Maintained Living Space

Obviously, this adds significant value to tracts of rural land. A Morton home immediately maximizes the bottom line and buyer intrigue. It’s important to know that placing a building on land that doesn’t already have one can add value and attraction to a property. That said, the condition of the home certainly has an impact on the property value.

Additional Building Structures

The existence of additional building structures is another marker of a high-value rural farm. Secondary living spaces, Morton barns, sheds, overhangs, and more, provide more utility. In turn, that provides extra value.

Moderate to Large Acreage

While having moderate to large acreage is not necessary for a property to be considered high-value, it certainly helps. More acres often translates to a higher price tag. It also means more room for new and existing structures and the ability to improve existing points of value like income acreage or habitat improvement.

“It's one thing to describe all the best parts of a property, but having the ability to drive a buyer through a property and actually show them all the great attributes with ease is so important to maximizing value,” said Brad Garrison, a Whitetail Properties Land Specialist in Indiana.

Paved-Road Access

Speaking of driving, having paved road access via county or state right of way makes the ride much smoother. Incorporating a paved driveway up to the primary residence, and other structures on site, adds value as well.

“Paved roads add a massive safety and security feature for families when they don't have to worry about a loved one being stuck in mud or adverse conditions,” Garrison said. “Paved roads also can prevent yearly maintenance from washouts and heavy rains. Repairing washed-out roads can take time and resources away from a landowner's overall enjoyment. It can be hard to enjoy a property when access is limited by poor road quality.”

Gated and Lighted Entry

Buyers and sellers alike should note that gated and lighted entry ways are major value contributors. Of course, these add far more than just dollar value. It’s peace of mind.

“The first thing many land investors do to a newly acquired property is add a gate and call the electric company for a streetlight on the closest telephone pole,” Garrison said. “The safety and security that comes along with a gate and well-lit entry point can wash away worry and provide a comforting relief to landowners and future buyers. A well-lit gated entrance gives off a positive first impression.”

Internal Road System

Once on the property, having an internal road system can add tremendous value, accessibility, and opportunity – for a multitude of reasons. According to Garrison, being able to access multiple points of your land by vehicle or UTV can increase the ability to hunt, hike, build structures, and more. It adds value and increases overall enjoyment.

“Internal road access can unlock aspects of a property that may have never been possible without easy access,” Garrison said. “A family that hunts can make the experience more enjoyable for elderly or young members by keeping the walk to the stand short and easy. Land managers can easily track their land's habitat goals by covering more area with less intrusion by making a quick loop in and out while checking on timber, crops, or vegetation.”

Element of Privacy

Don’t overlook having an element of privacy, either. This is a significant component of properties that sell for greater values.

“Picture yourself drinking coffee on your porch or branding a steer as the sun burns the sky,” said Brock W. Utecht, a Land Specialist in Missouri. “I picture wide-open spaces with no obstructions to the view and zero noise pollution. The lifestyle on a rural property is peaceful and special. It is meant to be shared with others, but not everyone.”

Good Utility Infrastructure

Properties with a good utility structure routinely outperform comparable tracts without utilities. With utilities in place, the property becomes turnkey and lacks nothing to be ready to hunt.

“It creates more buyer demand and value,” Utecht said. “Q ranch with 100 miles of water lines connecting 30 different automatic cattle drinkers. A hunting farm with a 220v 5th-wheel hookup that’s ready to go for the next owner. Many buyers are not looking for a project. They are searching for land set up that they can immediately enjoy and utilize. On the other hand, some farms have utilities that are aged out or put in poorly, and that can negatively affect the property value rather than help it.”

Elevated Soil Quality

Without question, elevated soil quality tends to be a characteristic of high-value rural properties. This leads to better agricultural results, which directly impacts how much income can be derived from the landscape.

“Better soil quality allows for more bushels [per acre], better hay production, more cow-calf pairs per acre, and more protein for whitetails,” Utecht said. “Soil quality is a major factor in property value and its performance.”

Fencing Installations

Having fence installations increases the attractiveness of a rural property as well. According to Tim Kent, a Whitetail Properties Land Specialist in New York, fences equal peace of mind and peace of mind equals value. These can be helpful in a number of ways.

“From cows, to horses, to sheep, to goats, to llamas and everything in-between, fences keep animals where they belong and away from where they don't,” Kent said. “Oftentimes, this creates opportunities to rotate pastures for grazing and overall use that enhance the land and allow for areas not to be overused or over-grazed.

“We are seeing more and more people interested in a rural lifestyle and fences help solidify the vision of how buyers can use the land,” Kent continued. “They're also good at keeping neighbors out and aware of the bounds of a property, which in most areas, is a big help. It's hard to debate a fence that bounds a property with a good survey and a good legal description, especially when it's properly installed and well-maintained.”

