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Lease question.

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ranch1

Junior Member
I'm in NE.

I have a dumb question, probably already know the answer to it, but I thought I'd take a shot at it. My family has been leasing a square mile of pasture land from the state, went from father to son, for between 60 to 70 years. Not exactly sure how long because the records they have access to don't go back that far and they are having to research it and aren't getting back to me. There is an annual lease amount, payable every six months. In addition it used to be every 8 years but now it's 6 years, they have an open bidding on the lease to the public. So the winning bidder pays that bid amount, plus the whole year lease in advance, plus any improvements that the previous lease holder has put on the land. My question is this, in general is there any kind of law that allows a person to have control over land after a certain number of years? This ground does not produce as much income as the lease payment alone is, but there is no other land available and it is desperately needed. Figuring in the lease payments alone, not the many thousands we've been bid up on it the 60 to 70 years, and figuring any taxes that would have been paid, the land would have been paid for a few times over if it could have been purchased. They do offer some of them for sale, but not this one, because they feel it is desirable I guess, and then that would be open bidding anyway, starting at more than what the land is worth, literally. Just got to thinking about it, I've seen some strange laws, wondered if there would be one that I didn't know about here. Thanks.
 


divgradcurl

Senior Member
There are laws that allow one to acquire ownership of land over time, but they are not applicable to your situation. Unfortunately, you'll either need to successfully bid for the lease, or purchase the property outright, if you want to continue to use the land.
 

ranch1

Junior Member
Thought so

There used to be a house on it, my dad and family lived there until about 30 years ago. They took the house "off" the papers within the last 10 years though and they won't let one back on, the roof got bad and we couldn't fix it. Kind of annoying having to be bid up all the time, some people do it just to do it because they know a person wouldn't let it go, especially when it never generates even the payment alone. On top of the rules of use that the state has. Thanks.
 
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ranch1

Junior Member
one more thing

They lived there in that house for about 40 years, they milked cows there, had a barn, shop, etc. Would that have made a difference? The house and buildings are still there, but they were taken off their paperwork like I said within the last 10 years, just curious if a situation like that would have worked if it would have been a little different. Thanks again for the time.
 

seniorjudge

Senior Member
Q: They lived there in that house for about 40 years, they milked cows there, had a barn, shop, etc. Would that have made a difference?

A: Google nebraska adverse possession elements. In addition to this not being an adverse possession case, you still wouldn't get anything from your actions because it is the government you are leasing from. Adverse possession generally does not run against the government.
 

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