Tree Care

We have priced the property on three distinct pieces - the house with 2 acres, the Christmas tree business, and the remaining 3 acre lot. This is roughly our time sequence in owning the property. In 1973 we bought the house with 2+ acres, we started the tree farm in 1975, and in 2005 we bought the second 2+ acre lot. The house and 2 acre lot is priced at $419,995. The house lot is 300 feet across the front and another 300 feet deep with a small triangle cut out of the back corner.

If the house and 2 acre lot were sold, Carole and I are prepared to keep the tree business and the other 3 acres. We have some experience in "farming from a distance". For years we have maintained a five acre tree farm at my dad's place in New York State. We are winding this down (25% of the trees are left) and have time to put into "distance farming" here. We would have to lease back the trees that are still on the 2 acre house lot. In time, these would be cleared off. The lease would be structured to produce income for the new home owner (and there are other income opportunities). I am in the process of clearing a road on the very north edge of the property. This will allow easy access to the trees behind the house.

We have no plans to develop/separately sell the 3 acres. Naturally the new home owners would have first refusal if it were to go on the market. I don't envision it being built on - I think in time it would go back to whoever buys this house or returned to the previous owner, the family just behind us.

If someone is interested in buying the tree farm, a very good deal would be to buy the house and 2 acres and the tree business and lease the 3 acre lot from us. One of the problems with the tree business in Connecticut is high "capital costs". By the time you have purchased your land (big $), waited 8/10 years for the trees to get to size, paid your land taxes (big $) for those years, your return is minimal. Here, none of these restraints are present. Other than the 2 acre house lot (zoning requirement), land does not have to be purchased, the trees are ready to go (no 10 year delay), and no additional property taxes have to be paid. (It might be structured so that you actually receive rent). Plus Bees Fleas & Trees is a "high density/high volume" operation. I call our farm the "World's Most Productive Tree Farm" (self proclaimed)

Two other options. Buy the tree business later or, almost the same thing, take an early retirement package and buy the tree farm then. Because of our farm income, I was able to retire at 53. That was 13 years ago - they have been good years.

Right now the tree business is priced at $94,597. It should be noted that this figure will drop as the trees are sold. The price is calculated on the estimated number and size of the trees. This is the 2008 number. It is looking as if we will have the place this sales year. The number will drop somewhat for 2009.

The 3 acre lot is priced at $119,995. To summarize, the house and 2 acre lot are $419,995. With tree business, the price goes to $514,592. Add in the 3 acre lot, and it comes to $634,587. The 3 acre lot will NOT be sold separately.

-John

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