Diverse Topographic Features

Next up, although often overlooked, a diverse set of topographic features can improve the value of a rural property, too. Kent says that having diverse topographic features enhances the value of a property in a number of ways.

“Views are major value drivers and one of the things that many buyers are looking for, especially if they're coupled with a potential building location,” Kent said. “Diverse topography can also lead to high or low areas that are more level, which in many areas of the country, are where you can find tillable or buildable acreage which has the potential to increase highest and best use. By contrast, a steep hillside without access will decrease the value per acre given the limited potential uses. Topography can also create opportunities for water features like streams, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, or ponds, which are highly desirable features for most buyers.”

Recreational Opportunities

Recreational opportunities tend to be a characteristic of top-selling tracts, too. There are many different contributors to high-value properties, but much depends on the highest and best use of the property.

“In many instances, recreation is one of the lower forms of highest and best use of a property, especially when compared to transitional land, development and commercial land, tillable acreage, etc.,” Kent said. “However, if the recreational opportunities have been enhanced, such as a trail system for ATVs, food plots for hunting, fishing access, or habitat improvements for wildlife, this can raise the value considerably, especially if it creates a turn-key opportunity where buyers can buy the land today and maximize enjoyment because of recreational improvements already made.”

Room to Expand

Having additional room to expand can increase the attractiveness of a rural property. According to Scott Hicks, a Land Specialist and Broker for Whitetail Properties in North Carolina, this is a primary point of value. “The more acres the property has, the buyer sees more opportunity to grow and to make it their own,” he noted.

Scenic Views

Having scenic views improves the value of a rural property as well. “A property with views typically adds roughly 20-30% depending on the view, water, mountains, lakes, ponds etc.” Hicks said. “It adds tremendous value. In our territory, lakes and ponds can value at tens of thousands of dollars per acre.”

Mature Timber

Oftentimes, buyers and sellers alike assume mature timber correlates with higher land prices. Usually, that’s true, but don’t automatically assume the timber market is doing well. Sometimes, it isn’t. However, for most regions, it’s virtually always a characteristic of high-value rural properties.

“In our area, at the moment, timber is not doing as well,” Hicks said. “Timber is monopolized. That said, land will always sell higher with the timber because buyers do not like cutovers or clear-cuts. Properties are ‘ugly’ to buyers when the timber is cut, but beautiful when the timber is there. We tell buyers all the time, the sale of the timber will never be more than the price of the land with the timber. So, depending on a buyer's specific goals, we often advise to leave the timber.”

Water Features

Existence of water features on the property can boost land value as well. Jerrod Meyer, a broker and Land Specialist in Colorado, says water is king.

“Whether it be a surface water right, existing domestic water well, or natural live water, all can increase the value and attractiveness of a property,” Meyer said. “As a lot of the landowners here in Colorado aren't local, they prefer to have beautiful scenery for their weekend getaway, hunting land, short-term rental property, etc. Springs, creeks, streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes are all in high demand, as they provide visual attractiveness, as well as attraction for wildlife. A hunting property can increase in value significantly with year-round live water, providing a sanctuary and reason for wildlife of all kinds to frequent the area.”

Add-On, Leave-Behind Items

In some instances, having add-on, leave-behind items elevates value, too. Examples can include John Deere tractors, hunting equipment, etc. Don’t automatically assume this, though.

“Leave-behind items can sometimes muddy the water (in terms of personal property conveyance),” Meyer said. “They can also add attractiveness and convenience for a buyer. For example, a tractor, bailer, hay rake, etc. could really be convenient to a potential buyer for a hay property. This could allow them to step right in and continue the hay harvest without having to invest in expensive equipment.

“As far as hunting, Banks blinds, cameras, treestands, food plot equipment, etc. can often increase the attractiveness similarly,” Meyer continued. “It's essentially a turnkey property that a new buyer can step right in and hunt without having to get all of these things set up.”

A Unique Appeal

One of the rarest, but best characteristics of land includes unique appeal. That’s even truer for properties with elements that most other lands can't offer. This tends to be a characteristic of high-value rural properties.

“For example, I have a nice 2,000-acre ranch that will be coming to market in a couple of years,” Meyer said. “The ranch itself is a very nice piece, but the location in relation to two very large, popular hunting ranches will drive up the value. Knowing that this ranch is adjacent to two large ranches known for large elk, deer, bear, etc., will make it a no-brainer for a buyer looking for a great hunting opportunity with a lower acreage property. This is a determining factor in the end value, as we can justify an above-market price considering its location.”

Make Your Move

It’s nothing but good news if you own a property with some of the land features noted above. If you anticipate selling, rest easy knowing it could bring a premium price on the market. Make your move now and contact Whitetail Properties today.