Looking for input on what it is I want to do

There are so many forums on this site, from what I have seen this may be the most appropriate.  I'm an almost 79 yo male, in fairly good condition, but don't kick the tires too hard. I own a smidge over 20  acres in an area that bridges suburbia and farm country in central western Pennsylvania. By the local standards my property is considered a farm. though all I have are lots of garden beds, 5 acres of field I've been trying to naturalize, 10 acres of woods, and a couple of ponds. I've been gathering all the tools I need and lots more I don't for most of my adult life. I don't get rid of much in the event it will be useful at some point. All that said I have become overwhelmed with all I have and have to do, and am starting to run low on energy to complete the many tasks at hand. The gardening is getting more than I alone can deal with. So I'm looking for some input as I'm sure I'm not the first to find themselves in a similar position. On one hand selling everything as a single lot would be the easiest, assuming someone wants all my stuff. Parting it all out would be an enormous task I'm not up to and for whatever reasons I despise auctions.  Maybe I could make arrangements with (potential) new owner(s) to allow me to live the Summers I have left on a houseboat (which I don't have) on the bigger pond. That's always been one of my fantasies here. Me and the little doggy could get a modest little RV and travel south and west for the winters. Looking for input if there is any. I'm willing to take questions also. Thanks!

Gary, you will have a lot of company in similar situations in the next decade or so. Better to start planning now, rather than later!

Some tough questions you need to answer would be:
Do you need the money from the sale of the land to live on if you move?
Do you acknowledge how easy it is to loose your license at your age? It only takes one nasty diagnosis, as a friend recently found out. If his condition is stable for 6 months, he gets his license back, but it is a big hit to his independence in the short term.
What did you plan to do with your will - is someone expecting to get the land or some money? (Or grandchildren that could use a leg up.)

Definitely there are ways to reduce your work-load gradually, but the more active you are, the longer you'll be capable. There are ways to sell land "as is", but if your spare parts collection is well organized and looks intentional, rather than looking like a garbage heap, that will improve your odds of finding a buyer who actually wants to farm/market garden/homestead the land, rather than turning it into another piece of suburbia after shoveling everything into a dumpster.

Have you looked at pemie's SkIP program. They are specifically trying to match people who've demonstrated basic skills, with land-owners willing to do some sort of live here until I pass then you get to keep it, sort of arrangement.

Thanks Jay..... lots of questions to answer. I'm looking into the SKIP idea, honestly I'm not finding much that seems very current. I'm obviously not following the correct links.

Hi Gary, take a read through this thread that explains SKIP pretty thoroughly: permies.com/skip

The category page gives a better look at the actual submissions.  It's a slow time of year, but even still, a couple of submissions a day.

https://permies.com/c/skip

Gary Singleton wrote: On one hand selling everything as a single lot would be the easiest, assuming someone wants all my stuff. Parting it all out would be an enormous task I'm not up to and for whatever reasons I despise auctions.

Could you create an organized inventory list of the tools and materials on site? Even if it's not perfect, it might help a single lot buyer understand that they are getting useful resources, not just junk that they have to haul to the dump.

"Could you create an organized inventory list of the tools and materials on site? Even if it's not perfect, it might help a single lot buyer understand that they are getting useful resources, not just junk that they have to haul to the dump."

Yes, that is doable at least for larger items and equipment.

Gary Singleton wrote:I'm looking into the SKIP idea, honestly I'm not finding much that seems very current. I'm obviously not following the correct links.

Mike's link gives the overview. It can be a little confusing but we think you may be what paul calls an Otis like person: this link is one that explains it a bit.
It depends really on what sort of relationship you want with who you pass your land on to, and whether you want it to go to someone 'worthy' and what financial return you want and need. Just selling up is easier, money never lets you down, but never loves you either.

If you want to sell your property and move on why not find a go9od real estate agent to do that for you?

Have an estate sale, like a garage sale and sell it all.

We sold our homestead though a real estate agent, had an estate sale and did what you are suggesting for nearly 10 years before buying another place near our daughter.

Mike's link gives the overview. It can be a little confusing

It is a lot confusing for me at least. How does one connect with PEP folks? It seems I found a list yesterday but failed to book mark it. Thanks Nancy!

The Otises are in control of the "connecting".  So if you see a PEP participant you like and want to talk to them about it, just send them a PM here through permies to start the conversation. That's the envelope icon at the top right of your screen.

There are many of us here who are well past normal retirement age.  You might want to check out this thread  https://permies.com/t/146023/aging-homesteader#1140553

Mike Haasl wrote:The Otises are in control of the "connecting".  So if you see a PEP participant you like and want to talk to them about it, just send them a PM here through permies to start the conversation. That's the envelope icon at the top right of your screen.

So I think it was the PEP list that I saw but can no longer find.

John F Dean wrote:There are many of us here who are well past normal retirement age.  You might want to check out this thread  https://permies.com/t/146023/aging-homesteader#1140553

Thanks John, I'll check it out.

Gotcha, here's the List of SKIPpers with descriptions below for most of the advanced folks saying what they're after in life.  And here's the Leaderboard which is all the SKIPpers sorted by how many skills they've completed