a husband doesn't require anything that even mildly compares with the hassle of putting up hay.
A lame husband can still work.
A husband with a belly-ache doesn't have to be walked. Note .. this item prompted a response from someone else:
But if you've ever endured a husband who is rolling on the floor, screaming, and writhing in pain with a kidney stone at three in the morning, you know you can't put him down (and get away with it).
Husbands don't try to scratch their heads on your back.
They're better able to understand puns.
If they're playing hard to catch you *may* be able to run them down on foot.
They know their name.
They pay their own bills.
They apologize when they step on your toes.
No saddle fitting problems.
They seldom refuse to get in the vehicle.
They don't panic, yelling and running all through the house when you leave them alone. (unless you left the kids too)
For a nominal fee you can hire someone else to clip them.
They don't like the lady next door just as well as you just because she fed him 3 days straight.

THE HORSE'S ADVANTAGE
If they don't work out you can sell them.
They don't come with in-laws.
You don't have to worry about your children looking like them.
You never have to iron their saddle pads.
If you get too fat for one you can shop for a bigger one.
They smell good when they sweat.
You can repair their "clothes" with duct tape.
It's possible to keep them from "jumping the fence".
You can force them to stay in good physical condition...with a whip if necessary.
They don't want their turn at the computer.
They turn white with age, but not bald.
They've never *heard* of PMS.
They learn to accept restraint.
They love to go trail riding.
They don't care what you look like, as long as you have a carrot.

GOOD THINGS ABOUT A WIFE.
Your wife can feed herself if you have to leave town.
You can (usually) kiss your wife's neck without worrying about getting your feet stepped on.
You can shop for a new car without worrying about whether it's powerful enough to haul your wife.
If you call in sick at work to stay home and play with your wife, there's very little risk of serious injury that will be tough to explain to the boss the next day.
Your wife won't go roll in the mud right before an occasion when she needs to look her best.
Your wife can groom herself much better than you can.
Bathing your wife can be much more entertaining than bathing your horse, and doesn't require tying her up (unless you're into that).
If your wife loses a shoe, you can be pretty sure she has plenty of replacements in the closet.
Your wife's mane doesn't need to be pulled.
If your wife runs away from you, you don't care whether she gets hurt.

THE HORSE'S ADVANTAGE
Horses are less expensive to shoe. They'll happily wear the same set for weeks.
Horses are less expensive to clip, and one clip job may last all winter.
Your horse won't constantly ask you if his blanket makes his butt look big.
Your horse won't worry about whether his shoes match his saddle.
Your horse won't complain if you occasionally ride a different one.
You have more options for working out your horse's behavioral problems.
Your horse won't sulk if you forget his birthday.
Your horse's farts make yours seem like no big deal.
Your horse won't tell all his friends about every little mistake you make.
Your horse won't constantly nag you to redecorate the barn.
If your horse runs away from you, you can usually get him back.

Until next time.....Happy Trails. Danicia

Who owns the fence?

So you’ve just bought your new property in the country and you notice you have long fence line with your neighbor. The fence line is on the property line so who owns it? And more importantly who maintains it? For a long time, centuries perhaps there has been a rural tradition about maintaining fences. Since each landowner had a vested interest in the integrity of the fence they tradition was that they would meet at the middle of the fence with each of them standing on their property and each would be responsible for the maintenance of the fence to their right.

Some people even today think that is what the law says. But it is really just tradition, not law. Now suppose you are building your country home site but your neighbor has a large cattle operation. Clearly then it’s up to him to maintain the fence to keep the cattle off of your property right? Well not so fast. In Kansas and Missouri as well as many other rural states there are left over laws from the free range days that state it’s up to you to keep cattle off of your property not the responsibility of a landowner to keep cattle in his property. So if you want people and livestock off of your property, it’s up to you to keep them out.

Now while that may be true in law it’s rarely if ever followed in day to day life. As a practical matter the rancher wants to keep the fence up and will no doubt maintain it. So practical reality almost always trumps 19th century laws.