Is all real estate in a slump??

You may have seen the article about us that appeared in this mornings KC Star. It got me to thinking that a lot of buyers may not recognize that rural property, particularly land has actually turned out to be a good investment as we work our way through what has now become a multi year slump. I found this article from INVEST  magazine that I thought I share with our readers.

At precisely twelve noon on September 16, 1893 a cannon’s boom unleashed the largest land rush America ever saw. Carried by all sorts of transportation - horses, wagons, trains, bicycles or on foot - an estimated 100,000 raced to claim plots of land in an area of land in northern Oklahoma Territory. There had been a number of previous land rushes in the Territory - but this was the big one.
Many would be disappointed. There were only 42,000 parcels of land available - far too few to satisfy the hopes of all those who raced for land that day. Additionally, many of the “Boomers” - those who had waited for the cannon’s boom before rushing into the land claim - found that a number of the choice plots had already been claimed by “Sooners” who had snuck into the land claim area before the race began. The impact of the land rush was immediate, transforming the land almost overnight.
Over 100 years later, we are in the midst of a second rush for land. When it is over it will go down as the greatest land rush in United States history far eclipsing the Oklahoma land rush of the 1890’s.
How will it be different? Baby Boomers, investors and institutional investment firms are preparing to buy over one-half of the useable land in the U.S. in the next ten years. Are you aware there is approximately 1.6 billion acres (Yes, billions – with a big B!) that can be bought and sold? The potential is for millions and millions of land deals in the next few years.

Just like the previous “land rush”, the demand for land it is going to transform who owns land in our country and what they are going to use it for.
In last month’s article, I wrote how Baby Boomers are buying land in all shapes, sizes and types. Let’s read what the media is saying who else is participating in this modern day rush for land:

Wall Street Journal
“Is it still possible to make money in real estate? With home prices continuing to plummet, many people have finally stopped seeing their family manse as a big bottomless bag of cash. But look beyond your front door, and you’ll find some alternative real-estate related opportunities that are holding up despite the current economic downturn including rural land. Rising food prices, demand for corn-based ethanol and a growing desire by many urbanites for a place in the country are making rural land more valuable.”

The New York Times
“The real estate market may have cooled, but investor demand may soon be heating up for at least one type of property: LAND. Some of the most attractive deals lately have come from land developers and home builders, who are divesting parcels in many parts of the country as they whittle down excess housing inventory. Even smaller landowners, facing their own financial strains, are selling off lots once meant for building.”
“The time is ripe to start looking; I haven’t seen this market in 20 years,” said Jaime Raskulinecz, a real estate investor from NJ, who wants to buy land in the hard-hit market of Cape Coral, FL. She found lots for sale on or near the water at about a third to half below their peak prices of two years ago. On a larger scale, H. Ray Alcorn Jr., an investor in VA, is picking up commercial and residential parcels after two years on the sidelines. Mostly using cash, he has bought more than 100 acres throughout Virginia this year, much of it at reduced prices, and he has options to buy more.”

www.Bloomberg.com
“…farmland is having its biggest revival in almost 30 years as demand for corn and soybeans from Asia and the ethanol industry drive commodity prices to record highs. From Iowa to South Dakota to Wyoming, gains in rural land prices have ranged from 78 percent to more than 200 percent, according to farmers and data from Farm Credit Services of America.” “TIAA-CREF, the largest U.S. manager of retirement funds, bought $340 million of farmland in seven states in December. George Washington University plans to earmark $100 million for agricultural investments during this year. “
“Farm values probably will rise at an annual rate of 6 percent to 10 percent in the next five years,” said Murray Wise, the CEO of Westchester Group Inc., manager of $550 million of global farm tracts. In comparison, the median U.S. home is forecast to gain 1.2 percent through 2010 and stay below the 2006 peak of $221,900, the Mortgage Bankers Association in Washington said.
“It’s just crazy out there right now,” said Mac Boyd, 65, a real estate broker in Arcola, IL, who has sold farms for more than three decades. “The land market has never been stronger.”
http://www.landflip.com/, the premier land website, recently conducted a poll asking “When are you likely to purchase land?” 73% responded said they plan to purchase land in the next 12 months!

What is creating such an interest in land?
Retiring Baby Boomers – In my previous article, I documented that many Boomers are nearing retirement. Here is a snapshot of this group:

• 10,000 Boomers will retire every 24 hours!
• 17 trillion dollars are going to flow out of retirement accounts over the next two decades into the hands of Boomers.
• 1 in 4 Boomers own more than one piece of real estate.
• 1/2 of Boomers own their home free and clear.
• 60% of Boomers plan to move to a rural setting.

