This is an often-asked question from callers into the Halderman office.  A landowner is considering selling their farm property and they call asking for a farm appraisal, assuming that is what they need to start the process.  It is a good question and the true answer is “it depends” . .

Full transparency, the Halderman Companies offer both farmland appraisal services and farmland brokerage/sales services.  We actually appraise over 1,100 farms and sell over $250 MM in farmland value annually.  We are “in” the farmland business.

If you are a landowner considering selling farmland, a call to the Halderman Companies is a great place to start.  We can assist you in determining pricing, method of sale, marketing and timing.  We offer start-to-finish farm real estate services so you can remain “hands off” and enjoy a successful outcome.

Whether or not you need an appraisal is one of the first steps.  If you have multiple owners, maybe the farm is in an LLC or corporate entity, or maybe you are the trustee of the trust that owns the farm.  In those instances, a farmland appraisal to set fair market value might be the right first step.  An appraisal gives you a well-documented value from which a release price is set or sales within the entity can happen.  There are instances where the appraisal is key to the legal process of selling the farm.

However, if you are simply looking for a valuation to determine if a sale makes sense or to set your release price where you control the decision an appraisal may not be the first step.  My suggestion is to forego the expense and time of an appraisal and ask Halderman for a real estate sales proposal for your farm.  That proposal will include all the critical elements you need to make an informed decision.  We detail the method of sale, the terms, the timing, the pricing and our fee structure.  For no cost, you receive our comprehensive plan for the sale of your farm, including the pricing.

That is the Halderman Real Estate recommendation, ask for the zero fee proposal and then you can meet with us to determine if you like the information and if you want to proceed.  You will walk away very educated and know fairly closely what we think the value of your farmland investment is in today’s market.  This proposal is also fairly efficient and we deliver them within a week or two of the initial request.  An appraisal can sometimes take 4-6 weeks to complete.

One significant advantage to Halderman is our knowledge of the farmland real estate market in Indiana, western Ohio, eastern Illinois and southern Michigan.  We have area representatives throughout the regions and they know the markets and how best to sell farms in their area.  This coverage is a big advantage for Halderman clients as they become more knowledgeable and can make informed decisions.

Halderman knows the farmland real estate market inside and out and how to maximize the value of your farmland asset. If you need an appraisal allow one of our 23 Certified General Appraisers or Brokers help you with that process.  If you are simply looking for a proposal, contact us at 800-424-2324 or www.halderman.com to start the process.

Additional resources:

Who Needs An Appraisal?

What is an appraisal?