Seller's guide
Selling agricultural real estate — the steps that matter.
A working playbook for sellers of farms, ranches, orchards, vineyards, dairies, and timberland. Distilled from the deals our brokers actually close. Not a substitute for talking to a broker, accountant, and attorney — but a head start.
- 01
Decide what you're actually selling
Land only? Land + operating entity? Specific parcels carved out? The structure shapes everything downstream — pricing, buyer pool, tax outcome. Talk to your accountant and your broker before you list.
- 02
Get a real ag valuation
Most online estimators are wrong by 20%+ for ag property. A broker who knows your commodity will look at recent closed comps, water tier, soil, age of plantings, and current contracts. Free if you list with them, yours to keep if you don't.
- 03
Assemble the diligence packet
Title insurance / preliminary report, water-rights documentation (district records, well logs, recent water-quality tests), soil maps, recent yield reports, equipment list, lease agreements, CRP enrollment, FSA records.
- 04
Stage the property visually
Aerial photos in season (post-bloom for orchards, post-canopy for vineyards, late-summer for row crop). Drone footage of water infrastructure. Walk-arounds of any residence or outbuildings. Bad photos cost real money — buyers self-select out before they read.
- 05
Price it correctly the first time
Overpricing is the most expensive mistake in ag real estate. Listings that sit 6+ months get stigmatized and ultimately sell below market. Trust your broker's comp work. If you must test a high number, set a clear timeline to reduce.
- 06
Decide your marketing footprint
Off-market (network only, faster, narrower buyer pool) vs. public listing on platforms like Aguisitions (wider exposure, more inquiries, slower start). Both have a place — your broker should walk you through the tradeoff.
- 07
Manage the buyer process
Qualify inquiries early — proof of funds or lender pre-approval. Property tours by appointment. NDAs for sensitive financials. Multiple-offer scenarios for desirable assets. Don't let a slow buyer block faster ones.
- 08
Navigate diligence
Buyers will request environmental Phase I, water-rights review, soil testing, sometimes a yield audit. Anticipate the questions — your broker can flag risk areas and propose remediation before they become deal-killers.
- 09
Close
Title escrow, prorations, transfer of water and mineral rights, transfer of equipment / inventory if included, FSA paperwork, 1031 timing (if exchanging). The closing attorney and title officer do most of this — your broker manages the timeline.
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