Posts in category 'Farm And Land'

The Land Trends and Value Survey, presented by the Iowa Farm and Land Chapter #2 REALTORS Land Institute, reported a 1.2% decrease on a statewide average for the March 2025 to September 2025 time period. This follows the September 2024 to March 2025 time period that showed a 1.0% decrease, giving us a 12-month decrease of 2.2% for the State of Iowa on tillable acres. After rapid increases in values in 2021 and 2022, the land market has continued its sideways trend through much of 2025. Timberland (down 0.8%) followed the trend of tillable acres, while Pastureland acres have been able to post gains of 3.3% the last six months.

Survey respondents described the market as stable, despite downward movements in corn and soybean prices in recent months. Lack of inventory is helping hold land values firm, along with the expectation for an above-average crop for most of Iowa this fall and strong cattle prices. Res...

Click Here to Read More...

The Land Trends and Value Survey, presented by the Iowa Farm and Land Chapter #2 REALTORS Land Institute, reported a 1.0% decrease in cropland values on a statewide average for the September 2024 to March 2025 time period. This is following the March 2024 to September 2024 time period that showed a 5.0% decrease, giving us a year-over-year decrease of 6.0% for the state of Iowa. After a period of rapidly increasing values, the tillable land market has entered into a sideways trend. Pastureland (down 0.3%) and Timberland (up 1.2%) followed the trend of tillable acres and saw minimal changes for the six-month period.

Survey respondents described the market as "stable" and mentioned an increase in buyer interest since the 1st of the year. Low supply of land being offered to the market and a rally in commodity prices from fall lows have helped stabilize the downtrend in land values seen in 2024. A level of uncertainty has entered the market over the last 30 days, as buyers and sellers try to interpret the future effects of tariffs on agricultural products.

"While over the last year we have seen a slight pullback on land prices, the last six months have leveled off. Commodity prices and interest rates will determine where we go from here," said Eric Schlutz, ALC, Realtor, and Manager of the Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors Muscatine Office.

"The results of the Farmland Survey are pretty much what was expected. In our market area, we see pretty stable prices overall with high quality, well located, and mostly tillable land still commanding strong prices. In general, the inventory of land for sale remains tight, thereby supporting prices. Any softness in the market is in the lower quality farmland. The future land value trends will be impacted by commodity prices, this year's yields, and the impact of tariffs on agriculture and our general economy," said Dennis Stolk, ALC, Farm and Land Specialist with Ruhl Farm & Land.

For the survey, participants are asked to estimate the average value of farmland as of March 1, 2025. These estimates are for bare, unimproved land with a sale price on a cash basis. Pasture and timberland values were also requested as supplemental information.

Ruhl Farm & Land, a division of Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors, is focused on the sale, purchase, and marketing of land, farms, and acreages.

Eric Schlutz, with Ruhl Farm & Land from Muscatine, Iowa, has been recognized as a part of the APEX 2024 Producers Club by the REALTORS® Land Institute as a part of the RLI APEX Production Awards Program, sponsored by The Land Report. Eric was recognized by RLI CEO Aubrie Kobernus as well as The Land Report's Co-founders Eddie Lee Rider Jr. and Eric O'Keefe at a special awards ceremony on Tuesday, March 18, during RLI's 2025 National Land Conference (NLC25) in Tucson, AZ.

 "It was an honor to be recognized by this great organization. RLI is the premier organization for land professionals, with the education and networking being responsible for much of my success," said Eric Schlutz, ALC, u...

Click Here to Read More...

The Land Trends and Value Survey, presented by the Iowa Farm and Land Chapter #2 REALTORS Land Institute, reported a 3.1% decrease in value on a statewide average for the September 2023 to March 2024 time period. This is following the March 2023 to September 2023 time period that showed a 0.2% decrease, giving us a 12-month decrease of 3 .3% for the State of Iowa on tillable acres. After a period of rapidly increasing values, the tillable land market has leveled off and softened slightly. Pastureland (down 2.2%) and Timberland (down 2.2%) followed the trend of tillable acres and saw small decreases for the six-month period as well.

 Survey respondents described the market as being "tentative" and "selective" but "surprisingly stable". There continues to be a lower supply of land offered to the market, helping to hold values despite lower net farm incomes vs recent years. Local farmer buyers continue to be the most active in the market as investor interest is slowing.  

 "The recent survey reflects the leveling of the land market we experienced in the last year due to the higher interest environment and lower commodity price trends" said Eric Schlutz, ALC, Realtor, and manager of the Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors Muscatine Office.

 "Farmland values have taken a pause in the upward growth that we experienced over the past several years. In our area of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois the market is best described as being stable with demand for land still considered to be good especially for top quality, highly tillable parcels. However, in general the supply of available land for sale is very low and transactions are less than a year ago, thereby giving some support to values. It isn't surprising that growth in farmland values have slowed given the increased interest rates and lower current prices for commodities experienced this past several months. This will be an interesting marketing year for land as we see if land for sale remains tight and if buyer demand remains good based on what interest rates do and what farm incomes will be further into this year" said Dennis Stolk, ALC, Farm and Land Specialist with Ruhl Farm&Land.

For the survey, participants are asked to estimate the average value of farmland as of March 1, 2024. These estimates are for bare, unimproved land with a sale price on a cash basis. Pasture and timberland values were also requested as supplemental information.

Ruhl Farm&Land, a division of Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors, is focused on the sale, purchase and marketing of land, farms and acreages.

Eric Schlutz, REALTOR® and Managing Broker of our Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors Muscatine Office, has been recognized as a part of the APEX 2023 Producers Club by the REALTORS® Land Institute as a part of the RLI APEX Production Awards Program, sponsored by The Land Report. Eric was recognized by RLI CEO Aubrie Kobernus as well as The Land Report's Co-founders Eddie Lee Rider Jr. and Eric O'Keefe at a special awards ceremony on Tuesday, March 12th, during RLI's 2024 National Land Conference (NLC24) in Louisville, KY.

"I was honored to be recognized nationally for land brokerage and really appreciate the opportunity I have to assist and educate clients on all things related to land," said Eric Schlutz, ALC, upon receiving the award. Sc...

Click Here to Read More...