This Sounds Too Good To Be True

Summary

Episode Overview

Episode Title: This Sounds Too Good To Be True
Podcast: The Ramsey Show Highlights
Date: June 29, 2026
Hosts & Experts Featured: Dave Ramsey (Financial Expert), Co-host(s), Financial Advisor
Main Theme:
A caller contemplates a “once in a lifetime” offer to move to a rural property rent-free to expand her horse training business—a scenario that seems almost “too good to be true.” The hosts analyze the financial, personal, and long-term implications, questioning the wisdom and risks behind chasing a dream that may rest on fragile foundations.

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Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. The Opportunity: Lease a 1500-Acre Ranch for Free

• Caller Background: The caller and her husband both have strong incomes in the construction industry. She earns ~$75,000 plus $50,000/year from her horse business. Her husband makes ~$110,000.
• The Offer: A wealthy family friend is giving them a $0/month lease on a 1500-acre property in rural Eastern Oregon so they can build their dream horse ranch.
• Challenge: Taking the offer would require moving 5 hours away from family, leaving stable jobs, and jumping into a radically different lifestyle.
• [00:06] Caller: “It’s kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity...to basically at a $0 a month lease this property...to build my horse training business and kind of start a ranching dream that we've had.”

2. Financial Realities of the Move

• Income Losses: The husband’s income would likely drop from $110,000 to around $70,000. The caller expects to sustain or grow her horse income, possibly supplementing with remote work.
• Home Ownership: They currently own a home with $100,000 equity, mortgage balance of $410,000.
• [01:46] Co-host: “How rural is this area?” Caller: “The town is about 140 people. So it's very rural.”
• [03:34] Caller: “About 70 I have [would lose].”
• [03:36] Financial Expert: “So it's 110, $120,000 shift initially...”

3. Ownership vs. Renting & Long-Term Security

• No Ownership: They would not own the property and would be at the mercy of the friend’s intentions and, eventually, her children’s will.
• Alternative: The financial expert suggests selling their current home and buying a ranch instead—retaining ownership and security.
• [04:48] Financial Expert: “But it's not yours. It's not going to be yours, Correct?”
• [05:25] Financial Expert: “If you took 100 and went and bought a $500,000 ranch in some area that sounded like this…do this deal, but own it.”

4. Trust, Uncertainty, and the “Weirdness Factor”

• Family Friend’s Promises: The friend says the lease could last “infinitely” and that she’ll put it in her will to prevent her children from selling until the caller is ready to leave.
• Expert Skepticism: Hosts express strong unease with building a future on such an unusual arrangement and the possibility of sudden change.
• [06:17] Caller: “She basically has told us infinite...she will put it in her will that the kids cannot sell the home until we decide we’re done with the property.”
• [06:32] Financial Expert: “You understand? That's weird.”
• [06:38] Financial Expert: “I'm now spooked. Yeah.”

5. Romanticism vs. Practicality

• Temptation of the Dream: Everyone recognizes the romantic, “Yellowstone-esque” allure of 1500 acres and the ranching life.
• Practical Cautions: Without property ownership or financial security, the experts warn the fantasy could quickly turn sour.
• [07:26] Financial Expert: “The romance of it I’ve kind of caught on to...are we all Yellowstone junkies?”
• [07:45] Financial Advisor: “I don’t like the business aspect of it.”

6. Advice & Takeaways

• Set a 5-Year Limit: The only way the experts advocate taking the deal is with a strict, self-imposed time cap (5 years). After that, they should either own their own place or leave.
• Soul-Searching: The caller and her husband are encouraged to deeply reflect on whether their “dream” justifies the risks.
• [07:50] Financial Expert: “The only way I would tell you to do this is if you pledge to yourself at the end of five years that you have your own place or you leave, period.”
• Exit Strategy: If the dream sours, they should be ready to return to their current lifestyle.
• [08:14] Financial Expert: “You can return to construction and you can return to the life you have now fairly easily, plus or minus your current job.”

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• [06:32] Financial Expert: “You understand? That's weird.”
• [07:45] Financial Advisor: “I don’t like the business aspect of it.”
• [08:59] Financial Advisor: “Because you called and asked. And I really like talking to you.”
• [09:03] Financial Expert: “For somebody doing a whole thing based on romance.”
• [09:06] Financial Advisor: “And this is a very romantic story.”
• [09:18] Financial Expert: “And so that’s sweet, but it’s weird.”

