When Is the Best Time To Sell My property?

We are all about the seasons and seasons affect our lives and activities. So what is the best season to sell your LAND?

If you are selling a house, you probably want it ready to show in the spring. The flowers are in bloom, pools look inviting, the grass is green and lush and the kids are easy to move while school is out.

What about LAND? Well that depends on the type LAND. Land breaks down into categories: agricultural (row crops and ranches), timberland, development, recreational etc. The type LAND you are selling will dictate the best time to sell.

AGRICULTURAL –  Typically these properties should be on the market when crops are growing. These properties should be shown in the spring and summer.

TIMBERLAND – It gets nasty hot and humid here in the deep south and honestly folks just don’t like walking around in the woods looking at property. Cool weather brings folks out and the activity picks up. These type properties show best in the fall and winter.

RECREATIONAL – Recreational activity sort of mirrors timberland. The hunting season generally starts in the fall and goes into the winter. These properties show best in the fall, the food plots are green, the weather is great and the buyer envisions himself shooting that big buck. Waterfowl properties should be shown when ponds are full and there are plenty of ducks.

Following is a chart of land sales by quarter provided by a Farm Credit Bank.

What you see bears out quantitatively the above on timber and recreation properties. The buyers start looking in the fall and winter and these properties sell and close in the 1^st and 2^nd quarters of the following year.

There are other thing just as important when selling your land and they are price and appearance.

There are other factors you should consider when selling....

Appearance - I have had folks clear-cut their timber then ask me to try and sell their land. It looked like a nuclear bomb went off…..DON’T DO IT. It is all about the curb appeal. If your property does not look nice, it probably won’t get looked at. Mowing roads and a nice gated entrance go a long way!

Price - Last and maybe most important is the PRICE. If you are using a highly qualified ‘land broker’ then the advertising and marketing is being taken care of. There are some premium websites to advertise property. If your property is not selling, then you have it priced too high.

In summary, pick the best season to sell your type property, pick a highly qualified "land broker" and price it correctly. If your property is on the market for over 9 months, you have it priced too high!!

To see my listings visit AllSouthLandandHomes.com Buying and Selling LAND? Contact G. Kent Morris, ALC, RF @ 706.457.0090