So we just purchased a new house and get the keys the first week of June. It is a 2.6 acre lot of pretty much wide open lawn. Subtract a 1/2 acre pond. Pretty flat with a rolling swale in one area that runs towards the pond. I'm coming from a 1/2 acre with a regular rider 42" deck. I do not want to spend hours on end cutting the new place with a rider.

So, I need to get a zero turn. I use to do property management and ran some scags, gravely, diesel kubota, and a harris. I'm pretty sure I want to stick with one of the many commercial mowers compared to a low end residential unless I get overwhelming opinions that a resid. will be just fine. ..my wife is affiliated with MTD and I can get approx. 25% off one of their products :-/

Anyway, I don't have 7-10K to spend on a new one so scanning the used market, craigslist, etc. I'm trying to determine what size deck, or a minimum size, I should be considering. Opinions? Time to cut difference between say a 48" & a 61" ?

Here's the latest options within financial reason (all fairly closely priced):

2012 or 2013 Gravely 52" ZT 52HD with 24HP Kawasaki 83 hours

2015 or 2016 Scag Freedom Z 48" Briggs & Stratt 26HP 134 hours

2010 Scag Tiger Cat 61" 25HP Kohler 600 hours