"Hello, distinguished gentlemen. My name is Robbins-Garcia. I am temporarily managing this estate." Seeing Jiang Hai and Will Anthony get out of the car, the middle-aged man greeted them with a slightly forced smile.
"Hello, my name is Jiang Hai, but you can call me Jiang." He shook hands with the middle-aged man. The handshake revealed strong hands covered in calluses, suggesting that this man was accustomed to physical labor.
"Hello, Mr. Jiang. I understand your intention. Please, follow me!" Upon realizing that Jiang Hai was Chinese, Robbins-Garcia spoke slowly in English. Although Jiang Hai had little opportunity to use English before, he had learned it in college to pass the Level 4 exam. While he still struggled with some expressions, his studies and practice during the past month in the capital helped, and he could understand most things when spoken slowly.
This was also why Will Anthony hadn't rushed to translate for Jiang Hai.
"Okay," Jiang Hai replied, nodding. He and Will Anthony followed Robbins-Garcia into the manor. In Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia, land is also measured in "mu," but here they use acres. One acre is approximately six mu. Land prices differ by location, and in areas like Texas and Montana, an acre might cost only $1,000 to $2,000. In places like New Mexico, prices can be as low as $500 to $550 per acre.
However, in the Eastern United States, especially in Massachusetts, land is far more expensive. For instance, in Winthrop County near Boston, the average price is $12,700 per acre. With this amount, one could buy six acres of land in Montana, but here, it would barely cover one acre.
Jiang Hai's new estate spans 11,200 acres, including 9,200 acres of grazing land and one acre of woodland, with trees over ten years old. He could cut them down whenever he wanted, though he'd forfeit insurance against natural disasters like blizzards or typhoons without them. There's also a massive 1,000-acre vineyard behind the residential area, although it hasn't been tended to in years.
The land alone is worth $142.24 million, making it the largest estate in the area. The previous owner, a major shareholder of Lehman Brothers, faced significant financial losses after the subprime mortgage crisis and was forced to sell the property. Now, Phillips is trying to sell it to Jiang Hai for $280 million—a much higher price than the $150 million they paid.
This estate is massive, covering 11,200 acres and a sea area of 720 square kilometers. The coastal boundary alone spans 4.2 kilometers, and the economic fishing ground stretches 92 nautical miles into the ocean. If Jiang Hai accepts, the whole area will be his.
"The land here is excellent," Robbins-Garcia explained, clearly proud of the estate. "Vegetation and pastures grow very well, and there are three nearby water sources. Besides the Atlantic Ocean, we have Short Bay and Lewis Lake, with abundant groundwater. The previous owner even installed four irrigation systems, so water shortages are never an issue."
Robbins-Garcia led them to three all-terrain vehicles, ideal for navigating the vast ranch. Jiang Hai had driven before, but never such a vehicle, and was a little nervous. Fortunately, Robbins helped him ride it.
As they sped across the grasslands, Robbins continued, explaining more about the ranch. "For most ranches, moving pastures is a challenge during the season, but we don't need to worry about that here. We can raise up to 200,000 cows, but with a lower number, say 50,000, we don't even need to worry about fodder. The grass here is always abundant."
"Before 2008, the beef alone generated a net profit of $11 million, and that was only partial production. If it were fully utilized, the earnings would be at least three times that. The wine from our 1,000-acre vineyard has even won international awards. We could easily sell a bottle for tens of dollars, and annually, we could make hundreds of thousands of bottles—worth millions."
They then passed through the vineyards, which had aged racks but no crops now. Afterward, they arrived at the forest area, which was also valuable, though Robbins didn't elaborate too much on it.
"The big business here is the fishery," Robbins added. "Before 2008, there was a 100-ton fishing boat here, and I heard it brought in over $20 million a year. Fishing hasn't been active for seven years, but there should be plenty of underwater resources left."
They reached the beach, where the smell of fish filled the air. Robbins took a deep breath and turned to Jiang Hai. "Sir, I know others have probably told you this, but I want to emphasize just how good this place is. The grassland is top-notch, the water quality is excellent, and we're just over an hour's drive from Boston. It's only a three-hour drive to New York City, and the air quality here is among the best in the United States. Unlike Montana, where the air is sweet but filled with the smell of cattle, here the air is pure."
Jiang Hai was indeed impressed, though he hesitated. The price was steep—$280 million. With $332 million available, he'd have only $50 million left if he made the purchase. He was apprehensive about spending so much. As he pondered, he felt a familiar warmth in his chest. Glancing down, he nodded quietly.
"Yes, I'll take it."