Land prices out of whack?

[cakadu]

Out where I live (west central Alberta) one of the neighbors just listed their house and 80 acres for $349,000. Now the house is about 12-15 years old and seems to be pretty nice, although it's not large by today's standards and there is a fairly large shed on the place and water. There are about 35-40 acres of trees and that's it for amenities. The soil out here isn't rich by any means - it's primarily gumbo - so you don't even have #1 you're dealing with.

The listing realtor was kind and wanted to see if the neighbors wanted first dibs on it, but how can you justify a price like that?

What are some of the rest of you seeing for prices?

[cowman]

Linda: 3/4 in my area sold for $1.3 million this spring. It had a large log house on it and decent cattle sheds. Another neighbor has listed his land less the 5 acres his house is on for $469,000. He just might get it as it has a wonderful view of the mountains. Another neighbor has listed his hog farm- 2500 sq. ft 14 year old house 250/farrow to finish(about 20 yrs. old) for $900,000! It would seem the skys the limit!
It doesn't make sense from an agricultural point of view but it does if you are a wealthy urbanite. For some of these people a million dollars is pocket change!

[dalek]

Bare land in this immediate area is $600-800, a little south of us it will get up closer to $1500 because there's a family who've been buying land like crazy but just in one particular area. They sold their farm elsewhere for big bucks before moving here. Next door is a nice 15 year old Cape Cod, about 3000 square feet I'd say, on a nice acre lot, that's been listed at $115,000 for 2 years with no bites.
Prices increase pretty rapidly the closer you get to Toronto or some of the more touristy areas but luckily they haven't caught on to us yet.

[charliep]

What is happening with the Ontario Wheat Producers Marketing Board? What is their policy/thinking on these issues?

If I were at a meeting/having coffee with a group of Ontario farmers, what would they be saying about the OWPMB? Happy? Mad? Wanting more change/freer marketing?

The only ones I hear speaking out of Ontario are the members of the Canadian National millers Association.

[AdamSmith]

I've talked to a few Ontario wheat farmers and those I have spoke to have said that the system is working fine for farmers. The big debate there, is the speed and degree to which they expand the free choice option. Some want to go slow, others want to shift it into overdrive.

But the comment to me was for those who want to market on their own, they can now do that and for those who prefer to still use the OWPMB, they can do that to.

As long as pooling is preserved as an option, the farmers are satisfied with the changes.

But we must understand that the OWPMB was never allowed to become the monster that the CWB has become. The OWPMB still would try to work with farmers on both sides of the issue and be accomodating to all farmers. Farmers came first and the OWPMB was a secondary issue.

Unlike the CWB which places itself and it's thirst for power first and farmers are secondary.

The OWPMB was/is able to reform itself because the mindset of the people at the OWPMB is condusive to be accomodating to farmers.

The CWB on the otherhand, is incapable of reform because, the people who run the CWB, ie the directors and top level staff see reform or freeing up the system as not being in THEIR best intrests and will stop at nothing and spend what ever is necessary to preserve the single desk. It has nothing to do with farmers and whether it might or might not work in the intrests of farmers.

In order for us to try to follow Ontario's lead we must first change the people at the CWB and probably alot of them. The first to go must be the 5 incumbent directors up for election this fall. Then probably every $80,000 employee at the CWB must be replaced with people who haven't been corupted by the place.

Then and only then can we hope to see the types of changes farmers are seeking.

It's either that or we push hard to get the entire CWB Act repealed and start with a clean slate.

What do the rest of you think, can the CWB be reformed?

[carebear300]

Linda send them people out to Saskatchewan with all that money. They will be the proud owners really quick and cheaper then that. Lots of us ready to quit out here.

[carebear300]

Fair to middling dirt is selling for 35 to 40 thousand dollars per quarter section in my area. Not the best land but not near the worst farm land in the province.(Saskatchewan)

[parsley]

There is a Wheat Board corporate culture entrenched in the staff and perpetuated by the Board of Directors that has set an unsustainable path for the CWB because through the direction they have set, there is an overwhelming lack of farmer-confidence that has reached the crisis stage.


Farmers don't believe the Board any longer. The most egregious evidence came from Jim Thompson, during the 1999 trial, The Queen v. Charles et al , when Thompson did not tell Judge Henningwhat the interprovincial licensing requirements within Canada really are . Jim Thompson was the Witness and the Court was Judge Henning. The transcripts speak for themselves:

The Court: ".... so therefore, by definition, virtually the buyback price only can apply to grain going outside of Canada."
Witness: "That's right, yes."

This is not true information. The buyback applies to all interprovincial movement of any barley and wheat destined for human consumption and this was important for the judge to get the correct information. He didn't get it from Thompson.

This is the corporate culture that farmers pay for.

AdamSmith, the answers and the decisions put forward by the corporate culture in the CWB are threaded with a bias that intends to sway. It doesn't matter the hurt that results, that reason is discarded, that farmers foot the bill. It's called ideology. The kind of ideology that demands pooling at any cost. The ideology that demands a single desk. The ideology that demands compliance and force to obtain both pooling and single desk.

That is what the CWB amonts to...an ideological culture. One that will pay a hack a $hundred grand a year, but will balk at paying the $CEO three hundred grand a year. (Other corporations pay their CEO's up to $1.4Million/ yr for running a comparible organization).

The CWB Corporate Culuture is not what farmers want; we deserve better, cakadu.

Parsley

[edbaker]

How much would this old fart have to pay for a modest home in one of your (dying) villages/towns in Sask.?

I've heard $35,000. or so. Maybe even as low as $20,000.

I have family and friends in SK.

I'm paying over $8,000./year rent for a modest 2 Br. townhouse, one of 6 unit building, in London, ON.

Bathroom and 2 br. upstairs, LR, DR & kitchen on main floor, unfinished basement about 23' x 27'.

If I could live 5 yrs. out there before I had to give up my driver's licence and move to a larger place, residential home, etc. I'd be money ahead.

My modest contribution to the local economy would be appreciated there, which it isn't here in Mikie/Ernie's Ontario.

I don't have to look for work - just tell my pension suppliers where to send the money.

And all that I need do to qualify is - stay above the grass.

What could be better?

[carebear300]

35 thousand will buy you a nice modest home in small town saskatchewan without too much trouble. There again if you want to spend 75 thousand there is lots of them as well, but that in my books is getting completely carried away. The small town are a great place for retired people, they have lots of company and don't have to worry about crime near as much. I farm and live near a small town of 750 people, Strasbourg. It has a medical clinic, senior citizen's lodge, senior citizen's drop in centre and is only 45 miles from Regina. There are lots of similar towns all over Sask. They are just about the friendliest places in the whole world. Downside everybody does know your business, or thinks they do. HAHA!!!!!!!