The Little Things

We have all heard “the little things are the little things” or “don’t sweat the small stuff” a thousand times; however, sometimes the small things are the big things, and the details matter most.  As a generalist or big-picture person, this challenges my scope for business, but over many land sales I have found that the details really do matter, making one property rise above another.

Recently, a negotiation on a 100-acre tract of land was well underway, and all of the terms in the sale had been agreed upon for a normal contract of sale. The price, deposit, closing date, and due-diligence timeline were all decided on by both parties. Done deal right? Well, not exactly.

A call came in from the Buyer regarding the existing two deer stands on the land.  The deer stands were well- appointed and well-placed. Both stands were box-style, elevated platforms built by a local wildlife management company, Orion Land and Wildlife Management (orionwildlife.com).  The stands were oriented along openings in forested tracts where food plots for deer could be planted and managed seasonally.  The cover around these stands was also significant as shrubs were strategically managed to break up the silhouettes of the structures, allowing them to blend in with wood line. The current property owner had perfectly managed these food plots for whitetail, and it was a major selling point for the property.

So, going back to the call… the Buyer stated he wanted both deer stands as part of the deal.  Oh, boy! The Seller was already planning to have them picked up the following week. The replacement cost was in the $5K range, but once the stands were taken down, all the vegetation would be disturbed, and the nature of the perfectly-concealed stands would be compromised –   not to mention the amount of labor required to get these stands to the farm and back in place.  The bottom line?  A small thing was becoming a big thing.

I think the Seller ultimately agreed to leave the stands because it was an acknowledgement of the Seller’s ability to manage a wildlife property and was ultimately a compliment.  Once the dust settled, all parties agreed to leave the farm intact, and the stands remain today.  This scenario demonstrates that small things can be big things in land transactions.  Also, mastering the details of getting a wildlife farm set up correctly takes years of work, as many of you readers understand.  In this case I believe it was the work of the landowner together with the advice of Orion Land and Wildlife Management that made the difference in setting this property apart and making this deal a reality.

 For more information on wildlife management for white tail and other critters call Spencer Waller of Orion Land and Wildlife Management at 443-223-4111.