Jonathan Goode- Land for Sale in West Alabama

Why in the world would a landowner hire a land agent when doing a deal with a neighbor or adjoining owner? That seems like the most slam dunk deal that any landowner could find himself in. Let’s address a few of the reasons why this can be a good idea.

Dave Milton, president of AlaLandCo, and I have had a running discussion throughout 2011 about becoming a trusted advisor for our clients. Our desire is to be more than just an agent, but to be the go-to source of information for anything pertaining to land. At AlaLandCo, we do not merely “hock” land; we offer solid advice about ways to improve any land transaction for our clients. So this article is in that vein of thinking.

Sometimes Neighbors are not so Neighborly- Ever hear of the Hatfields and McCoys? For 23 years these “neighbors” from Kentucky had an all-out war, sparked by a pig that had crossed from the land of one family to the others. Everyone in the land business has heard stories of deals gone sour between adjoining owners. Hiring an agent to help navigate the trouble spots in a land deal can save lots of frustration if a problem arises. One of the biggest potential icebergs for sinking a deal is when a landowner is selling a property that he does not know has a problem with the title, boundaries, or something for which he was honestly unaware. In my experience, problems arise in nearly all real estate transactions. It is the response to that issue that determines whether the deal will have a successful outcome or not. People do not naturally respond well to problems that may affect their pocketbook. Having a good agent to steer the negotiation can help avoid a costly shipwreck.

The Dirt is in the Details- I had a client that sold 40 acres along a state highway to a friend of his. He owned 120 acres, sold the front 40 to his friend, and kept the 80 acres in the back. 5 years after that transaction he decides to sell the remaining 80 acres. In the original deal, he did not reserve an easement in the deed to get to his back property. The “friend” is now reluctant to have people driving by his house and wants to make sure he controls who his new neighbors are. He has held the 80 acres hostage for two years, and the seller is reluctant to sue his “friend”.

A good agent would have advised his client on the front end to reserve an easement for ingress and egress. At that time I guarantee the easement would not have been a barrier for the buyer to agree to. After the ink dries, everything becomes subject to renegotiation. Other similar considerations would need to be given for water and mineral rights, shared fences, boundaries and a host of other potential snags. Settling these on the front end will help keep thing amicable for parties on both sides of the fence.

You have a Scapegoat- This past month I was hired by a landowner to help negotiate the purchase of tracts that touch his property. We made strong cash offers on two adjoining tracts, but were unable to reach a meeting of the minds on either. We offered more than the fair market value of each, but neither of the adjoining owners were willing to accept those terms. The point is that they are all still neighbors after the failed negotiation attempts. Now when they pass each other on the road or in the local café they can be neighborly. I was the go-between and any frustration or disappointment was dumped on me, not the other owners. This paves the way for making a successful offer in the future. If there is a breakdown in negotiations it is easier to throw the agent under the bus (figuratively I trust) and be able to have a peaceful co-existence.

But an Agent Costs Too Much- I would ask a broker or agent to work for you in this sort of transaction for a reduced fee. Most will be agreeable. In a situation where the agent does not have to go out and secure the buyer or seller they are more likely to agree to work for less money. I stress to my clients that I do not earn my money advertising or showing land. I really earn my money once the contract is signed and bringing the deal to a successful close. A good agent will make or save you more money than they cost.

If you still don’t buy into my concept, think about what happens in many do-it-yourself projects. How many times do you wish you had paid the plumber, accountant, mechanic, or dentist to do something properly out of the gate instead of living with regret over a leaky faucet, noisy car, or ragged smile?

As a landowner, you should find a broker or agent that can be your trusted land advisor. Wear them out asking advice, current sales information, or any question you can think up about land. Then when the time comes let them help you make money and save grief in a land transaction. You will be well-served by having a quality land professional in your corner, even when dealing with an adjoining owner.

Most of the people in America are in agreement on one thing right now: our national economy is a mess. Those who keep tabs on the land markets across the country would share that sentiment for recreational and timberland tracts. From what I experience first-hand in Alabama and the anecdotal evidence from land professionals in other regions shows that in many locations across the country timberland sales are way down.

