Large Scale Central

Selling

General Discussion
#1

My wife and I decided that it was time to sell the house. There were allot of reasons for the decision, one being taxes on the property. over $10,000 for 9 acres and taxes just keep going up. NJ for you. We want to really downsize with a smaller and easier to maintain piece of land like .5 - 1 acres and a much smaller house, one that is more manageable. We plan on staying in the general area still because of jobs.

As for the RR it will stay until the house is sold. It hurts after all the work that was put into it but I figure the next RR will be better. The theme and look will be the same. Depending on the land I would like to have a raised garden RR or at least partially raised for steaming. I’m going with wooden ties for the next layout and will install a watering system this time for the plants as well as some sort of water feature. The size will be about the same as the current. My first adventure in the garden RR was a great learning experience and I’m excited to start a new one when we move.

#2

I sure hope it sells quick for you. But you’ll need to let us know, if it sells real quick. :wink:

#3

Shawn, Good luck in selling the house. I hope you stay in the area there are good jobs

here just have to look for them. You know the Middletown area has some nice homes and is close to the Fairgrounds.Hint Hint…

:slight_smile:

#4

Haha Ric I doubt it will sell that fast. Although if it does it will take time for closing etc…

Nick we are staying in the general area still (Sussex County). We both work in the county so it would not make sense to move out. Plus I really like this area. NY would work for me but it would increase my wife’s commute.

#5

Good luck, Shawn.
Just on the news last night about mortgage rates creeping back up, so some people are buying real quick.
Being a fellow Jerseyian, Jerseyite, Jerseyic, ahh, whatever…I know taxes here kill us. My wife says she is never going to move because of all the (stuff) we have. My dad says “I built this house and I’m gonna die in it!”
I would suggest before you move the GR to take pictures of everything you don’t like, or has gone wrong, so you don’t make the same mistakes again.
Will you have another open house before winter so those of us who have not had the opportunity can come to see it?
Now, go slay those windmills!

#6

Starting over is not so bad actually…ask me how I know…and yer gonna handlay this time? Fantastic!

#7

Shawn, best of luck with your endeavor…

We moved here in 2005. Tore out the railroad at the old place, and started fresh here… We just took the buildings and track, left the old railroad as a ““rock garden””…

#8

Lou the RR will be business as usual, until house sells. If I were to say what mistakes I have done? It is a very short list and nothing too major. Most is for Live Steam. Something I did not expect when I started.

  1. Not hand laying track.

  2. Not having a more elevated area for steaming

3.Not keeping track level so I can drive the steamers without having to add R/C

  1. Not having a water system to water layout.

Andy I plan on doing the same with the layout. Turn it into a rock garden. I will take all the spruce trees with me.

Bart my goal is to hand-lay the track this time. The only thing that really kept me from doing it with the current one was because I did not want to disturb the moss that was growing in the tracks. I will have to learn to build switches for the next one but I wont have nearly as many. I want the layout plan simple and focus on the details and really give it that backwoods feel throughout the entire layout. . The next layout will have bigger mountains inside loop so I can maybe add some sort of switch back for logging. Also a water feature like a stream so I can have a small mill.

Part of me will miss the current layout but on the same note I’m excited to start over.

#9

Shawn, Wish you alota luck with your sale. Going to miss your layout. But look forward to wachting you build a new one. Regards,Ron

#10

Real nice. I plan to visit and now I have to chase ya all over Joisey to see your layout…:wink:

#11

Ken Brunt said:

Real nice. I plan to visit and now I have to chase ya all over Joisey to see your layout…:wink:

Really…I haven’t seen the old layout yet :frowning:
Best of luck with your plans.
Ralph

#12

Good luck with the move Shawn. I’m sure you’ll have no problems getting together another great RR

#13

The new RR will be my priority when We move. Won’t take me long to get it up and running. :slight_smile:

#14

Why not have a literal yard sale? Tag all the trains and stuff, and we’ll come and barter for it, and it will all be gone!

#15

Nine acres, a pool and a solar system.
Advertise in one of the Equestrian magazines.
The horse folks will love your place :wink:
Ralph

#16

BTW Shawn,
Have you checked what your tax rate would be if the land was agricultural?
Around here agricultural status saves you a bundle. Put up a barb wire fence and get a few cattle.

Another way wealthy folks save a bundle on taxes here is a “Nature Conservatory”.
You might look into these options before giving up your little piece of paradise :wink:
Ralph

#17

Shawn Viggiano said:
The new RR will be my priority when We move. Won’t take me long to get it up and running. :slight_smile:

I hope so Shawn!
Took me almost 5-years from when I moved into my new house until I could lay down the first piece of track.
I missed being involved in the hobby, and hanging out at my local train shops. But sometimes life gets in the way and things need to get done.
Hopefully you have a smooth transition selling & buying and you are designing a new railway soon!

#18

Shawn,
I hear jefferson is nice!

Nico

#19

Ralph we can put in for farm assessment and save a ton but it also adds more work that I don’t want. Its too much property and house. I want to be able to spend my days off with the wife and kids and the RR.

Vincent it won’t take me that long. I’m very anal. When I get something on my mind, nothing stops me. I’ll have trains running within a few months.

Jefferson is nice but too busy for me. I need the country setting lol

#20

I understand Shawn…Good Luck my friend!