December 2016 saw a total of 1,938 properties listed as sold though our Comparable Sales Program, a 47 percent increase from the previous month. This data represents a total of $591 million and 135,260 acres of sold rural land and real estate. The most expensive sold property was Colorado’s 587-acre Vista Verde Guest Ranch (pictured above), which sold for $17 million on December 14, 2016, after two years on the market. The largest sold acreage was the spectacular 4,282-acre St. Clair Ranch in Oregon’s Grant County, which sold on December 30 after 87 days on the market.
Closed sales were on average 4 percent lower than original seller asking prices. The average selling price increased 7 percent month-over-month nationwide, while the average size of sold properties decreased month-over-month by over 60 percent to 71 acres.
A total of 4,793 new listings were added on Lands of America throughout the month, representing a total of $2.7 billion in new rural real estate for sale. Below are some of the notable new additions.
Most Expensive New Listing
McDOWELL COUNTY | NORTH CAROLINA | $83,000,000 | 8,300 ACRES | PROPERTY ID: 3634366
This Blue Ridge Mountains acreage hit the market on December 1, 2016, and is the largest and last remaining private land holding in the southwestern mountains of North Carolina. The 8,300-acre tract is notable for the sweeping views from a series of towering cliffs that look out over Pisgah National Forest and toward Mount Mitchell, the state’s highest peak. The thickly forested property is laced with creeks and trails and offers potential for future recreational development as well as timberland use. Another advantage of this unique acreage is its proximity to the four-season town of Asheville, a popular tourist destination that offers many attractions and amenities.
Largest New Listing
BIG HORN COUNTY | WYOMING | $3,695,000 | 55,000 ACRES | PROPERTY ID: 3658718
With a rich cattle ranching history, Bear Creek Ranch is a unique legacy property located along the western slope of the Big Horn Mountains in Big Horn County, Wyoming. Stretching from the base of the mountains to the Big Horn River, Bear Creek Ranch is comprised of approximately 55,000 acres. The core of the ranch includes 2,725 deeded acres surrounded by over 43,500 acres of BLM grazing lease, 2,886 acres of state lease and 3,664 acres of private grazing. Ranging from 4,000 to 8,000 feet in elevation, the ranch’s irrigated pastures, open range lands, creeks, springs and canyons are home to an abundance of Rocky Mountains wildlife.
Counties With Most New Land for Sale
- Maury County, Tennessee (46 new listings) — Maury County is located south of Nashville. It ranks 16th in the state in terms of the size of its population.
- Brevard County, Florida (43 new listings) — Brevard County is the Sunshine State’s tenth most populated county, located along the Atlantic Coast due east from Orlando.
- Marion County, Florida (38 new listings) — Marion County is an area of rolling hills and inland lakes located in north-central Florida.
- Cherokee County, Texas (33 new listings) — Cherokee County lies to the southeast of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, with a mix of agricultural land and recreational property.
- Henderson County, Texas (32 new listings) — Henderson is another county in the exurbs of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area.
Most Searched Counties
Below are the ten most searched counties on Lands of America during the month:
- Edwards County, Texas
- Kerr County, Texas (+1)
- Gillespie County, Texas (+1)
- Bandera County, Texas (-2)
- Burnet County, Texas
- Parker County, Texas (+1)
- Williamson County, Texas (+1)
- Uvalde County, Texas (+1)
- McLennan County, Texas (NEW)
- Kimble County, Texas (NEW)
Below are the ten most searched non-Texas counties on Lands of America in December 2016:
- Marion County, Florida
- Klamath County, Oregon
- Kenai Peninsula County, Alaska
- Pushmataha County, Oklahoma
- Rio Arriba County, New Mexico
- Texas County, Missouri
- Cochise County, Arizona
- Hampshire County, West Virginia
- Huerfano County, Colorado
- Jackson County, Oregon
Land buyers can access our comprehensive database of historic sales information by purchasing a LandInsights account ($199/year), while platinum and basic sellers receive complimentary access through the Lands of America Property Control Center.