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Important Timestamps

• 00:06 – Caller explains the $0 lease and the dream
• 01:39 – Impact on current income from moving
• 02:48 – Details on the rural location and job prospects for husband
• 04:22 – Caller confirms they currently own a home
• 05:25 – 05:47 – Discussion on home equity and possibility of buying their own ranch
• 06:17 – 06:38 – Red flags about the “infinite” lease arrangement
• 07:50 – 08:05 – Financial Expert’s conditional approval: set a 5-year limit
• 08:29 – Advice on returning if things don’t work out
• 09:18 – Closing thoughts on the “sweet but weird” nature of the offer

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Final Guidance

• Proceed Only If:

  • You set a strict 5-year cap and exit or buy your own property after.
  • You and your husband are united and certain this risk serves your deepest goals—not just a passing dream.
  • You accept the fundamental instability and have an exit plan.

• Core Takeaway:
  “This is a very romantic story...but it’s weird.” Don't gamble your long-term security and autonomy on someone else’s property, no matter how generous it may seem.

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For listeners:
If you’re ever presented with an opportunity that seems “too good to be true,” balance the romance with reality—aim for a dream you can own, not just one you’re allowed to borrow.

Transcript

[Financial Advisor]

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[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

My husband and I have been given kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity. We have a family friend that is fairly well to do. Her and her husband own about five homes throughout the state, one of which is far over in eastern Oregon. And they are getting older and have offered for us to. To basically at a $0 a month lease this property from them to allow us to essentially build my horse training business and kind of start a ranching dream that we've had. We. Our hiccup is we both have extremely good jobs where we're at, all of our family is here, so on so forth and that is just a big leap. So we're not sure if we should do it.

[Financial Expert]

What are your. What do you guys make at your extremely good job?

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

So we both are in the construction industry. He makes about 110,000 a year. I make 75 and then I train horses on the side and make about 50,000 from that.

[Financial Expert]

Of course you would lose all of that clientele because you're moving far away.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

Not necessarily so my business is based on developing young horses and then selling them. So I don't necessarily have like a monthly clientele sell per se.

[Financial Advisor]

It's more of also where you train

[Financial Expert]

the horses that you sell. Doesn't matter. So you wouldn't, you wouldn't lose the 50.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

Correct. And I mean the idea would be to substantially grow that I understand.

[Financial Expert]

But I mean you would not lose the 50. You know we, we know at least you can do that.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

Yes sir.

[Financial Expert]

If everything. Well, unless something really bad goes wrong. Okay. And

[Financial Advisor]

so how rural is this area?

[Financial Expert]

Why can your husband not work?

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

So he can. And that would be the idea over there. The town is about 140 people. So it's very rural. I guess it just wouldn't be what he sits at now. From what we've researched probably about 70 or 80,000 is what he would make a year

[Financial Expert]

out of 140 people.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

The county as has some like management positions that are opening that I think he would be a very big benefit to them. He's a foreman for a construction company now. So I think he probably he has some skills that would definitely be of interest. I would say I am 30 and he is 31.

[Financial Expert]

How far away is this place from where you are now?

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

About five hours.

[Financial Expert]

How many kids do you have?

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

None.

[Financial Expert]

Alright. And so we would be moving from 110 on him down to 70 and we'd be moving your income that you're Losing is you're keeping the 50 on the horse. What's the income you're losing?

[Financial Advisor]

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[Co-host]

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[Financial Expert]

You're keeping the 50 on the horse. What's the income you're losing?

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

About 70 I have.

[Financial Expert]

So it's 110, $120,000 shift initially. Assuming you don't. Assuming you don't. That's if he gets a $70,000 job and you can retain your 50 on the horses without any, without any increase. Yeah, I got you.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

And I have thought about grabbing something remote while I build the horse thing up more and more. Maybe getting something part time to remote to kind of help that gap be smaller.

[Financial Expert]

Yeah, or like full time.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

Yeah, or full time.

[Co-host]

And these people will let you use this land and house for free is what you're saying?

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

Yeah. So they don't get over there very much and it's obviously hard to maintain a property that's also five hours away from them. They've just held onto it because they like visiting there twice a year essentially.

[Financial Expert]

Do you own a home?

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

Yes, sir, we do. We have right. At about a hundred thousand dollars in equity in that. And I do currently run the horse business out of that. Like it's not something that I have to move to do that. I run it out of my house now. This is just, I mean it's 1500 acres and.

[Financial Expert]

But it's not yours. It's not going to be yours, Correct?

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

Yes.

[Co-host]

That's my fear is long term. You don't own this and it could shift hands.

[Financial Expert]

So. So 10 years from to now, from now, what does winning look like? You don't own any real estate. He's still working a county job. And you've grown a horse business. Yes, that's what winning looks like 10 years from now.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

I think the idea would be potentially to grow the business and I guess buy a place of our own. The expenses there would be essentially next to nothing. You know, I guess it would just be utilities and the money.

