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For address information, see home page. To e-mail us; - sailoronahorseback@gmail.com
Situation update as at October 15th, 2003:
6 Mini-Ranches, totaling 250 acres have now been spoken for. This means that technically
only four "slots" remain, although 750 acres are still available. My original intent was that at least two of the ranches
would be in the 200+ acre category, but I have been singularly unsuccessful with all supposed "big-timers" to date. To avoid
further time-wasting disappointments, it has been decided to split up one of the larger parcels into three, and thus create
a few additional opportunities for smaller parcels....so the "club of ten" may now become the "club of twelve".
Meanwhile, I should mention that the official partitioning of the mini-ranches
will take place at the end of this month, so the "custom"-aspect of the offer will no longer be available, although it will
of course be possible to acquire more than one parcel.
The prices will remain unchanged until the end of the year, but as a result of
the strengthening Chilean peso and increasing property values/infrastructure costs, a ten percent increase is envisioned from
January 1st, 2004.
Situation update as at March 27th, 2004. And then there were four.....the final
subdivision did indeed result in a total of twelve parcels, eight of which have now been spoken for. Here's a list of remaining
tracts:
1. 84.23 acres (34.1 has)
2. 79.29 acres (32.1 has)
3. 67.93 acres (27.5 has)
4. 70.89 acres (28.7 has)
And as at August 22nd, 2004; - Two parcels now remaining:
1. 79.29 acres (32.1 has)
2. 70.89 acres (28.7 has)
October 9th, 2004; - The 70.89 acre parcel is now sold, so technically only one is left;
- However, another subdivision became necessary to accommodate the altered requirements of two existing owners, and furthermore
an option given to another has now expired. The final situation accordingly is that there will now be a grand total
of 14 mini-ranches, 10 of which are sold, with 4 remaining available:
1. 79.29 acres (32.1 has)
2. 76.08 acres (30.8 has)
3. 82.25 acres (33.3 has)
4. 39.52 acres (16.0 has)
November 13th, 2004; - Back to three remaining. Parcel #4 is now also spoken for.
And, ah yes, I'm afraid that as of the first of the year prices will increase by another
10% to keep abreast with property-prices and a declining dollar.
December 7th, 2004; - And then there were two. The 82-acre spread is now sold, so in order
to recap the remaining, here goes:
1. 79.29 acres (32.1 has)
2. 76.08 acres (30.8 has)
February 12th, 2005; - The 76-acre ranch is now "history".....but in the meantime the last
option given has expired without having been exercised. Thus, the remaining opportunities are: -
1. 79.29 acres (32.1 has)
2. 39.52 acres (16.0 has)
March 22nd, 2005; - And then there was one: -
1. 79.29 acres (32.1 has)
May 3rd, 2005; - Another parcel, 71.62 acres, has now again become available.
To recapitulate, there will now be a total absolute maximum of 17 ranches, 13 having been
sold and 4 remaining.
February 6th, 2006; - And then there was just one left (again):
36.31 acres.
March 30th, 2006; - Crunch, crash, splinter, splash (there's a pond outside my new
house...)......Yep, you've guessed it; - That was the sound of the computer going out the window....and a damned good window
it was too!
The lighter side apart, however, although we are as of today sold out (final tally: 17
ranches, 16 owners - one owner decided to buy two), I must admit to having, over the past three and a half years, developed
a certain affinity for the "durn contraption" (especially the unobtrusive means of communication, known as e-mail....I can
stand the phone much less), and as such decided to keep not only that, but also to maintain the web-site active for the
foreseeable future, in case that one or more of the parcels should again become available.
Now, where's that horse at?!
1st January, 2010; - What better day to update the web-page than New Year's Day? Especially when full of renewed energy
after the return from a sailing-trip from Europe to South America, involving a 5-month absence from the ranch (the first since
'96)....
I actually toyed with the idea of re-writing the page, but decided against it as I think it still gives the flavour of
things down here despite the fact that circumstances and land-values have of course changed in the eight years since it was
originally written, opting instead for this brief addendum.
