Buying Land for a Private Range, NH

[one-eyed Jack]

Never "go in on" property with friends or family unless you have the right family. We built a hunting cabin on land owned by my departed brother's son in Maine. Has worked out well for many years because the whole family is very close and he has 120 acres. Jack.

 

[citoriguy]

Where do you want to buy?

I have a 5 acre camp site with stunning view on ATV and snowmobile trails in northern NH. Land is sloped and would make a nice range, no one around to care. Craploads of deer and moose.

Are you selling?

Seriously. Are you selling?

Also for the OP - have you thought about the costs to build a berm of some sort?

 

[Kevin_NH]

Posting "no trespassing signs" on land in current use, Is Not allowed.

That's inaccurate, at least for New Hampshire. Current Use" land can be posted.

If you opt-in for the additional "Recreational Discount" (the 20% Recreational Adjustment) then you cannot routinely post (it's allowable for brief periods, e.g. while harvesting timberland).

Land owners who have property in 'current use' have lower tax bills only because some of the burden has been taken off the 'owner' and transferred to everyone else in the city/town/village/ district/plantation or unorganized area-did I miss any?

I see this complaint regularly, it's usually sour grapes from somebody who owns a McMansion on 9 acres or less and complains that the abutters who are sitting on 20 acres of undeveloped farmland aren't paying "their fair share" to subsidize schooling the McMansion family's 3.5 kids.

 

[bsaks]

the wife and I close on a new construction home on 18 acres in july! funny enough, someone had set up a small table and bunch of steel poppers on the property so guess its OK to shoot ok it!

I'm still learning about all the current use tax stuff. I know we are only paying taxes on the 2 acres the house and landscaped yard will be on.

 

[Asaltweapon]

Yep, current use (or Chapter 61/61A in MA) reduces your tax burden quite a bit. I have 60 acres (really nice property, 8 acres open field, very little wetlands and good soils overall) in MA that has enough frontage to create 4 lots and the taxes are about $150/year because it is in Chapter 61 (if developed, I would have to give town first right of refusal on the sale and then pay 5 years back taxes).

Not necessarily. If you let it expire on its own and do nothing with it for 366 days after expiration town gets diddly squat but you will get the real tax bill being out of the program.
You can also remove it from the program and not sell it but retain current ownership. No first right and if I recall no look back.
Most towns right now won't have it in their budgets to be buying up any property.

 

[BenDover]

Ya thinking about it. I want to roll it into another property in the area. It's in Stewartston on Haynes Rd. I have a tarp shelter on the place, still needs a bunch of view clearing. The view is the same one that Grandview Snack Shack has (amazing). I had planned to put in a tiny house of some kind. There are no building codes and the cell service is excellent. I think decent internet access is available via wireless ISP that serves the area. No power and you likely will never get power but plenty of sun. It's over 2000ft elevation so there is never ending snow in winter. Summer access is no problem with an SUV. Winter access its best to rent a storage unit in Pittsburg and drive over via snowmobile.

Seriously. Are you selling?

Also for the OP - have you thought about the costs to build a berm of some sort?

 

[NH_Realtor]

the wife and I close on a new construction home on 18 acres in july! funny enough, someone had set up a small table and bunch of steel poppers on the property so guess its OK to shoot ok it!

I'm still learning about all the current use tax stuff. I know we are only paying taxes on the 2 acres the house and landscaped yard will be on.

You’re paying taxes on the whole 18 acres, but the 2 acres that was taken out of current use is taxed at the towns normal tax rate. The other 16 acres that is still in current use is taxed at a significantly lower rate. It’s a great scenario.

Also make sure the penalty has been paid already for taking those 2 acres out of current use. Sometimes municipalities can take 8-9 months to assess the penalty, so make sure your agent finds out if it’s been paid and get proof of payment.

 

[bsaks]

You’re paying taxes on the whole 18 acres, but the 2 acres that was taken out of current use is taxed at the towns normal tax rate. The other 16 acres that is still in current use is taxed at a significantly lower rate. It’s a great scenario.