Since 1 in 4 Baby Boomers own more than one property, the logical conclusion is they will allocate a portion of their investment portfolio and buy land in the near future.

Baby Boomers are buying land, but most unlikely to ever move on the property
Where are Boomers going to relocate when they retire? In a poll commissioned by the National Association of Realtors, 60% plan to move to a rural area upon retirement. The operative word is PLAN. Many are in the process of purchasing small and large tracts of land all around the country to fulfill their future dream. Chances are that they will never move on to the property. Nonetheless, everyday there are more and more Boomers entering into the land arena to buy their dream property – and they are ready to buy soon!

Stock market and the drive toward buying land
As in most economic cycles, there are times when the stock market has not performed to investor’s expectations. When the stock market is doing well there is no reason for investors to look elsewhere to secure a modest return on investment. But, as we know, the stock market is mired in uncertainty. Because of this, some investors look for other investment options such as hard assets. Both individual and institutional investors are looking to land as one safe haven to relocate part of their investment portfolio. This translates that billions of dollars will be moved into land over the next few years.
As an example, the demand for hard assets appeared in FL in 2004 and 2005. In 2003 and 2004 the overall stock market results were flat. Investors were unsatisfied with the returns and began to look for investments outside the stock market. Some turned to real estate, (i.e. condos, preconstruction projects, rehabs etc.) particularly a drive to buy land. At the time, I was associated with a real estate office in rural Florida that only brokered land. By early 2005, the office received contact from a new buyer every 15 minutes! They learned investors wanted to buy for two reasons: (1) for investment and; (2) to build on the property at retirement. 80% of the buyers bought site unseen and lived far away from the property.
The brokerage (as well as many other brokers in Florida) could not keep pace with the demand as there were more buyers than sellers. So, I and a few other investors went out to coax landowners to sell their property. In the end, this one office brokered 1000’s of land deals ranging from a .25 acre to 500 acres.
The demand for land is reoccurring again but this time it is happening nationwide! Also, there are brokers reporting around the country that they have more buyers than sellers. That is a great dilemma to have! If the stock market continues to be volatile, more and more investors are going to look to land to fulfill a part of their investment needs. Some are buying land like it is a stock and betting that it will increase in value over the next 5 to 10 years and beat stock market returns.

Don’t be left behind! Be a part of the next great land rush!
When the dust settled, many walked away from the Oklahoma land rush disappointed and empty handed. Don’t sit on the sidelines any further waiting for the next opportunity. You can say to your children that you were part of THE greatest land rush in US history! There simply isn’t a better time to profit from land!

In the next few years there will be millions and millions of land transactions. I specialize in finding sellers – and you can too. The marketplace needs investors like me to find affordable land for this new generation of buyer.

Some of you are saying, “Can I really buy and sell land?” Land is by far the simplest, easiest form of real estate on the planet. Don’t be intimidated because you have never done something like this before. The marketplace desperately needs more investors to step into this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Won’t you join me?

Buy land. They’ve stopped making it. - Mark Twain

So what are Exurbs, and can I see one?

Never heard the term Exurbia before? Sunday May 16 Rural KC real estate is sponsoring a unique “Exurbs Open House” event at two locations. What are exurbs you ask? Merriam Webster defines them as “a residential area outside of a city and beyond suburbia”, Bill Gaughan a senior partner with Rural KC, says that exurbs are characterized by a country lifestyle that’s still within easy commuting distance of the city.



Gaughan himself lives in just such a development and thinks it is a great lifestyle that not too many people know is possible. Rural KC is hoping that having an open house at a couple of these developments today will introduce the Exurbia concept to some city residents who might not know it is both affordable and convenient. Exurbs are perfect for city residents who want to live in the country but didn’t think it was possible. So today open houses will be held at two outstanding developments that exemplify this concept, one on the Kansas side and one on the Missouri side.


Both of these developments will be open Sunday from 1 to 4. They will offer tours and additional information about the developments. At both developments the developers themselves will be on hand to ask any specific questions.


At Whispering Oaks Subdivision immediately south of Archie Missouri the emphasis is on affordable yet quiet living among towering timber. The building lots are 1.3 acres, all of the lots back up to a gentle creek and have huge mature trees on them. Roughly half of the home sites are completely encased inside the woods while the remaining building sites are half in and half out of the timber.