The bright spot in the land market right now is good agricultural land. Arable acreage in the Midwest and the Mississippi Delta is selling at all-time highs; bolstered by strong commodity prices and investors like George Soros betting that the demand for food will increase dramatically as the world population grows in the coming decades. 

I believe what is happening in the timber and recreational segments of the land market right now is akin to a major logjam in a river. We have many factors that have combined to form a major blockage in the flow of land sales that were happening from 2004 to 2007. We all know that what happens in the global economy now trickles down to our local markets. Thomas Friedman is correct, “The World is Flat”, and so there are many more forces at work that affect our local land sales than even a decade ago. I am not smart enough to identify and address even a fraction of those factors, but there are three main logs in this jam that I think we can put our finger on that we have some influence over. Running a successful business right now means you have to focus on what you can influence, and work hard at tilting the table your way.

1. Behavioral Economics of Sellers- Understand your product (land) and work to understand people. Markets fluctuate, circumstances change, but human nature is relatively constant. Personalities vary, but there are traits that most people share in common when it comes to their money and assets.

Most landowners will feel like their property is worth more money than the exact same type of property across the road or next door. It is worth more money for one very important reason: it belongs to them. This is called the endowment theory, which boiled down is, “mine is worth more than yours because it is mine.”

In addition, human nature makes us hate losing money. The average person has more anguish over losing $1000 in a deal than they have joy over making $1000. This is called the risk aversion theory, and that coupled with endowment is why so many sellers say, “I am not going to give my land away.” It is as natural a reflex as your knee bouncing when tapped by a doctor’s mallet.

In an investment, if you had a 100% chance of making $5,000 or an 80% chance of making $6,000 which would you choose? If you had to sell and you had a 100% chance of losing $5,000 or an 80% chance of loosing $6,000 which would choose? Most people choose option A in the first question and option B in the second. That is exactly the opposite of what a smart investor would do. The upside is almost certain in the first question and the downside in the second has a strong chance of increasing your losses. So choosing option B in the first example almost assures you of making 20% more money, and you are almost certain you will lose your $5,000 plus 20% if you chose option B in the second example. We make those decisions because we naturally have an aversion for risk. (I found a similar example in a TD Ameritrade investment class I took this year.)

It is our job to provide the most recent and accurate information about what a landowner’s property is worth in our professional opinion, and then help them make the decision as to whether they are willing to sell their land in this market.

2. Financing Difficulties- Securing financing for rural land is more of a challenge than it was five years ago. Land professionals need to be more educated about the possibilities of financing acreage. Having preferred lenders to recommend potential buyers to is a good start, but having a working knowledge of USDA Rural Loan Programs, owner financing options, and 1031 exchanges are also very helpful.

3. Lack of Consumer Confidence (Scared Buyers)- The plain truth right now is that people are uncertain about the future of our country and are afraid to turn loose of large amounts of money. A recent Gallup poll showed that 81% of Americans are dissatisfied with the way our government is being run, and they believe that $0.51 of every tax dollar is being wasted. That fear is causing paralysis when it comes to making major purchases.

However this distrust of government and fear of the unknown is opening markets for mini-farms of 10 to 20 acres where families can grow their own food and get out of  cities. The 2010 census showed that over 83% of Americans now live in the 331 largest metro areas, leaving roughly 17% of our populous in rural areas.  Land professionals have a unique knowledge that 83% of the population are not experiencing on a day to day basis. That means the odds are highly in our favor when someone is ready to purchase rural land. By showing a prospective buyer that investing in land is historically safer and a better investment than buying stocks or gold, you put them at ease with the purchase and increase your probability of making a sale.

