Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Does a pond add investment value to a property?

The value of a pond (lake if it's bigger than your neighbors) is in the eyes of the beholder. Having previously lived in Dallas I have friends come out and visit almost every weekend. They bring their children and grandchildren to experience the "country". Many for the first time. To sit on my porch and watch young children catch their first fish, see their first deer, turtle, or first walk in the woods is spiritual. A smile, a thank you, and can I come back again is all I need. It makes all the headaches of being a pondboss worth it. To the kids its like going to disneyland.

Point well taken, Bruce. Great post, Pondrookie.

To answer the first question, Eric is dead on, it depends. In the desert, you bet value is added. In Canada, Minnesota or Florida, maybe not.

Sunday, I was target practicing with my little boy. We shot and shot and shot. After 10 minutes had passed, a teenie bopper girl came riding up on a horse. She didn't see us, or acted that way. I walked right up to her w' shotgun and hand and said "excuse me". She gave me the run around but was scared. I don't think I'll see her back. She was polite.

Very well said, Pondrookie, well said indeed.

The reason that I bought the property that I now own was due to the old pond already on the property. I paid 25% above market value for the surrounding properties just because it already had a pond on it. I would not have paid such a premium for the property if it didn't at least have the potential for a pond.

We only bought our 75 acres because of the pond, and that was only because we liked fishing.

I had no clue how obsessed I would get with the pond.

I'll be able to tell you if a pond adds monetary value if it ever rains again and I can get this big dry Texas hole on the market.

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=002671;p=2

I mowed 3 acres of 7 ft high sunflowers out of the bottom of this hole last weekend.

There is a brighter side thou, if it don't rain soon the dove hunting should be exceptional with all the fresh open dirt and sunflower seeds.

I agree with the others about not having the pond visable from the road.

Brettski said it best... "For me, it's all about seclusion, privacy, and communing with nature. I want to be immersed into another world where I can hear my own heart beat as the twigs snap beneath the hooves of the deer at the other end of the pond."

That pretty much sums it up for me also.

and being able to go skinny dipping in the pond during the day.

...too funny, too ironic, Shorty!
During our search for the this property, the "right one", my description to the brokers and RE agents was always summerized by: "...you know, some place where we can get naked and run thru the woods without fear of being seen".
Now, every day that we travel to the site to put in a day's worth of sweat and toil to create our dream, we finish with a "bird-bath, au-natural" with 5 gal of water, a bar of soap, and a wash-rag. Instinctively, as we peel down the grungy clothing, we both always look around thru the woods.....like someone would actually want to see the show :rolleyes:
I laugh to think that we got what we wished for.

So much for lunch.
Thanks for the mental image, Brettski! :rolleyes:
Who knows how to get Peanut Butter out of a keyboard?

Did I mention the part about being able to go fishing naked?

Theo's cry for help:
-
-
I can probably help, but it's not in a keyboard and I'm pretty sure it ain't Peanut Butter

ROTFLOL

Game, set, and match, Brettski!

Shorty you better be sure no one put that great big pike in your pond before you either fish or swim au-natural.

No pike ewest, but there are always a few large snappers in the water to worry about, that's why it's best to be doing it during the daylight hours.

PS - Don't ever go skinny dipping with any Red Ears in the pond.

In my county (Anderson) most of the Realtors add $5,000 per pond/lake surface acre to the listing price of a property.

Gator

Shorty's admission:
AHA! Would this be sufficient evidence to finally identify the model that posed for that famous T-shirt, "The Happy Fisherman"?

Hahahaha Brettski. I have that T shirt!!! Now that is an image I am not sure I want to have in my mind!!!!

gator, adding 1000$/acre water surface, seems to be missing a zero?

Brettski, my son...we must talk!

DR. Burger

cliffbrook,

Now that you mention it - I think you are right. I need to re-check that number with my Realtor friend...after thinking about it seems I recall more than $1,000 per surface acre. I will call my buddy tomorrow and find out.

Gator

Here's a true story. In 1985, I worked with a landowner to design a fantastic 50 acre lake. Sitting in the middle of his 1,600 acre ranch, this lake soon produced double-digit bass. The ranch is 60 miles southwest of Fort Worth, Texas, between Cleburne and Glen Rose. The owner died in 1992, and his widow kept the ranch for six years. Then, she decided to sell it. It was just too much for her to care for. She contacted three local realtors to appraise it. They looked at comparables and concluded the land would sell for $650-850.00 per acre, for that size parcel. She believed the lake would increase the value, and decided not to list it. Rather, she ran an ad in the largest papers in Texas, as well as the Wall Street Journal and New York Times. Her ad gave good details and said she would sell it to the highest bidder. Three guys ran up the bid, and she sold the 1,600 acre for $1,665 per acre. Those three wanted the lake, bad. That 50 acre lake brought at least an extra 1.3 million dollars. By the way, when the lake was built, it cost $250,000 for the dirt work.

1985! wow I was a wee little one then , well maybe not so little...that rings up at 26,000$/acre water. I think the bigger ones are potentially more valuable.

I was on trip out of country when the biggest in my county sold, ugh, expensive trip/loss.

have they parcelled it out? or is it (like the Toulouse Letrec lithographs) over the hill and out of sight? what would be your WAG for the dirt work price now?

I know a farm where the first time I saw it I called my amigo and said "if you want to put in a 100acre lake I am looking at the place". it doesnt have the 1600 surrounding it but is buyable.

flew today from DSM to DFW, I am always amazed at how many ponds and lakes there are in the countryside, when the light is right you can see the ponds 120 miles away... alot of potential mag, fish, diffuser, feed, dirt, pole buyers....

cliffbrook (and others),

Realtors add $5,000 per surface acre to the asking price of land in my county. This is for the larger tracts, IE 100 acres+.

Gator