What rule of thumb did a Colorado realtor give about how much to pay per cow-calf pair when buying a ranch?
A Colorado realtor advised buying a ranch at roughly $1,000 for every cow-calf pair intended to run, saying that rate gives a good chance of making it. By contrast, paying $2,000 per cow-calf pair means the buyer is beaten before starting.
Les explains that when he and Iris thought about making one more move and having a ranch in Colorado, they stopped a realtor who gave them rules of thumb. The realtor said that if you can buy a ranch at $1,000 for every cow-calf pair you intend to run, you have a good chance of making it; if you spend $2,000 for every cow-calf pair, you're beaten before you start. Les then applies this rule-of-thumb principle to marriage and other partnerships: people can be beaten before they start when they are unequally yoked, and it doesn't stop with marriage but can apply in business or anywhere people must work for a common cause.