Blogs by Daran Becker

Discover how rural building sites are valued, why specialized improvements may not add worth, and how appraisals determine the highest and best use.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has changed the future of renewable energy projects. See how shortened tax credit deadlines and rising power prices impact lease negotiations, and why farmland owners may see growing demand for battery storage.

As solar energy expands across rural America, landowners are increasingly receiving enticing offers to lease their land for solar development.

The value of agricultural land is influenced by several factors, from soil quality to market demand. Whether you’re buying, selling, or appraising farmland, understanding these elements can help you make informed decisions. In this blog, we’ll explore the most critical factors affecting farmland prices and how they impact land valuation.

Timberland as an investment strategy offers a unique combination of long-term value, inflation resistance, and income generation. Unlike stocks or bonds, timberland provides returns through biological tree growth, land appreciation, and timber sales, making it an attractive option for diversification. Challenges include market volatility, environmental risks, and liquidity issues, requiring strategic investment planning.

In the highly competitive real estate market, first impressions matter. With more buyers and investors turning to online platforms to discover properties, the visual presentation of a listing can make all the difference. High-quality imagery, mapping, and videography are no longer optional add-ons but essential tools for attracting potential buyers. These tools provide a deeper understanding of the property, build emotional connections, and ultimately drive faster and higher-value sales. Let’s explore how these elements work together to elevate real estate listings, especially when dealing with properties like farmland, large estates, or development tracts.

Farmland can be a difficult asset class to participate in as there are significant barriers to entry, one of which is sourcing quality farmland for sale in a highly dynamic market. For the Farmland Investor, access to quality deal flow is essential for building your portfolio.

Are you considering investing in land for recreational purposes? Whether you're dreaming of a secluded hunting retreat, a serene fishing spot, or simply a piece of nature to call your own, purchasing recreational land can be a rewarding investment.

The business of farmland transactions and asset management is digitizing quickly. Twenty years ago, a farmland professional needed to take a trip to the local USDA NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) office to get a soil map for a farmland asset. The NRCS staff would use the USDA farm and tract number to find the asset in a binder, pull the page(s) with the map, and run the pages through the copying machine to produce hard copies of the map.

Farmland owners face several challenges to ownership related to utility companies, pipeline companies, highways, and others who need to acquire property for a potential new corridor through their land. There are increasing demands for power and energy sources which is leading to increased demands from agencies needing to acquire land. It is important for landowners and companies that need to acquire a corridor to understand the process of completing appraisals for eminent domain purposes.