The flow of the land market is shifting. Just as a logjam in a river causes the flow to change course, so the cumulative effects of the global economy are shifting rural land buying trends right now. Farmland in the Mississippi River Delta and Midwest is at all time highs, Florida citrus farming acreage is down 36% since 1996, China’s imports of pecans have created a demand for pecan orchards; these are all trends that are happening because of forces outside their regions. When a stream changes course it erodes part of the old bank and makes a new shoreline. The same is true in the land market. This logjam is creating new opportunities. It does us no good to pine for how things used to be, all of that has been washed downstream. This logjam is moving our industry in new directions and also building up demand for when the economy recovers. Opportunities to make money are out there. This logjam may be just the thing that helps take your business to the next level if you are prepared and are willing to accept the chang

Our nation has been assailed by many natural disasters in the past two months. My home state of Alabama was ravaged by vicious tornadoes on April 27. During the search and rescue process, I learned one way that real estate agents can assist in the process.

On April 27, 2011, Tuscaloosa, Alabama took a direct hit from an F5 tornado, devastating the city and the area where it struck. Homes and buildings were removed, and the area looked as if it had been run over by a large lawnmower. Many people lost their lives during the storm.

Within a few days, I received a call from a Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's deputy who was assisting the local EMA in tracking down property owners in areas affected by the storm. He asked if I was Jonathan Goode, and I said "yes". He said there was a property listed as "Goode Investments, LLC." that had been damaged by the storm, and he was calling to ask if I am the owner. I told him I was not, and asked him how he found my name. He said he did a google search for "Goode Investments in Alabama", and came across my name. At once I realized what an unlikely task this man had of tracking down property owners by google search. So I told him to give me one second and I would try to help him.

I pulled up Tuscaloosa County's Tax Assessor's GIS website, which is called emapsplus.com. I clicked on maps, and Alabama, and then to Tuscaloosa County. I gave him a 30 second tutorial on how to search by property owner or by address, and he was instantly enthused at how this would improve his searching ability. The information provided by the tax assessor often includes the owner's name and mailing address, but often leaves out the telephone number. By cross-referencing the information provided in emapsplus with a site like whitepages.com, it is possible to find out the best way to contact owners of properties affected by storms.

After this experience it dawned on me that the people tasked with finding these property owners were probably not given very good tools to do it with. Why would a sheriff's deputy know about the county tax assessor's GIS site? So I wanted to put out a call to all of our real estate agents, tax assessors, and EMA agents to let you know that it is possible to cooperate in a meaningful way to help track down property owners. In an effort where efficiency means minutes and minutes can mean lives, we need to use the expertise we have to aid the work of emergency officials. I hope to get this information to our local and state EMA offices before they need to put it into practice again. It could save resources, time, and even lives.

You are invited to attend Alabama RLI's next meeting which is being held, March 8-9, 2011 at the Marriott-Legends Hotel in Prattville.

 It is not necessary to be a member of RLI or Alabama RLI to attend this event. You simply need to register and come enjoy the time with other land professionals.

Tuesday, March 8

• 12:30-1:00 pm- Greetings and Introductions- Pete Hall, President Alabama RLI
• 1:00-4:00 pm- Risk Management- Jim Lawrence, President of LAH, Birmingham
• 4:30-5:30 pm- "Alabama's Economic Outlook"- Dr. Keivan Deravi, Professor of Economics at Auburn University Montgomery
• 6:00- Cocktails on Golf Veranda
• 7:00- Dinner Buffet

Wednesday, March 9

• 7:30am- Continental Breakfast
• 8:00-9:00am- John McMillan, Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industry
• 9:15-12:00am- Structured Marketing meeting
• Noon- adjourn

Cost: Sessions and Meals (does not include Hotel)

• Alabama RLI Member and Associate Members: $160

Continuing Education Credits:

• Alabama RLI Member is $50/ Guests or Associate Members $75.

To reserve your spot, please contact Carol Moncrief at 334-270-8400 or carol@johnhallco.com.

Hotel accommodations

• Hampton Inn  334-285-6767
• Country Inn & Suites  1-800-596-2375 or 334-495-3000
• Marriott Courtyard  334-290-1270
• Marriott Hotel & Conference Center at Capitol Hill  334-290-1235

Golf at RTJ Capitol Hill Prattville  (334-285-1114)

• Senator and Legislature Courses:  $66.19 tax already included
• Judge Course:  $77.04 tax already include

Reservations should be made at least one week in advance.

