If you are mowing 5 or 6 acres and the grades are not too steep, you can purchase a good residential ztr mower for 3,000 or less. I mow 8 acres with a Swisher ztr, and have no complaints. It cut my mowing time in half over using a lawn tractor. It really does well going around my orchard trees. There are many out there for that kind of money, and it is close to a lawn tractor in price.