Whispering Oaks is perfect for those wanting to raise kids in the country who thought it was beyond their means. Whispering Oaks is also a great place for empty nesters wanting to dial back their lives to a more secluded quiet life, but didn’t want a huge lot to maintain. The beginning point for tours at Whispering Oaks will be a model home at the development.


Drew Parks who is the developer of Whispering Oaks is also a builder and offers a variety of potential homes designed to blend in well to this terrain and yet still be extremely affordable. Whispering Oaks can offer a new home on wooded secluded lots and still be under $175,000. Parks also welcomes buyers to bring their own builders as the reasonable restrictions protect all homeowners. Whispering Oaks can be found by taking Highway 71 to the Archie Exit, go straight through town west to Butcher Street. Then go South on Butcher Street to 355th, then right to the property on the left.


At the Crimson Ranch development just south of Hillsdale Lake near Paola Kansas the emphasis is on an active lifestyle. Crimson Ranch features lots ranging from 3 to 16 acres but the lots are just part of the story. All lots at Crimson Ranch are adjacent to over 24 acres of common ground. The common ground includes over 1 ½ miles of riding/hiking trails, three stocked ponds, great views, springs, and trails through the timber. Horses are welcome at Crimson Ranch. During the open house Crimson Ranch will feature Hay rides and fishing for the kids.


While the developers of Crimson Ranch (Dyers and Reynolds) aren’t builders they do live at Crimson Ranch and live there because it’s the kind of lifestyle they love. They say Crimson Ranch is perfect for the active family who loves the outdoor lifestyle. If hiking, riding, fishing, or taking advantage of Hillsdale lake only 3 miles away appeals to you, Crimson Ranch is perfect.


At Crimson Ranch you can bring your own builder as the reasonable restrictions protect home owners and the association maintains the common ground. To find Crimson Ranch from Olathe go south on Hwy 169 to K-68 then west to Old KC Road ( at the roundabout) then south to 287th W. then west approximately 4 miles to Montrose road on the right.


Rural KC a Real Estate Team specializing in the marketing of rural and country properties continues to bring creative marketing ideas to rural real estate. Rural KC has sponsored such unique events as seminars for buyers wanting to invest in cropland, developed a web site www.RuralKC.com, just for marketing country property and maintains a blog at the web site just for issues about rural real estate and all things county.


Rural KC specializes in country Homes, country homes sites, hunting property, farms, and ranches. Rural KC markets real estate and represents buyers in all parts of Missouri and Kansas. The Rural KC real estate team is affiliated with Realty Executives of Kansas City. They can be reached at 913-837-4665, or 816-899-2330. Their website is www.RuralKC.com and their email is info@RuralKC.com
 
The above article will appear in the KC Star Sunday May 16, 2011

Will listing your land with a land real estate agent make you more money?

The time has come and you are ready to sell your land. You might wonder if listing with a real estate land agent really makes a difference. You can certainly go it alone but of those that do (about 85%) end up eventually listing the property for sale with an agent. It is generally said by most real estate folks that properties do not sell for two reasons either price or exposure. Let’s look at price.


The LandOwner newsletter recently reported that discrepancies as high of $1000 to $1500 per acre were being found when doing appraisals on land. Why such a difference in price?

We did an informal analysis of some land sales over the last few years. It showed that of all the land sales that we found that were sold directly from owner to owner – the sold price yielded was approximately 25% less than similar sales that had been listed with a land broker. Taking into account that most likely at least half of those were sales to family members and discounts can be expected in family exchanges that it is still a surprising number of sales that were substantially less than going market rates at the time. The lower priced properties maybe were not exposed to the market via a listing or auction.

So how could listing with a broker get you so much more money? First and foremost is market knowledge. Land agents and brokers work with land values every single day. We are reading land reports, real estate market reports, land analysis surveys, following farmland and commodity markets, plus following all the ins and outs of the real estate on top of all the land information. It can be overwhelming at times the amount of data and information that is spilling out daily even for those of us in the business. All of that information helps to price a property in the right range.

The land market is changing rapidly …. probably faster than any other time in recent history. Farmland prices are skyrocketing, recreational land sales seem stagnant and development land sales are nearly non-existent in most areas. However, each of those markets has changed almost overnight when local, national and international events cause the local price values to fluctuate. As an individual selling a single piece of property it can be challenging to find current land market information and know how to price the property. This might be why so many of the non-listed land sales are lower.

