Land I need to buy but seller is playing games rant. Opinions?

[Wcross]

The land is directly if front of my land. My driveway runs along the side of the property, I really don't want a new neighbor. I have posted a couple times about it before.

Two months ago he started clearing the land, talked about getting a bulldozer to "clean it up". He cleared a small portion of it but now work has stopped. No bulldozer has arrived yet, I rarely see him out there working. He mentioned at the time he had an 8,000 dollar bill coming up in October and needed to sell to cover it. I made a generous offer the first day he mentioned selling it. He indicated he felt he could get more.
Here is the game playing part. He put up his own surveying tape he salvaged from down the road, he marked an approximate area the property is located at. I believe he is over my line with his tape but I know its not an official survey so no big deal. He puts up some of those small black & orange for sale signs but used magic markers that don't hold up in the rain- you can not read ANYTHING on the sign after our last rain storm. I have had three people (that I know of) start poking around my house thinking it was the sale property. I mentioned the lack of information (not even a phone number) on the signs and he hasn't done anything about it in the past two weeks.
I'm not going to go one penny higher over my original offer. As a matter of fact, as the offer was not in writing I am liable to lower it due to the damage done in his "clean up" efforts. He doesn't seem to be even trying to find a buyer. I am in limbo as far as my finances are concerned, I have set aside the money needed for the purchase but its just sitting in a checking account waiting. Its starting to hit a raw nerve with me. I don't want strangers poking around my place while I'm not here. I don't like it when people play games. The real pisser is I have allowed him to hay my pastures for free over the past 5 years. I figured he needed the hay and I needed to keep the field from being overgrown. I have had others offer to hay it but Floyd had been haying the thing before I bought and I didn't want to take it away from him.

Anybody got a clue whats going through Floyds mind? Why would he hold out for a better offer yet not even make sure people could read his contact info? I haven't seen any ads in the local papers for the property. I hate sales games, anyone know which one he is playing on me?

[wildhorses]

1. i have neighbors like this

we have all played the 'fishing' game with property that borders each other. my advice is to stop giving positive reinforcement to negative behavior. are you worried about strangers walking the property? about the markers you think are on your property..if they are, in fact, on your property then just pull them up and get rid of them. leave the money in the bank and wait him out. don't let him know he is getting to you. good luck. do NOT go up on your offer. one thing i have learned in the land game PATIENCE is as important as LOCATION.

[Matariki]

2. Put the money in a high interest bearing savings account

and be patient. If he needs the money in October, he'll come around.

emmigrantdirect pays over 5% interest and it's easy to open and transfer funds to and from your checking online.

[Matariki]

3. on the other hand -

I missed out on the house i really wanted to buy because the seller was an old fart who jerked me around. I got impatient with him and bought another place I don't like nearly as well. His place is still vacant a year later. sigh.

[Wcross]

5. I just want to buy to add on to my property.

If it sits vacant for the next 20 years without me buying it no big deal. If someone buys it and builds then big problem for my quality of life.

[Matariki]

7. Well, it doesn't sound like the guy is trying very hard

so maybe you could just tell him if he ever is serious about selling, your offer stands. You might get a better deal if you don't appear over-eager(?)

[flvegan]

4. Lazy "don't have to" sales technique

He hasn't hit 11th hour and seems indifferent to the whole thing. I recall your prior posts on this.

To be honest, if his faux survey overlaps your line, I'd take that part down. It's misrepresentation. When he DOES get a real survey done (say, if a buyer saw his taped lines and bought based on what they saw) it's going to be Japanese to the buyer, most likely. "Commence at found iron rod in center of Main St and travel North 23 deg 13 minutes 18 seconds west..." isn't going to make sense, coupled with a sketch of dirt. I'd also put up a sign at your property's edge that says "this property isn't for sale, trespassers will be shot. twice." which might keep folks off your land but might also scare off any potential buyer, thinking you're a loon.

[Wcross]

6. "thinking you're a loon." LOL!

I am a bit "different" but harmless enough. I wouldn't even think about putting up a sign that says anyone is going to be shot. I don't want to promise a gunfight I don't want to have! (but I get the point- a sign saying do not proceed)
I just wish the guy would get it over with.