     We at AlaLandCo have the unique ability to offer you Timber guidance and Real Estate advice simultaneously. It is extremely important to make sure that what you are doing with your timber harvest has as little negative impact on the future real estate or "dirt" value of your property as possible.

     Kyle Ingalls, Forester and President of our timber bid division uses a managed team approach when evaluating how best to harvest your timber so as to reach your short term and/or long term goals. Kyle will work with our land agents and you to develop a plan for your timber that will not only make short term profit; but will also let you know what type of land asset you will be left with after the harvest.

     AlaLandCo doesn't buy timber, so there is no conflict of interest when we seek to bring you the highest possible price by bidding out your timber to timber buyers throughout Alabama and neighboring states. We know who the players are in the timber business and we create competition for your timber while insisting that bidders comply with Best Timber Management practices, where you won't sacrifice aesthetics and future real estate value for short term profit.

     There are many different factors to consider when bidding out your timber such as:

•       Whether to thin or clear-cut areas?
•       How wide to leave the streamside management zones?
•       Will you allow thinning in the streamside management zones?
•       Marked Tree sale or thinning on a unit basis?
•       Should you scatter the debris or pile it up for a future controlled burn?

 
      How long should you give the buyer of the timber to finish the job? These are just a few of the many factors to consider when bidding out your timber for sale. There is no need to go it alone. Let us help you avoid the many pitfalls you may encounter when cutting your timber. We will work for you by offering honest advice and working hard with our team and other associates in the timber and land industries to make sure that you're happy not only with the price your timber brings but also with the land you are left with when the timber harvest is completed.

Call or e-mail us today; we are looking forward to working for you.

Kyle Ingalls
President, Ala. Reg. Forester #1578
334-740-2218

Alalandco
256-825-4331

Poachers are more than a nuisance for rural landowners. The subject of poachers has been on mind for several weeks, but literally hit home last weekend, when a first-time guest from North Carolina hunted whitetail deer on our family-owned Alabama land. As our guest was watching the foodplots where he was posted, four armed men appeared from the woods a mere 35 yards away. He began frantically texting me about the intruders. I was mortified; this could have gone south in a hurry. I climbed down from my stand several hundred yards away and raced the four wheeler to his position. The poachers made a quick get-away onto an adjoining owner as they heard me approach. He was okay, and the men hadn't seen him. I was grateful he was okay, and that no confrontation had occurred.

Later that evening as our group of hunters gathered for supper, I heard numerous stories from other landowners that had encountered trespassers and poachers on their lands. In most states there is a legal distinction between trespassers and poachers. A trespasser is one who "oversteps his bounds" onto the lands of another, while a poacher is one who trespasses with the intent of taking an animal. I learned that in Alabama the legal assumption is that if a person trespasses on your land with a firearm they are poaching.

Poaching is a nationwide epidemic. Missouri reported 2000 arrests for deer poaching in 2009 alone! The fact that so many property owners have had to deal with this issue prompted me to contact a local conservation officer and sheriff's deputy for advice about preventing poachers on their lands. Here are a few of the key points that these officers shared with me.

1. Poachers generally look for easy targets. Land held by owners who are out of the area and that doesn't see much use is going to be a prime area for poachers to visit. By looking for tire tracks on the driveway or woods roads it is easy to tell if a property is being used. One method of prevention I have seen an out-of-town owner employ is giving the local game warden or other law enforcement officer permission to huntand use his tract of land. This type of information spreads quickly in poaching communities. If you are unable to visit your property often, have someone in the area check on it for you. Having someone patrolling your property will make it more difficult for a poacher to find uninterrupted time to do their dirty work.

Posting the boundaries of your property against trespassing, hunting and fishing is a wise move so that people are without excuse when they enter your land. I would also recommend installing a well-constructed gate to entrances from the road and putting strong locks on them. Leaving a drive open may be irresistable to thieves and poachers. Consider adding a dusk-to-dawn light near cabins or sheds to increase the appearance of usage.