[Financial Expert]

So what's the mortgage on your house today?

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

The map balance 410.

[Financial Expert]

Okay. And so if you took 100 and went and bought a $500,000 ranch in some area that sounded like this, you could keep about the same mortgage amount and be on a ranch, do this deal and do this deal, but own it.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

Yeah. And that's. I mean, like, that's kind of been. Our plan was to just stay where we are and, you know, obviously work to make that dream come true. They have just offered this to us and.

[Financial Expert]

Yeah, that's what. I'm not. I'm not.

[Financial Advisor]

I'm just not sure it's a blessing.

[Financial Expert]

I was trying to figure out if it is.

[Co-host]

It lowers your expenses, but it moves you away from ownership long term.

[Financial Expert]

Yeah. And you're, You're.

[Co-host]

And also.

[Financial Expert]

And you're, you know, everything's dependent upon. How long will they. How long a lease will they give you for a dollar a year?

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

She basically has told us infinite bull crap. She. She went as far as telling me that she will put it in her will that the kids cannot sell the home until we decide we're done with the property.

[Financial Expert]

You understand? That's weird.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

It is very weird and like, so strange.

[Financial Expert]

I'm now spooked. Yeah.

[Financial Advisor]

This is weird that they wouldn't give

[Co-host]

it to their kids.

[Financial Expert]

Yeah.

[Co-host]

As long as you guys are alive.

[Financial Advisor]

Essentially, our friend that raises horses gets

[Financial Expert]

priority over our entire family with our 1500 acres.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

Nah, I think where she comes from is. That is her kids are very well to do and they're.

[Financial Expert]

I know, but my kids are well today. But I'm not doing that for you.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

Okay.

[Co-host]

Dave's not giving me.

[Financial Expert]

George, you can't live there for free. I don't care. George, shut up.

[Co-host]

But I love horses, Dave.

[Financial Expert]

I know. Well, you're known for your horse love.

[Co-host]

I'm just glad I met someone who's in the business of selling horses. Makes me feel better.

[Financial Expert]

Oh, wow. Yeah.

[Financial Advisor]

Her job is to do what you

[Financial Expert]

tell people to do. Who knew Made a career out of it? Okay.

[Financial Advisor]

I

[Financial Expert]

don't know. I gotta admit, the romance of it I've kind of caught on to. Okay. Because 1500 acres, you know, are we all Yellowstone junkies? Is that our problem? But yeah. Anyway, the.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

And it's like. It's not.

[Financial Advisor]

I don't like the business aspect of it.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

Okay.

[Financial Expert]

The only way I would tell you to do this is if you pledge to yourself at the end of five years that you have your own place or you leave, period.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

Okay.

[Financial Expert]

We're not going to stay here longer than five years.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

Okay.

[Co-host]

Would they sell it to you.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

Yeah, but the.

[Financial Expert]

Yeah, but they can't afford it.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

I mean, she put it at 2.8 million.

[Co-host]

Perfect.

[Financial Expert]

Okay. So number one, I would put a time limit on it. And you can return to construction and you can return to the life you have now fairly easily, plus or minus your current job. Okay.

[Caller (Horse Trainer)]

Yeah. And I was.

[Financial Advisor]

If this thing all blows up and

[Financial Expert]

isn't fun and you hate living out in the middle of nowhere, after all, I took a call from a lady yesterday who said, we bought our. We bought our dream home with a bunch of acreage and we hate it. What do we do now? And I'm like, well, you sell it and you move back to the city. Done. And so you know the green acres. But the. Yeah. Wow. Anyway,

[Financial Advisor]

the other thing that's bothering me, I'm just gonna get it all out.

[Financial Expert]

Okay.

[Financial Advisor]

Because you called and ask. And I really like talking to you.

[Financial Expert]

Thank you.

[Financial Advisor]

Because you really have a level head

[Financial Expert]

for somebody doing a whole thing based on romance.

[Financial Advisor]

And this is a very romantic story.

[Financial Expert]

It's a very cool, very cool story. I mean, the people that are infinitely generous, that are infinitely wealthy, and their children don't even care.

[Financial Advisor]

I mean, this is strange.

[Financial Expert]

And so that's sweet, but it's weird.

[Financial Advisor]

And so, yeah, I'd put a five

[Financial Expert]

year limit on it, number one.

[Financial Advisor]

Number two, I want you and your husband to do some prayerful soul searching because this entire adventure is based on your desire to run a horse business, Nothing else that's 100% the driver of this. And is that really what you want

[Financial Expert]

to be the driver of your whole life?

[Financial Advisor]

Because nothing else. We're doing everything else in this story to serve that one thing, and that's bothersome. Create your free every dollar budget today. The simplest way to budget for your life.