My next fixer-upper purchase will be a 3/2 farm house out in the country on 4 acres of land. I am considering buying a used ATV or maybe a Golf Cart to get access to parts of this property where roads do not exist yet. I will first hire out the services of a bush-hogger to clear a path to drive on.

For a rental or flip property, what kind of access do you need to his 4 acres to justify land clearing and the expense of a UTV?

If the UTV is a personal pleasure thing, you're going to get pretty bored pretty fast on 4 acres. That's not a big chunk of land to run around on one of those machines.

Are you going to maintain these trails when it is rented out and go there to ride while the house is occupied? I would also imagine that tenants living there are going to run their own four wheelers on this ground which would be a liability concern for me as well as dumping trash and stuff back in the woods.

I guess my overall question is why would you do this? Is there a business reason? I could see it on a large parcel of land somewhere that you have, but not an investment property.

Thanks Robert J,

If my F-150 had 4 wheel drive, I would be tempted to just use it. However, I can't risk getting my only 2 wheel drive F-150 stuck in a mud-hole out in the middle of a rattlesnake infested forest.

NE,

You have asked some really great questions and at this writing, I do not have all of the answers to them. Buying this property will be a new challenge for me since it is not located in city limits with all of the conveniences of the city (Lowes/HD, police, fire etc.) that I am use to.

When the time comes for me to locate a tenant that wants to rent this farm house on 4 acres, I will be posting questions here at that time. That is at least 3-4 months away though. I have an expensive rehab coming first and I can't be blowing my rehab money on expensive UTV,..LOL.

Country person here, living on acres and acres with adjacent woods and fields. We own an older Polaris ranger as well. There are comparable ones by other manufacturers. Golf carts are for smooth areas, "putting" along. The UTV is more for work. Dump body, heavy cab roll bar, work tires, a 4 wheel drive, winch, low gear etc. I would not bother with electric, go for gas or diesel. Be aware the older Kubotas, do not have any speed. There are plenty of times when you want some speed, but don't have to use it if you don't. You could get an ATV with a trailer, but the UTV allow you to carry other people easy, get in and out like a golf cart.

4 acres is nothing, just a building lot where I am. If you are clearing, makes the paths wide enough for a small truck. Be aware, there is maintenance to keep these paths or keeping the open area. Nature likes to take over and she will always win in the end.

Thank-you Linda J for that 'advice from a country person'. I will have more questions for YOU at a later date, probably in about 3 months.

I realize 4 acres is not much and I will probably just end up just hoofing-it. However, I do have 2 brothers who own 75-100 acres of deer hunting land (50 miles away) and it would nice to have my own UTV when I visit them.

My soon to be farm house (closing is next week), does have water from a city line out at the paved road. The house does have a septic tank though which I will have inspected and probably pumped out.

Homer,

Ask your Dad if he will sell me his 25 yr. old JD Gator. I just Googled it and that green UTV will be just fine for me.

Just to throw the data point out there--

I hired a skid steer to clear out cactus and mesquite. The parcel itself was 2.5 acres, although due to the uphill neighbor's months-long water leak, there were some parts of the property it couldn't safely clear (due to the mud).

So-- it took about 11 hours to clear 2 acres to woodchips and dirt.

OK VOTING...

ON SOME 15 ACRES WITH OPEN PASTURE AND FOREST THE BEST VEHICLE WAS A 1958 JEEP...

COVERED, SIMPLE, DOORS AND A BED BEHIND THE FRONT SEATS

FOR FAR LESS THAN THE PRICES, AND A GO TO TOWN RIG IF YOU HAVE TO....AS TOWN IS 20+ MILES AWAY...

"I don't see how you could justify this expense for only 4 acres."

Have you thought about a Suzuki Samurai or the like?

I was looking for a vehicle for knocking around the farm, hauling fire wood and feed. Used UTV was running around 6-9 K new were as high as 20k+.

Found an old 4wd beater Samurai for $1800 with a lift kit and big tires. Almost pulled the trigger but wound up putting my 'fun" money into another flip.

ROY - I live on a mostly wooded 60 acre tract. I am a country boy - For access and any other clearing around the the house I would suggest hiring a backhoe service. You will be surprised what a backhoe can do in a few hours to open up overgrown roads or building new ones. Especially smoothing out a dirt road to the house if needed.

