Spring has sprung, and summer is a comin’ in! So you want to buy a country property – let me tell you a few tips to make your next big adventure to find your perfect piece of paradise, a little more pleasant.
Funny thing is, I need to keep this list handy myself – after many years showing property, I am amazed at what I still forget! Red River Realty and Auction suggests the following:
DO:
- Bring WATER
- Wear comfortable & wicking clothing/layers
- Wear boots or shoes that cover your ankles, waterproof are good!
- Wear jeans or long, durable pants;
- Hat – help shade your eyes, tick deflector & sweat absorber;
- Fun fact: a straw western hat deflects branches, bugs and rain better than a ball cap! – Here’s your excuse to buy a new western hat (yes, I know you really want one)
- Long-sleeved shirts are nice – even in summer, to protect your arms from briars, branches, insects, scratches, and the sun
- Sunglasses (inexpensive) & cheap reading glasses if you use them, for maps, notes, etc.
- Mobile phone charger/extra battery pack
- If you are allergic to poison ivy – soap;
- Bring your epi-pen if allergic to insect stings;
- Benadryl and pain reliever
Red River Realty & Auction provides you with a nice shiny folder, so you can keep your maps, property info. and notes in one handy place!
DO NOT:
- Wear Flip-flops, sandals, open-toed shoes or any shoes that you don’t want ruined!
- Wear shorts or anything that’s not jeans/long pants –
- Ladies: leave your short-shorts at home (and the jeweled sandals too! )
- Wear anything that will make you cry if you lose it: jewelry, expensive sunglasses, Hermes scarves, Louis Vitton purses, valuables, etc!
LADIES:
- Bring Lipstick – I’m not kidding – it’s about the only makeup that won’t melt off your face! Make sure your mascara is waterproof!
- (MEN TOO) Leave the perfume, after-shave, cologne at home – they attract insects!
- Undergarment liners – sweat-absorbing/squatting in the woods may be necessary.
- Hairbands – be prepared for a bad hair day due to humidity, wind, hats, sweat, dirt, branches, etc.
KEEP SECURED ON YOU AT ALL TIMES: BUY HUNTER ORANGE, NOT CAMO!
Both Chuck and Lorrie have lost phones, a loaded gun, camera, GPS, jackets, scarves etc. while showing property!!! (Yes, thank goodness we found the gun!!!)
So we know by experience. There’s nothing like that moment you realize your “fill in the blank: _______________” is missing, and you don’t know when or where you last had it! We have gone back much later to every location we were at, searching for that lost item until it gets so dark you can’t see! All the things you must have, listed above in our lost list, is difficult to find in the tall grass, weeds, dirt, rocky trail, mud, rain, etc.! Sometimes, an item falls out of your pockets, off the vehicles (ATV/UTV/jeep/FJ Cruiser, etc.), so please remember to SECURE all necessary items and check for them constantly! When the items fall, they can bounce off rocks etc. and bounce to who knows where! Some items lost have never been found.
So remember our friend Gravity, camera/phone/GPS/concealed carry/guns/knife/binoculars (for Big Foot sightings) must continually be secured and checked while riding in an ATV/jeep/horseback/or on Shank’s mare (walking), because when these items escape, they are hard to see, and hard to remember where you last had them!!! It helps when purchasing items such as phone cases, etc. to choose hunter orange, not camo!
Reminds me of the story where 2 hunters took their new camo- painted 4 wheelers into the woods, and lost them!!!
NICE TO KEEP IN YOUR VEHICLE:
- Rain gear – you never know!
- Wet ones
- Spare roll of tp
- First aid kit
- Paper/pen for taking notes
- Cooler with water/beverage/snacks
- Multi-purpose tool/Swiss army knife
- Clean towel
- Change of clothes for the ride home (& flip-flops! Lorrie’s never
without hers! ) - Trash bag for dirty or wet clothes
DON’T FORGET:
- Sense of Humor – we love campfire-type stories and tall tales too!
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions or offer suggestions
- Looking at acreages and property with land takes longer – plan for the whole day or several days
- Be flexible
- Have fun
- Keep a camera/phone camera ready in case we DO see Big Foot!
ASK IF YOU CAN BRING YOUR WELL-BEHAVED, FRIENDLY DOG!
- For FIDO – bring water bowl/water, treats, harness/leash, whistle, clean towel!
If I’ve forgotten anything on my lists – please email.