Centered by Jason Brown & Paul Asay

Centered by Jason Brown & Paul Asay

Author:Jason Brown & Paul Asay [Brown, Jason & Asay, Paul]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2021-02-09T00:00:00+00:00


Moving Mountains and Millionaires

I didn’t know it then, but the farm had another suitor—one with a lot more zeros at the end of his bank account.

North Carolina has its share of relatively small family farms and huge commercial operations. Much of the land here is owned by wealthy, largely absentee, owners. When I say wealthy, I’m not talking about retired–NFL lineman wealthy. These “gentlemen farmers” have a net worth in the hundreds of millions, or even the billions. They’re not typically interested in using the farms they buy as farms. They don’t want to raise crops or tend livestock themselves; they simply want to add the land to their portfolios and to have a place where they can go and do some hunting and fishing. They don’t want to work the land; they want to play on it. The eleven-hundred-acre parcel we looked at three times? The place that we didn’t want? That’s owned by a billionaire now.

I understand why those big-dollar “farmers” are drawn to the land around here. Many farms like ours almost serve as wildlife refuges too. They can be home to deer and turkeys, raccoons and foxes, otters and even bald eagles. All sorts of fish populate the ponds. I don’t think there’s anything more beautiful than a North Carolina farm. Our farm has, I’m told, some of the best wildlife, best fishing, and best views to be found anywhere in the state. In fact, long before we owned it, the farm had help with managing the wildlife (especially what was found in the ponds) from ecology experts, many who were current or former professors from North Carolina State.

One of the experts who helped manage the ponds and wildlife on the Home Place also managed properties for several wealthy businessmen. More than a year after we purchased the farm, he shared with me that a few of those wealthy men were also interested in purchasing the Home Place at the very same time I did.

He called up one of the gentlemen and described the property, with its white farmhouse and picket fence and beautiful ponds. He reminded the would-be owner of its barns and silos and acres and acres of beautiful earth. He likely talked about how good the land was, how rich in wildlife it was. He knew the Home Place might be the best farm in the region, and the would-be owner knew the property well.

“I think they want six million for it,” the manager said. “If you wanted the place, I’d open with an offer of around four million, but I wouldn’t pay a penny over four and a half.”

“You think they’d sell it for that?” the rich would-be owner said.

“I do,” said the manager.

“Well, call them up right now!”

Now, this new bidder had far deeper pockets than Tay and I did. His starting bid was more—way more—than what we could afford. Most property owners would salivate over the prospect of a bidding war, particularly when you’re talking about high-dollar pieces of real estate that typically take longer to sell.



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