Also make sure the penalty has been paid already for taking those 2 acres out of current use. Sometimes municipalities can take 8-9 months to assess the penalty, so make sure your agent finds out if it’s been paid and get proof of payment.

yeah, the P&S states the builder is paying all fees for putting 2 acres out of use. so definitely need to stay on them to make sure that happens. we had a lot of questions on taxes leading up to the sale. it all happened pretty fast, houses in southern NH were going like hot cakes. pretty sure we're either getting a great deal, or screwed... we'll see!

 

[jron]

just for the sake of an argument...you really gonna use it enough to justify a 25k payout?

Land is an investment as well... Only going up.

 

[greencobra]

Land is an investment as well... Only going up.

yes, i thought of that earlier but i'm thinking one needs to buy wisely. the original post was to just use the land for a range. that kind of puts it out of the way and maybe not a highly desirable chunk of property.

only going up? something i know about. i have 10 acres in the mountains of southern colorado i bought in 1976. for some reason it's value is only going down. oddly, i have several real estate development companies wanting to buy it but for pennies on the dollar. even the yearly county value report is lower every year. i dunno. spectacular views all around....never ask me for real estate advice. it was going to be my retirement plot to put a log home on. that never worked.

 

[Quantavious G]

you could buy that land next to CCSSEF and then become "that neighbor".

 

[Racenet]

the wife and I close on a new construction home on 18 acres in july! funny enough, someone had set up a small table and bunch of steel poppers on the property so guess its OK to shoot ok it!

I'm still learning about all the current use tax stuff. I know we are only paying taxes on the 2 acres the house and landscaped yard will be on.

Don't think that is correct. Who is paying the taxes on the other 16 acres?

On Edit: NH_Realtor beat me to it.

 

[Kicker96FS]

I look at it this way, If you can afford it, do it. It's only money. If you don't spend it on that, you will spend it on something else. Life is a one way trip, enjoy it!

 

[snubnose]

http://www.nhbr.com/current-use-system-raises-questions-on-fairness-cost/

 

[Bt74]

I mentioned this before in a similar thread. Get 25 guys at $1K each. Now you have a low cost range for the price of whatever your taxes are per year. If someone wants to do this, I'm in.

I have 12.55 acres in Deerfield NH, in Current Use, taxes $16 a year. Mountain Road Extension. Would take $25K and finance it at 3.5% interest with 20% down. NOT currently buildable. You can go on the town's website and see where it is, and Google Earth it. Map/Parcel 416-52-0 assessed at $33,200

Posting "no trespassing signs" on land in current use, Is Not allowed.

Not accurate. You CAN post it when in Current Use, they give an additional tax break if you agree not to post it.

 

[LittleCalm]

Ya thinking about it. I want to roll it into another property in the area. It's in Stewartston on Haynes Rd. I have a tarp shelter on the place, still needs a bunch of view clearing. The view is the same one that Grandview Snack Shack has (amazing). I had planned to put in a tiny house of some kind. There are no building codes and the cell service is excellent. I think decent internet access is available via wireless ISP that serves the area. No power and you likely will never get power but plenty of sun. It's over 2000ft elevation so there is never ending snow in winter. Summer access is no problem with an SUV. Winter access its best to rent a storage unit in Pittsburg and drive over via snowmobile.

View attachment 364434

Near Coleman State Park. Beautiful area. Great sledding.

 

[Woodsloafer]

Ya thinking about it. I want to roll it into another property in the area. It's in Stewartston on Haynes Rd. I have a tarp shelter on the place, still needs a bunch of view clearing. The view is the same one that Grandview Snack Shack has (amazing). I had planned to put in a tiny house of some kind. There are no building codes and the cell service is excellent. I think decent internet access is available via wireless ISP that serves the area. No power and you likely will never get power but plenty of sun. It's over 2000ft elevation so there is never ending snow in winter. Summer access is no problem with an SUV. Winter access its best to rent a storage unit in Pittsburg and drive over via snowmobile.

View attachment 364434

I am familiar with the area, Haynes Road is essentially the snowmobile trail and that section your property is on is only seasonal access. I rented a house on Haynes Road south of Creampoke Road the winter before last, the views along that whole stretch are definitely nice. I would like to have vehicular access year round otherwise I would definitely be interested.