2. Who finds the poachers? The conservation officer I spoke to said it is far more likely for a landowner to find a poacher than for a game warden. His reasoning was that his jurisdiction covers 900 square miles of land and 150 miles of shoreline and there are only two officers to patrol it. I figure I have a better chance of meeting a Sasquatch in the woods than a game warden. Poachers know this too based on a conversation I had with a man who has been convicted of 20+ counts of shooting deer at night. He and several others were targets of an undercover sting by North Carolina conservation officers. He lost his hunting license for five years and had to pay nearly $6,000 in fines.

3. What should a landowner do if he encounters poachers? "If at all possible avoid confrontation." was the advice of this game warden. Generally poachers are armed, and they are already breaking the law, so they may resort to violence to avoid capture. A local friend confronted three men who were hunting on his land, and they beat him severely and left him in the woods.

This officer said if you catch a poacher on a game camera and they can be clearly identified, that is a "go directly to jail" card for them. He also said if you do observe them gather as much detail as possible about their appearance, clothing, weapons, vehicles, atv, or anything else pertinent that could help the officer identify and capture a law-breaker. If you happen upon someone and can get them to give you their name, id, or weapon that will be a help to the conservation officer. I have heard of two different Perry County landowners, upon catching people hunting on their land, had the trespassers surrender their rifles. The owners told the poachers they could retrieve the their belongings from the game warden. After 20 years, I believe the game warden still has one of those rifles.

Poaching is not only a recreational activity for these criminals, it is also a means to make money. Poachers will often sell the racks or mounts of trophy animals for a huge sum of money. In 2009, a Minnesota man claimed to have arrowed what would have been a world-record 8-point whitetail. Further evidence revealed the animal had been shot with a rifle. He was convicted of poaching and pled guilty to lesser charges. It was reported that a sporting goods store offered the Minnesota DNR $200,000 for the antlers.

Poachers violate many rights of landowners, and potentially pose a threat to their lives. Safety is by far the most important concern when dealing with poachers. Conservation departments in many states are trying to find ways to battle this blight, and 35 states have teamed up to form the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact which helps make sure that poachers who are caught breaking the law are brought to justice throughout the country. Texas has a good program called "Operation Game Thief" where they have a mobile "Wall of Shame"display of animals taken illegally. Minnesota had a similar display, but in a cruel twist of irony, thieves stole their DNR's "Wall of Shame". Conservation officials across the nation have taken a hard line against poachers in recent years, handing out stiff penalties for these crimes. I was surprised at how severe when I read Outdoor Life's recent article about the "50 Worst Poaching Fines Ever".

How to Contact the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Alabama has a program called Operation Game Watch with a hotline setup for you to call and report poaching 24 hours/ 7 days per week. The number is 1-800-272-GAME. In addition Alabama has recently become one of the first states in the nation that allows citizens to report game violations via a text message. You simply text "gamewatch" to 847411 to report the violation. Operation Game Watch is a partnership between the DCNR and the Alabama Wildlife Federation. Go ahead and load the number in your cell phone now, and you will have it in the event that you need to reach them in the future.

The bottom line is protecting the lives and livelihoods of private landowners. To get a good grasp on the laws of our state, I would recommend contacting your local game warden. During a 15 minute conversation I gained some helpful insights about how to prevent poachers from invading our land again. You will also have rapport with the officer should you ever encounter an issue with poachers or trespassers. Those officers will be glad to assist you in protecting your land, and will welcome any help you can provide as they do their job.

Don't just list your rural land with an agent in 2011, sell it! If you own rural land in Alabama and are thinking of putting the property on the market, here are a few things you can do to increase the odds of a sell in the new year.

I believe that in the current market of rural land sales, at least in Alabama, there are two main considerations that will help you sell your land: price and marketing.

1. Choose the right listing agent. Do your homework when selecting an agent to list your rural property. Interview a couple of prospects and ask them questions about properties in your specific market. You want an agent that has the pulse of the rural land market in your area.

In Alabama residential agents are allowed to sell rural tracts, but not all of them have the expertise to guide you to a successful close. Hire a land professional when selling rural land. I have had residential agents ask me what a "perc test" is because their client wanted to know if the property was suitable for building a home. If you are dealing with an agent in matters of rural land and they don't know about "perc tests", you need to find a new agent.

