Likely selling the ranch...
- Thread starter Gazrok
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I bet you knew then what you know now. How often we feel about such things in life.
tmttactical
A True Doomsday Prepper
There are good people out there and there are bad people out there, I just won't spend the time or effort to discover who is which. Sounds like a real good time to sell the ranch and avoid another situation where you have to deal with the public at large.
Gazrok
A True Doomsday Prepper
Kind of funny. One of them (boarders) came crawling back (she hated the new place, because they were just way too uptight...we're more laid back, so she wasn't aware many were like that). Luckily, she was one that always paid on time, and paid up immediately to even consider it, as well as the deposits, etc. to come back. She also had two of the 5 horses that left, so it's enough to easily maintain our own horses without being out of pocket on them.
Two of the others, I'll never allow back, as they always carried a balance for the last 6 months they were here. They are now wanting to do payment plans, to keep me from suing their asses, after they got a letter from my equine lawyer's office. (the beauty of it, is that my legal fees are added to what THEY owe, due to my contract with them).
We still may sell though...but we need to do some work on the place to get it in that condition anyhow...so really, it may just be a decision months from now, depending on how that all shakes out. Me, personally, I'd love not having to go out in the cold to feed horses or blanket them, etc. I'd also love not having my clothes covered in cat hair, etc.
Two of the others, I'll never allow back, as they always carried a balance for the last 6 months they were here. They are now wanting to do payment plans, to keep me from suing their asses, after they got a letter from my equine lawyer's office. (the beauty of it, is that my legal fees are added to what THEY owe, due to my contract with them).
We still may sell though...but we need to do some work on the place to get it in that condition anyhow...so really, it may just be a decision months from now, depending on how that all shakes out. Me, personally, I'd love not having to go out in the cold to feed horses or blanket them, etc. I'd also love not having my clothes covered in cat hair, etc.
TexasFreedom
A True Doomsday Prepper
G, it sounds like you got blessed from every side. Got rid of the free loaders, and the one who paid went out & realized how great you are and came back!
For the ones that left, I'd advice to refuse the payment plan. Reality is that they tried to screw you completely, and only after getting caught are now asking YOU to compromise. Sorry. You have nothing to gain by giving them a payment plan. It is all past due. You aren't trying to keep clients. You are in the right legally and they are liable for all legal costs. It sounds like you have every advantage. They are asking for your kindness after they backstabbed you. Don't do it. You'll be surprised how quickly they will 'find' the money to pay it all up (even legal costs) once they realize they've got no more scam options and the costs are going up daily. You do have late fees added in there? If not, give them that bone: they pay within 14 days else late fees (per contract) will be added to the legal debt. Might even make it 7 days.
No more Mr Nice Guy!
Now what to do with the ranch? That's a very personal decision, I recommend spending time considering the good/bad of each choice. If I were to move, I'd consider the mountains in MO/AR.
For the ones that left, I'd advice to refuse the payment plan. Reality is that they tried to screw you completely, and only after getting caught are now asking YOU to compromise. Sorry. You have nothing to gain by giving them a payment plan. It is all past due. You aren't trying to keep clients. You are in the right legally and they are liable for all legal costs. It sounds like you have every advantage. They are asking for your kindness after they backstabbed you. Don't do it. You'll be surprised how quickly they will 'find' the money to pay it all up (even legal costs) once they realize they've got no more scam options and the costs are going up daily. You do have late fees added in there? If not, give them that bone: they pay within 14 days else late fees (per contract) will be added to the legal debt. Might even make it 7 days.
No more Mr Nice Guy!
Now what to do with the ranch? That's a very personal decision, I recommend spending time considering the good/bad of each choice. If I were to move, I'd consider the mountains in MO/AR.
Gazrok
A True Doomsday Prepper
Believe me, I'd love to just go get the horses and sell them. But, the law isn't on the side of that. Oddly, if I had just sold them (while here), I'd be in a much better position legally for it. Weird.
