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Does the Term “Horse Property” Really Add Value?

Real Estate Agent with EXP Realty, LLC

March 27, 2011 05:22 PM

As Realtors, we try to describe our listings in a way that makes them sound good. For example, it is not uncommon to see:

Cozy = small

Handyman's dream = a house should probably be condemned in most buyers opinions

Charming one owner home = a house that will remind you of your grandmother's house with harvest gold or avocado green appliances.

As a horse person, I find myself getting incredibly dissappointed when I see a listing described as a horse property when it only has the potential to be a horse property. I've also heard such properties that have potential can also be accurately described as being "horse friendly." A horse friendly property can be turned into a horse property. It just takes money. I find myself disappointed a lot because Realtor's seem to enjoy calling places with big yards or a little bit of land "horse properties" when they are not.

For instance, yesterday I saw a listing which stated, "5 acres of beautiful horse property. Nice and flat land for horses. No horse barn included. (May need fencing for the horses)" Notice, that was in quotes.

Granted, the house in the picture was pretty. However, just because a house has a big yard does not make it a horse property. It might be a potential horse property. You do need fences to keep horses contained. Horses are not like dogs, which are perfectly content to hang out on your door step. At an absolute minimum, a horse property needs to have a sturdy fence, a water source, and some sort of shelter.

The house mentioned above with a big 5 acre yard could also be a potential dog pen. Or it could be a potential garden that will be showcased in Better Homes and Gardens. But, right now it isn't. It is simply a beautiful house on 5 acres.

Hmmm....just imagine a listing that read, "5 acres of beautiful dog property. May need fencing." Or, how about, "5 acres of beautiful gardens. May need additional seeds, plants, and landscaping."

Does the term "horse property" really add that much value? Palamino Horse in Colorado

Photographed,

written and posted by

Sondra Meyer CPA/Real Estate Broker

Star View Ranch, Real Estate & Financial Advisory Services

979-575-2700

Re-Blog

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Catherine Ulrey

Keller Williams Capital City - Salem, OR

Equestrian and Acreage Property Specialist

I hear you! My frustration comes from agents claiming horse property that know nothing about horses and what is needed to accomodate a horse! Simply using the word "potential" would let everyone know that the potential is there.

What really makes me laugh is agents that don't reference the arena size, number or size of stalls, or type of fencing present. I could tell you lots of stories!

Mar 27, 2011 05:26 PM

Bob & Leilani Souza

Souza Realty 916.408.5500 - Roseville, CA

Greater Sacramento Area Homes, Land & Investments

Hee, hee! I love your post, Sondra, and I completely agree with you. Realtors "should" know the difference between horse "potential" and horse "property" when they are advertising their listings...but sadly, many do not.

Leilani

Mar 27, 2011 05:46 PM

Sarasota & Manatee Counties FL

SaraMana Properties - QuickFreeMLS.com - Bradenton, FL

QuickFreeMLS.com - Listings In Paradise

I've always liked the term "Goat Property"! Nothing makes me think "big ticket" like the term "Goat Property" ;-)

Mar 27, 2011 05:52 PM

Gary Woltal

Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX

Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

I smiled with the "dog property" thought Sondra. I think REALTORS that don't really understand about horses for even a SMALL 5 acre place are using puffery and "envisioning" what the place might be some day. They don't even understand the amount of pasture or the quality of pasture needed per horse. Good point of whether the land supports the true needs of horses or not. They probably should use the word "potential" in their description if there is no barn or horse stalls or corrals.

Mar 27, 2011 07:44 PM

Tim Peterson

Wisconsin Realtor Safety and Concealed Carry Classes - Madison, WI

Realtor Safety Training Classes

Hi Sondra you are so correct-maybe should be called CAT property-love your pics

Mar 27, 2011 08:38 PM

Tommy Taylor

Taylor Properties & TexasForSale.net - Kerrville, TX

CNE- Texas Hill Country Realtor

Sondra- This is a typical mistake usually made by agents that are not familiar with horses or land for that matter. It's a whole different World of Real Estate when jump off into Farm, Ranch, and Land sales. Very frustrating, but every once in a while very entertaining(watching the inexperienced do something really stupid).

Mar 27, 2011 11:57 PM

Jerry Newman

Brown Realty, 210-789-4216, - San Antonio, TX

Texas REALTOR, San Antonio Military Relocation

Hi Sondra...You have pointed out a big difference in property descriptions used by agents. It's misleading and frustrating when we use the wrong terms to describe a listing.

Mar 28, 2011 01:50 AM

Billi Evans

Murney Associates - Springfield, MO

Sondra, my personal place is five acres and it has a barn with 4 horse stalls plus a round pen, but if I were to sell I wouldn't call it a horse property. But I would call it cozy, a handyman's dream and very charming.

Mar 28, 2011 02:34 AM

Sondra Meyer:

EXP Realty, LLC - Corpus Christi, TX

See It. Experience It. Live It.

