Confused about the future

[Mike Lynch]

Hi

I am a 45 year old licensed commercial plumber from North Carolina. I have my own plumbing business here near Holden Beach, NC and my Wife is a Graphic Artist / Sign Maker who also has her own business here. We do pretty good to save a little and pay the bills. New construction plumbing is very slow here due to no building going on. There are also too many illegal people working around here without being fined or removed by the Town Halls or NC plumbing board. I have called the Plumbing Board several times, with no help or corrective actions. So, plumbing for me is getting worse by the day! I would like to get out of it someday soon or at least in the next few years.

I own an old farm between Charlotte and Hickory, NC. ( No animals or crops anymore ) It was totally paid for many years ago. It was given to me when my Grandmother died. My mother lives there now, but will be moving here with us in a couple of months, due to health problems. The home was built in 1885. She called two realtors to look at the home. One was an appraiser, and one had been an appraiser in the past. They said that the entire package was worth about $300,000. They did not walk the property at all. Down behind the home is a natural spring producing about 2000 gallons of fresh water per day. Also there is about 500 yards of creek front property, that they did not see at all. The creek is about 40 feet wide and deep enough to swim in in some places.

How can they throw out a number without walking the property and seeing what it has to offer? There is nothing to compare it to anywhere around there. Nobody has that much creek front land and farmers around there say that it is some of the best farm land in the area, due to having so much water on the property.

Big Question! -- What should I do with it. Sell it, Farm it, Lease it, etc. Sell it and buy several homes to rent out or flip? I can't see my self as a farmer right now.

My goal: ---- To have as much retirement money as possible, of course!

What would you do with $300,000 / $350,000 worth of property to make the most possible money with the smallest amount of risk?

Thanks!

Here are some pics that were taken last week.

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