The most significant development is that the better part of the ranch - after years of legal wrangling - is now an official
nature reserve for all time to come, one of the first private such in Chile, with all mini-ranch owners being de facto part-owners
after my donation of the terrain as well as the Club with surrounding land to the non-profit Owners' Association. The fundo
is now also one of only a handful in the South certified organic.
So, with all the ranches sold as of '06, the Owners' Association up and running, the Nature Reserve incorporated and the
organic certification accomplished, you'd think my work would be done. Well, it would have, had it not been for the economic
turmoil up North which has forced a number of original owners into circumstances where they no longer are able to meet their
obligations on the by me financed properties, resulting in a few now being again available.
Here's a run-down of them:
1. 82.25 acres, truly stunning views (the opening shots on the site were taken from here), river
frontage on Agua Blanca (the small river constituting the Western border of the fundo), good grazing, contains avellano (local
hazelnut) plantations as well as fruit dittos. No construction as of yet. SOLD.
2. 43.97 acres, nice view and very long and attractive (and accessible) river-frontage on Rio
Manio, the main river constituting the Eastern and Northern border of the fundo. This property was in fact the first to sell
back in '02, and now contains a small house, stables and various improvements. Straddles the main road of the ranch
(giving easy access to all parts) and is close to the gate. SOLD.
3. 36.80 acres, not too much of a view given its comparatively low altitude near the fundo-entrance (although the
top of the Villarica volcano can be seen from the highest elevation). The best river-frontage on Rio Manio of any of the ranches
(most of the river-pictures on the site were taken from here). Quite a lot of flat-land and excellent grazing. No structures.
SOLD.
Well, as of today (April 15th) all three parcels have been spoken for. There will, however,
exist two more possibilities to join the budding community at El Sombrero, as I've used the proceeds from recent transactions
to buy back two more parcels; -
1. 36.31 acres, splendid views, good grazing and many improvements, including a very nice
2-bedroom house, a barn/stable, a workshop/utility building and lots of internal fencing. SOLD
2. 95.84 acres, excellent views, no structures, lots of virgin forest. SOLD
Well, there you have it, folks; - As of today, June 24th, 2012, almost to the day ten years since the original publication
of this web-site, we are again sold out, and this time it would appear very unlikely that there will be any further changes,
as far as I am concerned, to the ownership-status of the now 20 ranches. But a couple may soon become available for re-sale,
due to the owners' age and/or altered circumstances, so I will keep the site active for a while yet.
The possibility also exists that I may consider a few more subdivisions of my own holding at some point in the future,
when my need for private roaming-space diminishes with the advancing years....and there's of course always the Nature
Reserve - not for any further commercial intrusion, obviously - but rather in the realm of roaming-space, the magic of riding
across its vast expanse in the knowledge that it's been saved for all future having been the driving force and motivation
behind this project since its inception.....and my reward, and that of all "the lucky 10", now 20.
Thanks for all the interest and enquiries over the years.....thinking back, there must have been thousands of the latter.
Little did I know what I started back in '02.....
Cheers, SW Update (as at September 6th, 2014): One parcel of about 30 acres has again become available as an original
sale, due to current absentee-owners change of circumstances. No structures as yet, only splendid views and lots of creeks,
in addition to pastures and forest. SOLD.....but there's always the possibility of a couple of new subdivisions,
as mentioned above. Stop Press! (November 18th, 2015) One of the more attractive parcels, has again become available, as the owner decided to leave the country, and I
to buy it back. Bordering my own remaining holding, it measures 36.31
acres (14.7 hectares), commanding spectacular views and boasting two creeks, excellent pasture land as well as native
forest. Existing buildings include a very well-built, fully furnished
and equipped, 2-bedroom house, a "bodega" (warehouse/garage/workshop) and a four-horse stable. Truly a turn-key situation,
and available immediately. SOLD (27th of March'16)
Fundo El Sombrero (Home Page)
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