Just went through this in the spring. First question is, do you have any steep hills to mow. Zero turn sucks on hills. But since you have trees, I would definitely get a zero turn over a tractor. Two lies I've seen so far and I hope I don't create any butt hurt. Zero turns hold their value like Harleys. Buying a used one that is in decent shape is almost not worth it. Especially with 0% interest which is why I bought a new one. The other thing, there is no Fucking Way Magley is mowing 3 1/2 acres in an hour on a rider. That's either a lie or he has a turbocharged jet powered lawnmower on flat ground with no trees. Don't waste your money on some piece of shit box store zero turn. If you're going to be there for a long time, spend the cash now and buy a commercial quality Mauer. Stick with the big name brands like hustler, X Mark, Ferris, John Deere, etc. You want a Kawasaki or Briggs vanguard engine and the highest cc wheel motors you can get. I prefer separate hydraulic reservoir's and separate pumps and we wheel motors over the combined units. Easier to service and replace down the road. Lastly, if you are looking at new units, ask the dealer to bring them out and test them on your property. Everyone of them is different and you want to find one that you are comfortable with before pulling the trigger. If you are looking at used units, test drive them also and get underneath them and look for anything leaking. You do not want any mower that is leaking oil or hydraulic fluid. Bonus points if they have maintenance records. 1000 hours is equivalent to 100,000 miles. And attention two hours. Don't buy any unit that was owned by a lawn care company. They won't brag that they have been well-maintained but they've also been beaten to death by Mexicans. There is lots to learn so do your homework and buy quality. There's a lot of junk zero turns out there.