People ask me if I list houses. I tell them emphatically that I would make a horrible residential agent. If they could hear how much my wife gets onto me for wearing muddy shoes into my house, they would know what a bad decision that would be. I focus on what I know. Find an agent that does the same.

2. Pricing- Buyers in this market are extremely savvy compared with purchasers from a few years ago. People are spending time researching prospective properties, comparing prices, and seem to understand more about the rural land market in general. They are educating themselves on all aspects of a deal by reading articles on websites like landthink.com.

In this market it is important to list your property at the right price as soon as it comes on the market. I have heard numerous times, "Let's price it here and see what happens." The problem with the "wait and see" mentality is that it adds days on the market, and often there is a stigma attached to hearing that a property has been on the market for 18 to 24 months. Prospective buyers want to know, "What is wrong with that land for it to be on the market that long?"

It is better to come out of the gate with a fair and accurate price, than to try to test the waters with an unjustifiably high pricetag. I tell my clients that we will know within a few months what the market thinks about our price, because I can guarantee their property will get exposure to buyers. How buyers respond shows me what they think of the value relative to the price. We need to be prepared to adjust the price according to what the market dictates.

3. Marketing- Exposure is everything right now. Your land needs to be in front of every potential buyer of rural land to make sure that you get the best chance at making a sale. Agents need to have a multi-pronged strategy of marketing your land. The most essential element in a marketing plan is how extensively the property will be advertised on the Internet.

Recent National Association of Realtor and Landthink.com statistics reveal that over 85% of land buyers begin their property search online. Your agent needs to spread a wide net to catch the attention of everyone who is looking for properties similar to yours. There are websites devoted exclusively to advertising rural land, and your tract needs to be on these sites.

Ask an agent how they will advertise your land. Then find out what specific land sites your property will be on. You will get the most exposure for rural land on landsofamerica.com, landwatch.com, and landflip.com. Additionally it will help if you choose an agent that has a web log or blog about rural land in your general area. You want someone who knows how to be an evangelist for your land.

These are some key considerations for getting your land on the "sold" list in 2011. Don't just list it, sell it. If you need help selling your rural land in Alabama, please contact me.  AlaLandCo has the "know-how" and the tools to help you sell your land, even in a slow market. Trust Alabama's land professionals with your next land transaction.

Deer hunters often wonder what is the best time to see a trophy buck. Having been an avid hunter for years and spending countless hours in the woods honing my skills, I hope to share some insights into when and under what conditions you can expect to see the biggest deer of your life.

1. As soon as you lower your gun from your treestand, and it is dangling from a rope 25' below.

2. When you get up from your ground-blind to go relieve yourself, and leave your gun behind because you tell yourself, "I'll only be a minute."

3. About 3/10 of a second after you realize you forgot to power off your cell phone.

4. The only time in your life you have ever felt the uncontrollable urge to cough, sneeze, or toot in the woods.

5. At the exact moment your hunting buddy walks up to meet you at your treestand. (This happened to my brother last week.)

6. After watching and listening to a gray squirrel scamper around beneath you for 30 minutes you decide to throw a stick at it to scare it away. Only this time when you look down, it isn't the squirrel.

7.  Immediately after you convince yourself it is too dark to see, and you need to come down from your stand. Stand up, turn around, and he will be 10 yards behind you.

8. You want to practice poking your gun out the window of the shooting house just to see what it will be like when the big buck comes out.

9. After not seeing a single deer on the coldest day of your life, the noise of your vehicle door opening spooks him out of his bed 10 yards from you.

10. October 14 and February 1 (if you are in Alabama).

11. In the back of a truck that is carrying any 7 year old girl who is out for the first time or a city-slicker who doesn't understand why people like deer hunting, but decided to go with a friend anyway.

12. While you are checking that pride-swelling button buck you just downed.

13. Other notable times include: when your scope or binoculars fog up, just as you try your new game call, in your neighbor's back yard, if the chamber on your rifle is empty, or on the day you forgot to bring the release for your bow.

