There were over 1,870 properties listed as sold through the Lands of America Comparable Sales Program in January 2018, totaling $608 million and 143,000 acres of sold land and rural real estate across 46 states. This represents a 11 percent increase in sales activity over December 2017.
The January 3 sale of the 6,830-acre Sunrise Ranch in West Texas was the month’s biggest land sale. Brokered by King Land & Water, the ranch is located within a sky island region of the Chihuahuan Desert, with elevations ranging from 5,200 feet to 6,575 feet.
The $17.7 million sale of 273 mixed-use development acres in Hillsborough County on the southern outskirts of Tampa was the month’s most expensive land sale. ALC-accredited broker Bill Eshenbaugh of Tampa-based Eshenbaugh Land Company brokered the deal. The sale date was January 10.
Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri saw the most land sales during the month. The Texas counties of Henderson, Lamar and Leon registered the most individual sales. Texas, Florida and California registered the most sales in terms of overall sales price by state.
Over $71 billion of new land for sale was listed across the Land.com Network throughout the month, representing rural real estate for sale in over 2,800 counties across the country. Below are some notable new listings on the market as of January.
Largest new land listing
Set high in the fortress-like Diablo Mountains of far-West Texas, the epic 32,000-acre Circle Ranch has had only three owners since Obadiah Bounds pioneered the ranch in 1879. Bounds established the O brand, hence the ranch’s name. Circle Ranch covers Hudspeth and Culberson counties, just 11 miles northwest of Van Horn (which boasts a jet-accessible runway, among other amenities).
Read more: 10 Biggest Ranches for Sale in America
Most expensive new land listing
A 25-acre Mediterranean-style estate adorning the hills overlooking Beverly Hills and L.A., you can bet this $129 million stunner will sell to some A-list celebrity or Hollywood bigwig. For the rest of us? Well, we can just ogle the manicured gardens, epic views and luxurious amenities—and get a voyeuristic glimpse at the lifestyle of the rich and famous.
Read more: 10 Most Expensive Ranches for Sale in America
Counties with most new land for sale
Below are the five counties with the most new land listed for sale in January 2018:
- Maricopa County, Arizona | Comprising the booming Phoenix metropolitan area, Maricopa County is the fastest growing county in the country in terms of population growth.
- Lee County, Florida | Southwest Florida’s Lee County is centered around the world-class beaches and attractions of the Fort Myers-Sanibel area.
- Mohave County, Arizona | Mohave County occupies a massive swath of northwestern Arizona that includes a portion of Lake Mead National Recreation Area and the stunningly beautiful and rugged Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument (neighbor to Grand Canyon National Park). Of course, Mohave’s other notable neighbor across the Nevada line is the nearby gleaming city of sin, Las Vegas.
- Yavapai County, Arizona | Incorporating both the Prescott metro area and the western half of Sedona, Yavapai County regularly features among the top three counties in the country with the most new land listings for sale on the Land.com Network. With land here being relatively cheap and plentiful, the county is a popular spot for land buyers looking for recreational and residential real estate in the Sun Belt, not to mention land for future property development.
- Fairfield County, Connecticut | An affluent area to the southwest of New Haven, Fairfield County is home to some of the ritziest zip codes in the nation. This is the domain of hedge-fund managers and investment brokers who spend their days making the big bucks on Wall Street.
Most searched counties
Below are the ten most searched counties on Lands of America in January 2018:
- Edwards County, Texas
- Burnet County, Texas
- Kerr County, Texas
- Gillespie County, Texas
- Bandera County, Texas
- Parker County, Texas
- Williamson County, Texas (+1)
- Henderson County, Texas (+1)
- Blanco County, Texas (NEW)
- Kendall County, Texas
Below are the ten most searched non-Texas counties on Lands of America in January 2018:
- Marion County, Florida
- Apache County, Arizona
- Klamath County, Oregon
- Las Animas County, Colorado
- Latimer County, Oklahoma
- Pushmataha County, Oklahoma
- Le Flore County, Oklahoma
- Huerfano County, Colorado
- Cochise County, Arizona
- Yavapai County, Arizona
Top-performing land brokers
Based on brokers participating in the Lands of America Comparable Sales Program, below are our Brokers of the Week for land sales completed during the month. Congratulations to these individuals!
- January 4 – Pat Chohon of Waldo Realty Sells 5,900-Acre Ranch in Nebraska Sandhills Region
- January 11 – Chance Bernall Sells 3,158-Deeded-Acre Farm in Beaverhead County, Montana
- January 18 – Nebraska Land & Cattle Agency Sells 2,297 Acres in Nebraska’s Sandhills Region
- January 25 – United Country Stevenson Realty & Auction Services Sell Northern California Cattle Ranch
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.