The only other way I'm going to get money out of them, is to sue. And even when I win, then the problem is going to be actually collecting it. At least with payments, I'll get something out of it now. And that's only because they still like my wife (they hate me, as I had to be the bill harasser). Anyhow, my wife is said it's how she wants to handle it, so I've basically washed my hands of it.
I did talk to their new barn's owner though, and let her know what went down. She's oddly seemingly OK with it. Oh well...when she gets burned by them not paying up, she'll get her own come uppance then....so be it. I get the feeling the barn owner and one of the former boarders are friends, and basically concocted this whole desertion scheme. The new barn has more grass (because she hasn't had horses grazing on it all summer, duh...that will run out quick in the winter, probably by end of Dec...we just get a hay roll in the winter, for out there....). I seriously doubt the new barn owner is as flexible as we are (and our returning boarder seems to prove that)....so they are going to soon find themselves in a bind.
I've also reached out to other nearby barn owners that are part of certain FB groups, where we share info on deadbeat boarders. It makes it more difficult for these a-holes to board when they keep burning folks.
Gazrok
A True Doomsday Prepper
Well, there's a lot of work to do on the house before selling. Otherwise, we'd get a bit hosed on it. So that will take time. (and either way, it has to be done). So we have time to consider options. If we did sell and move, it would be to downsize (including re-homing many animals) and move closer to work, in a smaller house.
If we sold, we could easily pay off the remaining mortgage, buy a smaller home outright, and likely have a bit left. The ranch house is over 4000 sq ft, with 4 bedrooms/3 and a half baths, an 800 sq ft shop, two stables (11 stalls total), standing 3 car garage, separate hay/feed building, etc. We could easily go down to a 2 or 3 bedroom (enough to have a guest room, and a shared home office). We just don't need all that space, really, as we've come to learn. It's a LOT to maintain with just us. Our family and friends are still here though, as for going out of state. Friends we've had for decades.
We'd also sell the tractor and the horse trailer. So that'd be decent money right there.
Gazrok
A True Doomsday Prepper
Yes, if I do have to sue, we have late fees built into the contract. In addition, when calculating their amount to leave (before they actually snuck out before they were supposed to), I was a bit more generous....but now, they would be forfeiting their deposits too, so there's that.
The downside is though, can't squeeze blood from a stone, and I think I'd have a hard time collecting, even after winning a judgement. So if they fail on the payments, THEN the wife is fine suing, but otherwise, I've just washed my hands of the whole mess, since she's the one who's being soft on it. (and I get it....don't LIKE it....but I GET it....)
tmttactical
A True Doomsday Prepper
Gazrok. First follow your heart and then let your head work out the details.
Brent S
Top Poster
The one thing 50plus years on this earth has taught me is to not make major decisions during an emotional time. How your feeling, and the wife, right now will change in time. Anything major like relocating or selling off your homestead should be a long thought out decision.
TexasFreedom
A True Doomsday Prepper
G,
Something to consider with the wife. If she wants to handle it, fine. But add a stipulation that if they miss more than 1 payment date, you take it over. And with the understanding that you'll take them to court with every fee you can think of. Make sure she tells them that stipulation to help motivate them to stick to the plan. Also, she needs to make sure she writes a contract update with the new payment plan and with these stipulations. Get them to sign it. Signed contracts & revisions are great in court, and when a judge sees that you were lenient and they still screwed you then you'll look even better.
Something to consider with the wife. If she wants to handle it, fine. But add a stipulation that if they miss more than 1 payment date, you take it over. And with the understanding that you'll take them to court with every fee you can think of. Make sure she tells them that stipulation to help motivate them to stick to the plan. Also, she needs to make sure she writes a contract update with the new payment plan and with these stipulations. Get them to sign it. Signed contracts & revisions are great in court, and when a judge sees that you were lenient and they still screwed you then you'll look even better.
In the contract, you specify how long they can be in arrears before you evict. Then you get a security deposit up front that covers that period of time plus a hefty penalty. You won't have to collect or go to court because you've already got the money from them to cover the missed payments plus penalty.
tmttactical
A True Doomsday Prepper
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