Anyone got a simple contract for this?

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Till-Hill

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Going to put new fence on small pasture I rent. Landowner can't afford to do it. I want to pay for everything and just have a contract that rent is paid for x amount of years......... It will get kind of spendy as they want continuous fence around 1/3 of it by the house and rest will be wood and hi tensile. Contract would be nice to have so everyone on the same page as this may be a 5-8 year pay off.
 
Till-Hill said:
Going to put new fence on small pasture I rent. Landowner can't afford to do it. I want to pay for everything and just have a contract that rent is paid for x amount of years.....
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Simple enough, just write out the details of the fence and that you will pay to install and maintain the new fence for xx years as payment for the pasture rent for xx years.
Date it, sign it and have both husband and wife sign it.
Keep the original and a copy for them.

p.s.
Looking forward to seeing you on Judge Judy. :) LOL
 
by the way... with cell phones today
It's no big deal to take before and after photos to document the improvement.

If it makes you feel better having witness and notarized, fine.
But
A gazillion legal leases from studio apartments to penthouses are signed
every year with neither.
 
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Date, considerations, meeting of the minds (you, all land owners) is a voidable contract. The notary would make it better if contested. I would get an estimate of the cost of the fence(or total cost period) and put the number of years/months on the contract. Here is an example and you could add to if you want. Maybe add who is responsible for repairs, maintenance, act of God, in-depth description of the fence etc.

Date______________________________

I ___________________________________(you) agree to build a fence on property located at________________________________________________ (property address here) and our agreement is I pay for the fence cost __________________(fence cost here) and the cost of the fence will go to the number of years/months my rent will be paid in full___________(years/months here).

Renter Signature__________________________________________ Landowner Signatures___________________________________(all owners) very important

Noterrized______________________________________________________________

If not Notarized get at least two independent witnesses that are not a conflict in anyway.
 
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All of the suggestions above are good.

I realize that cost is a consideration so take this for what it is worth.

"Kind of spendy" can mean different things. If the cost is sufficient that you must be protected, let a lawyer do a contract/lease that can be filed with your local Register of Deeds. If for some reason, they sold the land or the other party died, and it went into an estate you would not necessarily be protected from any sale or lien on the land.

This might be more than you want to spend, but that way it would be bulletproof as to 3rd parties because you would have priority (assuming there is no mortgage or lien already on the land). The normal run of the mill agreement would be enforceable against them and is probably sufficient. But, if they got a Judgment against them or a lien against the land you would not necessarily be protected unless it is filed with the Registrar. This can vary by state.

It all depends on the definition of "kind of spendy" and how much you are willing to spend to protect yourself.
 
My thought is that it will be expensive to make the contract so it can actually be enforced and even if it can be it'll be expensive and probably impractical to actually enforce. I wouldn't spend more than I'd be willing to lose after the first year on someone else's land. I also don't think I'd ever structure it so the owner doesn't get anything (besides the fence) for 5-8 years. If it changes hands and possibly even if not they'll resent a deal that gives them nothing while you get rich (lol) from pasturing their land. Since the contract likely isn't going to be enforceable anyway I'd just draw it up and both sign it, give them at least some beef every year and hope that it works out. If the fence is so expensive that you have to be protected you shouldn't be paying for it upfront imo.
 
Cost to register at our courthouse is $12, then it's in the books.
Can get it notarized while your there. Ours was free at the property assessor, also at the courthouse.
It's a good idea to let the town know what's going on in case the law is needed in the future.
 
I've often wondered about this. How to make improvements on lease land and not lose investment. Just a hypothetical but say lease is 1k per year but you make 5k investment in improvements in the first year but all improvements go towards lease. So in theory if they terminate your lease after 3 years could you get the remaining 2k refunded back to you? Granted you didn't violate terms of lease. But if property sells due to death or some unforeseen. Is there a way to write up a contract where you can recoup some of your investment??
 
4hfarms said:
Cost to register at our courthouse is $12, then it's in the books.
Can get it notarized while your there. Ours was free at the property assessor, also at the courthouse.
It's a good idea to let the town know what's going on in case the law is needed in the future.
Click to expand...
When I worked in the banking business often I would either notarize and/or type a small simple contract mostly for farmers, witness and notarize with them in front of me. They left happy and usually I did not charge them. They would keep coming back for more other business. Before they left I would advise them, if they wanted, to take and get recorded. I bet none were ever recorded.
 
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If the fencing project is that big, do you have your labor and tools included in the cost. Think of the hours saved in a walk on lease that doesn't need fencing. As the project proceeds you may find the property owner wanting special gates or entrance driveways. If I were considering it I would do two things. !-Hire a contractor to install the fence including materials. 2- Have the property owner look into a bank loan to pay for it. Your rent could be the amount to pay the note annually. Then if you part ways the balance is on him to pay out. It's also clear who the fence belongs to for liability purposes. I'd probably pass on the whole venture. My 2 cents.
 
bbirder said:
If the fencing project is that big, do you have your labor and tools included in the cost. Think of the hours saved in a walk on lease that doesn't need fencing. As the project proceeds you may find the property owner wanting special gates or entrance driveways. If I were considering it I would do two things. !-Hire a contractor to install the fence including materials. 2- Have the property owner look into a bank loan to pay for it. Your rent could be the amount to pay the note annually. Then if you part ways the balance is on him to pay out. It's also clear who the fence belongs to for liability purposes. I'd probably pass on the whole venture. My 2 cents.
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Fencing will be hired done, it connects to my place. It is small but all wood posts, 5 wire hi-tensile, 2 hot, 3 ground. Few hundred feet of continuous fence around house yard it will be expensive. Like I said I'm guessing 5-8 years of rent. But fence will be there for long long time. Fence that is there is junk, wire breaks, posts all leaned over, borders busy gravel road. Needs to be done. It will sit empty as I don't think they will ever come up the cash to do it.
 

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