I have a backhoe and tractors for my tree farm - but for just riding around on the farm I have a GAS Yamaha with a lift kit. You need the lift kit to drive over limbs and other wooded area debris.

I picked up the cart a few years ago from a golf coarse change out dealer. Best cart I have every owned and I have owned several - absolutely no trouble just put gas in it and go.

BUT - If you buy one how do you store it and secure it? people will steal ATVs and golf carts.

AND - Just 4 acres I would wait until the access roads are clear - bush hogging is done - then make a decision about the cart/ATV.

PG,

Roy,

My brother has one of each. The golf cart gets pulled out first. It is gas with lifted suspension and ribbed tires for mud, not smooth golf course tires.

A trailer hitch pulls a small trailer for firewood, corn for deer, shovels/chainsaw, grandkids...

Easy on the back and hips to get on and off.

A roof is nice in summer sun and when a shower happens.

Roy,

My brother has one of each. The golf cart gets pulled out first. It is gas with lifted suspension and ribbed tires for mud, not smooth golf course tires.

A trailer hitch pulls a small trailer for firewood, corn for deer, shovels/chainsaw, grandkids...

Easy on the back and hips to get on and off.

A roof is nice in summer sun and when a shower happens.

Roy,

My brother has one of each. The golf cart gets pulled out first. It is gas with lifted suspension and ribbed tires for mud, not smooth golf course tires.

A trailer hitch pulls a small trailer for firewood, corn for deer, shovels/chainsaw, grandkids...

Easy on the back and hips to get on and off.

A roof is nice in summer sun and when a shower happens.

Roy

Just a little bit of work and I am sure you will have it looking great.

Be careful places in the country will grow on you, especially if its peaceful and quiet.

A couple off topic tips.

Make friends with a neighbor who will bush hog that 2 acres for you. Should be less than $150 twice a year. Give him his favorite bottle of booze as an added thank you to generate good will. When you need a favor, he will be willing to help out with his tractor/farm equipment.

You WILL want that field mowed at least 2x a year to keep trees and invasive weeds from taking over. OR.

Let it grow up for deer/turkey, mow it every 2-3 years or strip mow it for some great hunting habitat.

DONT buy an old used tractor for the farm. You will spend 5x the purchase price in aggravation fixing it every other time you want to use it. Old tractors are cheaper to buy, easier to work on but need a LOT of upkeep. New tractors are easier to use but wooooieeee ! they are higher than a cats back $$$$$$$$$

Make sure everything is insured to cover you if the locals decide your usually vacant country home would be easy pickins.

Country living is addictive. Once the peace and quiet soaks in, going back to the city can be nerve wracking.

Thanks Hammer for those additional tips on living in the country, even if it is only during a 3-4 month rehab.

Turkey season here starts in 3 weeks. I hope to be able to sit on the front porch with my Mossberg pump and hope that a big fat Butterball turkey comes walking by. I will have to build some 40 inch high handrails just so I will have something to prop my Mossberg stock on. I am lazy hunter.

5 miles away, in the closest city, is a Kubota farm equipment dealer. I will go there and see if I can hire someone who has bought a new bush-hogger recently. $150.00 sounds reasonable for 2 acres.

Kubota makes the RTV, like the gator and ranger. Maybe they have something used. But still it will cost $$. Kubota tractors are awesome, again $$. But the compacts are great to put a loader, post hole digger, mower, brush hog, snow blower (you probably don't need that) even rototiller on.

If you like the place, you are going to want to be the one to run the brush hog at least once a year, after it is cut back by the big guy, maintaining it is easy and fun

Don't forget to get some trail cameras. Set a few all around and you get to see what comes through during the night and when you are not watching. There can be some great pictures of wildlife. I like 3 fast photos when triggered.

I can tell the story of sitting on the back deck eating lunch during one deer season. Keeping an eye on the creek and woods behind it for deer walking through. Went inside for some ketchup, to see the deer walking right outside the FRONT window!

A couple of nights ago, the bear tore down the empty bird feeder, 2 feet from my window. I got a glimpse of it walking behind the truck in the driveway with the suet it its mouth.