 

[Climbnsink]

People move to NH and shoot at clubs? That is like only moving halfway out of MA.

 

[Bladerunner]

People move to NH and shoot at clubs? That is like only moving halfway out of MA.

Seriously, the best shooting spots are in the hills, if you are willing to find them. Some are right off the road, others maybe not.

 

[Irish65]

Not exactly answering your question.... But consider saving that money and putting it towards land where you can build a house to live in full-time AND shoot there.... You'll shoot more.

I did it, in Mass. Wasn't easy (financing raw land is hard) but really happy we did.

 

[xtry51]

A map to consider when searching

https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2016/results/new-hampshire

 

[NH_Realtor]

I have 12.55 acres in Deerfield NH, in Current Use, taxes $16 a year. Mountain Road Extension. Would take $25K and finance it at 3.5% interest with 20% down. NOT currently buildable. You can go on the town's website and see where it is, and Google Earth it. Map/Parcel 416-52-0 assessed at $33,200

Those are favorable terms for land. If it was closer to portsmouth I’d buy it. Would love to have my own shooting range

 

[Bladerunner]

https://www.revenue.nh.gov/mun-prop/municipal/documents/18-tax-rates.pdf

A few years old, but gives you total mill rates by town.

 

[BenDover]

There is a rental log cabin at the end of Creampoke...I'm about a mile past there. Winter access is ok by sled but spring season is tough because the snow takes a while to melt at that elevation.

I am familiar with the area, Haynes Road is essentially the snowmobile trail and that section your property is on is only seasonal access. I rented a house on Haynes Road south of Creampoke Road the winter before last, the views along that whole stretch are definitely nice. I would like to have vehicular access year round otherwise I would definitely be interested.

 

[FalArAk]

Financing a private gun range.

Good luck.

 

[MisterHappy]

Maybe you want to look to move to a large parcel of land with a house already one it. My two NH sons are not wealthy, but each managed to find homes on 13 acres next to vast undeveloped land. They both have their own ranges and can hunt from the house. One is in Mason and the other in Fitzwilliam. If I had any brains at all, I would have done the same thing 20 years ago. Jack.

Hindsight is always 20/........oh. Nevermind.

 

[67ray]

http://www.nhbr.com/current-use-system-raises-questns-on-fairness-cost/

Excellent article. Selectman Cuck of Lyme seems to be gone. Maybe he'll learn how not to propose legislation that hurts more than 50% of landowners in his own town!
.

 

[42!]

I have 12.55 acres in Deerfield NH, in Current Use, taxes $16 a year. Mountain Road Extension. Would take $25K and finance it at 3.5% interest with 20% down. NOT currently buildable. You can go on the town's website and see where it is, and Google Earth it. Map/Parcel 416-52-0 assessed at $33,200

How is it accessed? Look like the road ends at some wetlands short of the lot. Looks like a fair amount of conservation land in the area. A bit short but could probably squeeze in 400yd.-

 

[drgrant]

Land owners who have property in 'current use' have lower tax bills only because some of the burden has been taken off the 'owner' and transferred to everyone else in the city/town/village/ district/plantation or unorganized area-did I miss any?

Transferring some of the burden? On unused land? What are you smoking? Land could have been in current use for 30 years. Also I'm not sure what burden a chunk of woods creates that has no water service, no sewage, no children going to school, and most of that land probably isn't abutting a road that even gets plowed or maintained. Burden? not sure if serious.

Also to put things in perspective, say some dude owns 40 acres of land in NH and his house and shit is only on the first 5, and the other 35 are in current use, his tax bill is still going to be COSBY level full on rape. The town isn't "missing out" on anything, or "accepting a burden".

 

[Bt74]

How is it accessed? Look like the road ends at some wetlands short of the lot. Looks like a fair amount of conservation land in the area. A bit short but could probably squeeze in 400yd.-View attachment 364549

Mountain road ends and becomes the EXT just before the wetlands. Some times they are wet, sometimes dry. The other end of the Ext, starts at Nottingham Rd, services 6 or 7 homes, and then becomes a jeep trail. You need a very good jeep! The survey map has a note that these lots are not buildable unless the road is substantially improved. Lots of deer.