Another issue that comes up with pricing is the news cycle. Media stories tend to focus on one news breaking story when it comes to real estate sales. They want the WOW factor and they report the sensational facts of one abnormal sales price that usually that happens at an auction and then it goes through all the news outlets over and over again until most people think that is reality on property sales. Unfortunately, most of the time it is not reality or normal and sellers are faced with disappointment when they see the real market values and averages.

So how do you know what to do? Unless you are committed to spending an enormous amount of time following the markets (not just a few sales here and there) and spending at least several hours a day marketing your property then you might want to consider hiring a professional. Almost all land agents we know live, eat and breathe the land market just like we do and that is what you need to bring you the higher price for your property. Find a land specialist, list it, and then relax.

8 reasons to put your land in a conservation easement

A conservation easement is a viable solution for landowners who want to protect their land from development. Simply put, a conservation easement is a restriction on the use of property owned by an individual, similar to a deed restriction. It is recorded in public records and generally is in perpetuity. Landowners who sell conservation easements can control the ownership of the property, while receiving money for the easement. The government receives assurance that valuable land will be protected from future development.


What are the specific benefits to the landowner? Below is a list of eight of the general benefits for considering a conservation easement:

• The landowner maintains control and ownership of the property.

• Each conservation easement is individually structured to meet the needs of the landowner, along with the conservation criteria, and can be structured broadly or specifically.

• The landowner keeps the land and receives payment for the appreciated value caused by development pressure.

• The landowner assures the property is protected for future generations

• The landowner continues to receive income from his/her land.

• The property may be sold and the restriction travels with the property.

• Future generations are assisted in the transfer of the land by favorable estate tax treatment.

• Landowners may gain income tax advantages.

Most landowners are interested in tax advantages when considering a conservation easement. Landowners may receive income tax advantages that include gifting, tax deferred exchanges, and gains used against the basis value. Tax advantages can also assist in the transfer of property from generation to generation and can lower estate taxes for heirs by maintaining the agricultural classification of the land.

A generational transfer may benefit a landowner by lowering the value of the property for estate tax purposes. This happens because after the rights to develop it are sold, the highest and best use of the land is usually agricultural.

Gifting is a using the conservation easement as a donation to the government or to a qualified conservation organization. Gifting is treated as a charitable contribution and results in lower Federal income tax.

A Tax-deferred Exchange is an option allowed by the IRS for landowners who owe capital gains taxes because of the sale of property. This defers paying the tax by purchasing another piece of property instead of paying the tax. Known by several terms, a tax-deferred exchange is often referred to as a Like-kind Exchange or a 1031 Exchange.

The IRS allows a tax exchange for owners who have a capital gain because of the sale of a conservation easement. Gains Used Against Basis includes basis as the amount you paid for the property, plus the value of any capital improvements, less any depreciation claimed. If you sell a conservation easement, the IRS will allow you to reduce your basis by the amount of the conservation easement, which may result in you not paying any capital gains taxes.

To take advantage of a Federal income tax deduction, a conservation easement must be perpetual and given to a specific division of the government or a qualified conservation organization. Annually, the division or organization monitors the property to assure that the easement is not being violated.

This article in part came from Land Flip

Is there any way to buy land other than cash or borrowing money?

Those beginning the process of purchasing land usually have a general idea of how they plan to pay for the investment. However, I have seen many buyers change their method of funding because they became educated on an option that was previously unknown to them and offered them some distinct advantage. Some may simply not understand the process or what they can afford. Following is a brief explanation of the most commonly used methods to fund land transactions.
Cash – Most land transactions that I work with are cash transactions. This is not to say that I work with only the independently wealthy. Most people that pay cash for a property have recently sold some other type of investment and are simply moving that investment into a property that works better for them. Many investors prefer this method as it is the most hassle-free and gives the buyer a negotiating advantage—The general thought is that a cash offer is stronger and that because the terms of the offer are stronger, the investor can offer a lower price.

1031 Exchange – 1031 exchange, Like-kind exchange, Starker exchange, Tax-deferred exchange—all refer to a method of exchanging a property or properties for other similar properties without the realized capital gain being recognized as taxable by the IRS. This is only available to those who hold the property for a business purpose. In the past few years, this has become very popular with investors seeking to grow their investment portfolios without taking cash out. For example, if you sell a farm that you have operated in Texas, you can utilize a 1031 exchange to move that money into a timber property in Alabama. There are many special conditions that must be adhered to in order participate in a 1031 exchange. You should consult your attorney regarding a potential 1031 exchange prior to accepting an offer from someone to sell the property you will be selling in the exchange.