Thank you all for your comments,

Billi....I love it. If you say it has a barn with 4 horse stalls, a round pen, cozy, charming home that is a handyman's dream; all of us "average" horse people would know, beyond reasonable doubt, that your place is a horse property. For many of us, the barn area is a lot more important than the kitchen.

Jerry, it is frustrating.

Tommy, so true. I just always hope that people that are pursing their dream of having their first horse or cattle find an experienced person like yourself to work with.

Tim, I like that idea. A cat property. I've seen some places that are truly cat properties.

Gary, I do think potential is a good term. I certainly don't mean to imply that a 5 acre place is too small for horses either. For example, a friend of mine has a 5 acre place that is very well laid out with 3 pastures, an arena, a backyard, trailer parking by the barn and a driveway that the horses can't walk on. It just all depends on the layout.

JA, how funny.... goat property. Sounds like a pretty weedy or rough place to me. I'll admit, I know very little about goats.

Leilani, I hope that maybe in some small way this post will let at least someone out there know that "potential" is a good word.

Catherine.....I'll have to check out your blog! You are so correct, each of those things are important to vary degrees depending on what type of horses the buyers have or plan to have.

Mar 28, 2011 06:32 AM

Gary Coles (International Referrals)

Venture Realty International - Las Vegas, NV

Latin America Real Estate

Sondra, Great post and I love the photo of the cat and the horse.

Now are you ready to be shocked? In Las Vegas the zoning code will allow up to 3 horses on a 1/2 acre lot in areas zoned for horses. And many agents will advertise any 1/2 acre lot zoned for horses as "horse property".

Mar 28, 2011 07:12 AM

Tammy Emineth

Personal SEO - Website SEO and Real Estate Marketing - Frenchtown, MT

Content Marketer, SEO Teacher, Website Fixer

Sondra, this was a very informative posts for agents and marketers like me! Thanks! I also appreciate your subscription. Did you see Richard's Gold Star of us! SO AMAZING! :)

Mar 28, 2011 08:42 AM

Rocky Dickerson

Realty One Group - Las Vegas, NV

Superior Service!

Sondra, I appreciate this blog. I got to learn a lot in such a short period of time. Next time I read "horse property" I'll go check it out and get it straight from the horse's mouth.

Mar 28, 2011 01:02 PM

Anonymous

Jodi Johnson

Sondra, This is a great blog Thanks! It makes me crazy when a horse property is listed and the agent does not show a photo of the horse setup. All the Best!

Mar 29, 2011 05:50 AM

#14

San Antonio Texas New Homes for Sale

www.sanantoniotexasnewhomesforsale.com - San Antonio, TX

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hill Country

Sondra... Well lets see the first qualification to be a horse property ....Can I drive up and let out my horse and will he be fine !!!!!.... Does the horse have water , feed and a few trees or a barn ?.....That's the first way of a horse property !!!!

Then you go up from there as to the horses amenities !!!!

Mar 29, 2011 01:58 PM

Deb Dahlberg - Rowland

At the very least! Hopefully they know that just because the property is green it isn't always forage for a horse and it takes more than a few acres of green to keep a horse fed all year long...

Sep 30, 2017 05:23 AM

Not a real person

San Diego, CA

I’m rolling on the floor laughing my you-know-what off. Perhaps my home, 14 miles inland, could be described as “Beachfront property.” After all, it has the potential to be beachfront property when the big one hits!

Mar 31, 2011 03:59 AM

Deb Dahlberg - Rowland

Bastrop, TX

Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate

John L Scott Market Center - Birkenfeld, OR

"Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843

You brought out the humor in everyone while having them say, "I'm with ya, sista!" We have country property that's all over the place out here...horse- elk-goat-coyote-cow- salamander-flood plain-junk collector-fishing hole-deer-dogs-feral cats, sheesh, did I miss anything?

Great points...and a different perspective.

Of course you had me at the horse/kitty pic!

P.S. Just learned how to border my photos--can't wait to try it in my next blogs!

Mar 31, 2011 05:39 PM

Roy Kelley

Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Good post. Horse owners usually have very specific requirements. Maybe the goat property suggestion would bring more attention to the listing! One of our local newspapers just had a big food section article on the healthy aspects of goat meat.

Blooming for Maryland home buyers this spring!

Apr 08, 2011 06:20 AM

Deb Dahlberg - Rowland

Bastrop, TX

Jim Frimmer

HomeSmart Realty West - San Diego, CA

Realtor & CDPE, Mission Valley specialist

First off, I love the horse licking the cat. Second, out here “horse property” means land, and land means a high price, and only people who own horses are rich enough to buy that amount of land, so, yes, “horse property” adds value.

Apr 12, 2011 04:19 PM

Deb Dahlberg - Rowland

Stanberry Realtors - Bastrop, TX

Deb Sells Texas!

I agree. I have been selling horse properties for the past 20+ years across three states ( CO, AZ, TX ) and I find Realtors using the term horse property quite loosely. I use two definitions: horse friendly or developed horse property!

Sep 30, 2017 05:19 AM

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