The biggest problem with bargain tractors is shipping and distance. Seems the best deals are always far away. The "grass is alway greener on the other side." Another problem is competing with tractor salvage guys. They've been upping their prices and often offer more for a tractor than I will - just to cut it up.
Don't believe a good tractor can't be bought cheap. They pop up fairly often, but you have to look around. Forget Ebay - too many idiots buying stuff they know nothing about, and therefore pay more. You will rarely find a bargain there. Same with most classified ads. Usually, if someone has the incentive to pay for an ad, they are also motivated to get the best price. The exception is Craigs List. Some real bargains there - probably because it's free. Many scammers there too, so you have to watch out. Also, if you live in a farming area, or a recently "ex farming" area, knock on doors and ask when you see something of interest.
I'm in a dairy farming area of central New York. I've got over 100 tractors - but many I got cheap as trade-ins when I worked for a Deere dealer. There are still old tractors all over the place, but things are changing quickly. But, for now - almost on a weekly basis - I get a chance to buy 8Ns or Fergusons in running but beat condition for $600 - $1000. Case VACs for a little less. And, as I mentioned before - there are still quite a few IH B275s and B414s around. They offer the best bargain of them all. Live power, live hydraulics, three point hitch, differential lock, hi-low range trans. etc. All mine are diesels and the most I ever paid for one was $800. I bought one last summer with a front loader on it for $500. Best running run I have - but it needed new rear wheels and tires. I found a set of used mounted tires and wheels for a Ford and paid $200 for the set. They fit right on.
Live hydraulics makes a big difference - and for that reason alone, I don't have any N tractors. They are also too fast in 1st gear with 4 speeds and no aux. A Case VAC has live hydraulics - but no live PTO. You can live with that if you install an overrunning clutch on the PTO shaft.
This past year, I've had the experience of trying to buy a tractor in northern Michigan and/or western Wisconsin. 800 miles from where I live. I have two small farms in northern Michigan and needed equipment up there - mostly for brush hogging. The picking is scarce and asking prices are substantially higher. Supply and demand, I guess.
That being said - here is what I bought in northern Michigan in the past 6 months.
I paid the most for the Ford 641. Excellent condition and brand new tires all around. 134 gas engine, nice front loader, and it came with a brand new King Kutter brush hog, rear disc harrows, and a back blade. It is a four speed and does NOT have live PTO. Out of frustration - and since it was for sale next door to one of my properties - I paid $3800 for the whole set of equipment. Then, a week later, I come across a real nice Case VAC-14 with a HD backblade for $700. It's been stored indoors almost since new and still has the original PTO guard and hand crank. If I'd found it earlier, I'd never bought the Ford 641. Then - a week later - I came across a guy with a moving sale and a John Deere 420 crawler loader with a winch on the back. Runs perfect and the tracks were just pinned and bushed. Also came with an extra pair of tracks. I paid $2200 for it. Shortly after, I bought a real nice HD tilt-bed equipment trailer from the Presque Isle Power and Light Company. It's a Ditch Witch trailer with tandem 16" tires. I got it for $650 and used it to move all this stuff I bought.
The Ford 641 with the previous owner on it (he didn't come with the deal)
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