Home Equity – In most of the land deals that I work with, the buyer is purchasing a property that will not be, at least immediately, their primary residence. Most of these buyers also have significant equity in their current primary residence. A home equity loan on the buyer’s primary residence offers many advantages over a traditional land loan. First there are the tax benefits from using the interest on the loan on your income taxes. Also, when a buyer is using a home equity loan, that buyer can go through the loan process prior to making an offer. Since the buyer then knows how much money he or she has available for the purchase, they can make an offer as a cash offer, which strengthens the buyer’s position in negotiations. Many times you can get more favorable terms on a home equity loan than on traditional land loans as well. It also makes your investment in land more liquid since to sell it, you will not have to then pay off a mortgage on it- so if the right opportunity comes along, you can liquidate your investment and roll that money into whatever it is that you wanted…just like you had bought the property with cash. Most banks, credit unions, and mortgage brokers offer home equity loans.

Land Loans – Land loans are those loans that hold the land itself as collateral. Whereas many times you can buy a home with 5-10% down payment, most times you will need 15-30% of the purchase price as down payment to get a land loan. Land Loans typically have a slightly higher interest rate than you can get on a home equity loan or regular home mortgage, however, many institutions that specialize in land lending are becoming more competitive with the conventional home loan market. Local banks (local to the property) are a good source for land loans, as well as lending cooperatives like the Federal Land Bank, and the Farm Credit System. My experience with land loans is that you want to work with a lender that understands land and land issues. Most, not all, mortgage brokers and loan officers are not as experienced in land lending as are those that work for companies that specialize in that segment of the industry.

Owner Financing – Many times buyers and sellers find advantages in owner or seller financed transactions. This typically occurs by the buyer making a down payment to a seller on a property. The seller then conveys the property to the buyer, with the seller holding a mortgage on the property until the buyer pays the remainder of the amount due. Terms and conditions of owner-financed sales can vary greatly. In my experience, sellers usually want 15-20% down payment from the buyer and an interest rate that is slightly above what rates are in the conventional markets. Repayment terms can range from monthly payments over 30 years down to a single payments soon after the initial transaction. This must be worked out between the buyer and seller. It is important to note that not all sellers are willing or able to offer this option on a property. The buyer should be sure to perform the same due diligence that a lending institution would require to protect themselves from potential pitfalls in owner financed transactions. Owner financed sales are advantageous to some sellers because they can differ some of the income from the property and get a steady stream of income over time. Buyers benefit since most owner financed sales do not typically involve credit checks, origination fees, and the hassle of dealing with a lender.

Lease Purchase – Some properties are contracted for in a Lease/Purchase Option contract. In this type of arrangement, the buyer leases the property from the seller for an agreed upon timetable at the end of which the buyer can elect to buy the property or forfeit their money paid to the seller until that time. Sometimes these arrangements do not leave the buyer with an option to buy, but rather an obligation to buy at the end of the lease period. Typically, monies paid as rent and for the option are deducted from the purchase price, but this is not a requirement. In this type of arrangement, title to the property does not pass to the buyer until the end of the lease period, when the buyer exercises their option to purchase the property. Usually there is interest charged by the seller on the principal amount due during the lease period. It might be helpful to think of this as “Rent to own”. Again, not all sellers are willing or able to offer this arrangement. Also, it is important that the buyer performs sufficient due diligence in checking out the property, as well as the seller of the property, since the seller will retain title to the property during the lease period.

There are many other options for funding land transactions and are limited only by the creativity and the acceptance of the parties to the contract. Sometimes transactions are negotiated in broad strokes, sometimes deals worth hundreds of thousands of dollars hinge on something as small as who pays for inspecting the title to the property. One creative manner of funding a land transaction is through the use of your 401K funds or IRA funds…and you can do it without incurring Federal taxes for transferring the investment. I will examine that further in a later post.

The above article is courtesy of Landflip.

Are we at the top of the land market?

I recently received an email from one our newsletter subscribers. It contained a link to an article in the Des Moines register about how land prices had gone up 24% in just one year in the state of Iowa. The writer was understandably concerned about whether we had hit the top of the market when it comes to land prices. I thought I'd share my response to him with you.


Thanks for sending that article from the Des Moines Register. It's always the conundrum in a time like this isn't it? Given that the article was written by an Iowa paper it reflects the situation as it exits in Iowa. I think there are a few other issues one has to consider when deciding whether or not to invest in farmland. If you'll indulge me I'm going to list them here as this is a common and important topic of conversation.

