Leasing Land

Does anyone have experience with leasing land for a vineyard? I have been trying to buy some property for a number of years, they will not sell. The owner suggested maybe a lease. As this is a long term option, I thought I would get some input. It is only 1/2 acre, but right next to our property.

The lease would be ok if the price was next to nothing. It would basically give you rights to the property for planting and harvesting grapes. You agree to keep up the property for xx years in return for using it. What will the clause be for either party to break the lease.

I got very lucky. I've always cut an extra 25 feet in my back yard. I asked the owner about planting trees back there. He was excited for me to do it. For $20-$30 each, I planted three pears, a few apples and a few peach trees. I get the fruit, they get the taxes!

given the longevity of a vineyard it seems that leasing the land is temporary even if it is for 15 years. the time and investment for a vineyard I would think would make you want to own the land. if leasing is the only way, I would have a provision that would allow purchase of the land in the event the neighbor sells his property or you can purchase land after so many years of lease. You need to protect your investment in the vineyard some way.

Unlike row crops, you put a lot of equity into a vineyard that you have to leave behind when the lease is up. I would exhaust any other option first.

I lease thousands of acres of farm land, Cash crops are one thing, Hay crops are another the investment in hay crops needs to be exhausted over 5 years as opposed to annually, this must be accounted for within the lease. A vineyard is another ball game. as it could easly result in thousands of $$$ and take 5 years before you see a return. It would be a shame for you to invest in the land, then in 5 years have the owner die and his heirs take you to the cleaners. Believe me, that and worse has and does happen.

spaniel said:

Unlike row crops, you put a lot of equity into a vineyard that you have to leave behind when the lease is up. I would exhaust any other option first.

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A question to bum this thread back up top: What if there is an already existing vineyard which the new owner does not want or want to keep up. I could see leasing the existing vineyard for the cost of the taxes on the land and keeping up the vineyard. We learned some very interesting information about hiring pickers and pruners for a vineyard (although info was for a vineyard in PA and this particular vineyard we are looking at is located elsewhere).

The lease of an existing vineyard would be a viable option, as long as the vines were sound and producing well, if you could get it for taxes and upkeep it would be a good deal. That would be a minimal investment in any vineyard.