Keep areas around residential buildings, barns and storage areas freshly mowed, trees trimmed and weeds and bushes discarded.
Keep downed limbs picked up and reduce burn piles as much as possible.
Make sure the main gate or access is in tip-top shape, and replace or repair damaged fencing throughout the property.
Remove old equipment, trash, vehicles and miscellaneous items that have outlived their use. You want the buyer to think about enjoying the property and not about having to haul off somebody’s junk.
Make sure the property is easily accessible with easy to open locks, gates and door knobs, if applicable.
PRICE IT RIGHT. Time on the market is your enemy. Properties under contract within the first 30 days of hitting the market generally fetch the highest prices. Overpricing your property typically causes you to do price reductions to get offers. Buyers almost ALWAYS ASK HOW LONG A PROPERTY HAS BEEN ON THE MARKET. Buyers will assume there is something wrong with the property, or it’s overpriced if it’s been on the market for a while – and it usually results in low offers.
Consider tax-reduction strategies before you receive a signed contract on your property. You can defer the capital gains taxes through a 1031 Exchange into income-producing property. Also, you might consider a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) to eliminate the initial capital gains taxes and get a stream of income over several years, or the remainder of your lifetime.
Download our Ranch Selling Guide for more information.