The first is the issue of whether or not it makes sense to borrow money to buy land at this time. To a degree this is no issue at all in the current run up of prices. Unlike in the late '70's and early '80s when farmland was being purchased by taking out mortgages on existing farms very little of this land is being bought by people going into debt. As the article points out farm lenders are working hard to find anyone wanting to get loans. The vast majority of these purchases are being done by investors and farmers who are buying with cash. So that means comparisons to the housing crash are meaningless. The housing collapse was due to unfettered, almost unregulated credit that put too many unqualified buyers in the market. Any agricultural lender will tell you that's not what is happening now. And that leads to the second point.

People feel this run up in land prices is due to the current high commodity prices. That is only a part of the issue. The bigger issue is people wanting to get out other investments that they fear are going to be made worthless by anticipated coming inflation. That's why people aren't borrowing to buy, they are liquidating other assets to buy "real" assets such as gold and real estate. I have found that people buying land are less interested in the yearly ROI from rental than they are from the anticipated appreciation, or at least the fact that they don't think an investment in land is going to be degraded as assets that are subject to inflation will be.

As one of the comments to this article put it:

It is not high corn prices that are driving land values, it is the deterioration of the value of the dollar which makes American agricultural products cheaper than any other place in the world. The driving down of the dollar, the deflation of the currency, and the financial condition of the United States has caused a rush into hard assets that hold value and will be here tomorrow when TEOTWAWKI arrives. It would be better to own a bottle of wine than hold a dollar bill earning one half percent interest in a bank. The goal right now is preservation of capital not return on investment and land, residential property, grain in bins, and "real" assets instead of paper is where one wants to be. Farmland has always been a conservative long term asset which held value, or at least never evaporated in hard times. The farm crises drove down land prices but it took the FED to raise interest rates to 17% to break the farmers and destroy land values, today interest rates are so low and the dollar depreciating so fast a rush into farmland is one of the best options. That is why land prices are rising, corn has nothing to do with it! If you bought land and own land then you are now being rewarded for accepting that risk. But . . . it is never real unless the asset is sold, it is only on paper which makes one feel good, but does not put money in the bank. The dollar is buying less and less, that is why there is a rush into real assets.

Next I think looking at Iowa is to be looking at the most extreme example of what is happening across the spectrum of agricultural land prices. For example if Iowa land at $8,000 acre can produce 280 bushels of corn, then by that measure Missouri land that can produce 200 bushel corn ought to be worth $5714 per acre. But you can still buy land like that in Missouri for $2500 per acre,although it's admittedly getting harder to do. So while there is risk in any investment, it seems to me that to buy land in MO or KS rather than Iowa carries with it a lot less risk and a good chance of strong upside. Frankly if I owned land in Iowa I'd sell it, and then come down here and triple my holdings by purchasing land in this area. Ok maybe I wouldn't really do that. Iowa land has provenn to hold it's value over time. But I do think that if someone is searching for appreciating land values there are some outstanding opportunities to do so in this area.

Finally I think there are some simple questions you can ask yourself that may clear up the question of whether or not this is a good investment for you.

1. Do you believe that there is any reason to think the demand for agricultural commodities is going to drop significantly in the future?
2. Do you think they are going to be producing any more land?
3. Do you have concerns about future inflation deteriorating non "real" assets?

After you answer those questions for yourself you may decide that it's not a good idea to buy land in Iowa, but that does not mean investing in farmland somewhere else is not in your best interests.

  

Thanks for letting me ramble on. I've been wanting to get these thoughts on paper and your email gave me the reason to do that. I apologize for being so lengthy.
 
As always if you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact us by phone at 913-837-4665, email at info@RuralKC.com, or just leave a comment after this article.

Ten Things You Won't Find In City Folks' Homes

STRAIT FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH.........

10. Sick Calf fecal samples more-or-less safely zip-locked in the referigerator.

9. A rifle tripod mounted on the front porch for possum/coon/coyote population control.

8. Binoculars hanging on the living room curtain rod so you can keep an eye on the bred heifers.

7. Livestock wound spray in the medicine cabinet.

6. Herbicide rate metric conversion chart on the refrigerator door.

5. Carburetor parts spread across the kitchen table.

4. Soil samples stacked on top the dryer in the mudroom.

3. Container full of bent nails, rusty bolts, pocket lint and unidentifiable items next to the washing machine.

2. Local Co-op company calendar on the kitchen wall.

1. Shivering baby calf in the bathtub.

Until next time..........HAPPY TRAILS!