Perhaps you were expecting some information about barometric pressure, moon phases, ideal temperatures, or perfect scent conditions. None of that stuff really matters unless you want to film a hunt for the Outdoor Channel. All you need to do is be prepared when you least think you will see a big buck, and he will appear. It seems counter-intuitive, but here is the real nugget from this article: When nothing exciting seems to be happening in the woods around you, that is probably when "old mossy horns" is going to walk past your stand. Reflect on that next time you're in the woods instead of getting up to stretch. You'll probably see more deer, and you're less likely to drop your binoculars from 30' to the cold ground below.

Most of these "tips" are based on personal experience or on stories related by some of my other "field pro-staff" friends and relatives. The point of hunting is simply spending time in the woods. I learn or see something new almost every time I venture outdoors. Get out there and make some memories with your kids or so that you'll have your own tales to add while sitting around the campfire. Feel free to add any other "tips" you've learned in the comment section below.

Last week during my visit to Wisconsin, I had a conversation with two managers of manufacturing facilities. The conversation turned toward deer hunting and eventually the topic of living in the country came up. The manager from Alabama said, "When I was buying my house and land, I gave my Realtor only one requirement. I told her I wanted to be able to "pee" off my porch." The manager from Wisconsin said, my house is in the woods and I can "pee" off my porch."

Please understand I have wanted to write about this for a few months, but figured my wife would never let me actually post it online. My aim here is not to be uncouth, but to address one of the most important aspects of owning rural land: privacy.

I love living in the country. I am writing this article from a shooting house on our land overlooking several hundred yards of food plots we planted back in October. It is my expectation that no other hunter will show up during my time in the woods today. I grew up hunting public land and wildlife management areas, and it was not uncommon to encounter other hunters while afield. Now that I live on my in-laws' farm, I do not have to share my good hunting spots with everyone.

One of the most essential elements of land ownership is the right of quiet enjoyment. This covenant is generally made when land is transferred from one owner to the next. The right of quiet enjoyment is the promise that you will be undisturbed or that there are no hostile claims against your property. Simply, it means that the property is now yours and you may do what you like within the confines of the law.

Quiet enjoyment is foundational to freedom in our society. Rural land offers the best atmosphere for privacy. Each week I see scores of vehicles drive down to Perry County where I live with four wheelers or UTV's in tow; each driver trying to escape the clamor and cramped cities where they spend their week. As schedules allow they migrate out to the countryside where one can really soak up the quiet and let their hair down.

I get the sense that people enjoying being in the country for the same reasons I do. The countryside is much more relaxed when it comes to dress code or social etiquette. This seems to be instinctive, and even when I am showing land a spark appears in a prospective buyers' eyes as they walk a piece of property. My customers often have a moment of privacy while they are on the land. This isn't limited to men; two of the prettiest women I have ever shown properties asked to be excused while previewing a rural tract. Most people would not venture this in their neighborhoods. Out in the woods you have more freedom from social restraints.

John Eldredge makes the case that men (and many women) are "Wild at Heart". There is an innate sense of freedom that we experience in the country. Private land ownership affords us the option of escaping and excluding others and quietly enjoying what belongs to us. Privacy is a rare commodity in large cities and certainly not found in a TSA line at some crowded airport. Maybe a trip to your piece of the country is just what you need to recharge your spiritual, emotional, and physical tanks. Now get out there and make your mark on your piece of the countryside.

Charitydeerhunt.com launches today in an effort to help nonprofit organizations advertise their outdoor fundraising events to hunters around the world.

This website was developed by Jonathan Goode, who helps organize a fundraising hunt for Marion Academy, where his children attend.

Schools, nonprofits, churches, and other charitable organizations are encouraged to contact Jonathan about advertising their event. Advertising on the site is free to Alabama charitable organizations, and a small fee is charged for events not held in Alabama.

The first event advertised on the site is Marion Academy's annual deer hunt being held January 14-16, 2011 in Marion, Alabama.

Please check back often for an updated list of upcoming outdoor events that benefit schools, churches, and other nonprofit organizations.