United Country Real Estate 2nd Edition 2024

WHAT IS THE BEST STATE TO BUY A RANCH PROPERTY?

Owning any agricultural land is always a wise decision. Most of this property will appreciate over time and remain stable during economic downturns.Turning that land into something even more valuable involves using the property for mining, manufacturing, tourism, farming, and more.

BEFOREYOU BUY Before you jump into buying a ranch property, you may want to visit a working ranch to get some experience. Plenty of these locations will offer tours or stays in return for doing some light ranch hand duties. That will give you a little more insight into what you’re getting into. As you explore the many opportunities across the United States, be sure to consider:

• Ecology: What is the bioavailability of the landscape you’re targeting? Are there any plants or animals that may threaten the lives of your herd? Do you have underlying resources like mining opportunities on the property? Get a comprehensive test and assessment fi rst, always! • Public Land: Grazing rights on public land are equally important. You can usually contact the National Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management to learn more about if your target property may include some rights to access public lands.

• Operations: Will you be someone directly involved in the day-to-day operations of the ranch, or will you be a silent partner? You want to design a working plan based on the number of livestock animals you’ll be raising and the network of buyers/sellers upon whom you’ll be relying. • Infrastructure: If the ranch already has working facilities, you should check out the condition. You don’t want to purchase ranch real estate only to get stuck with a million dollar bill for new fencing.

BEST STATE FOR RANCHING Landing on the best state is incredibly challenging, given the many parameters you’d want to consider. Availability of real estate, access to natural resources, and a supportive network of fellow ranchers are crucial to your success. While states like Kansas, North Dakota, Texas, and Oklahoma certainly meet these unique criteria, one other state stands out in our estimation: Montana. Montana’s economy grows faster than the national average and has been doing so since the early 2000s. This is partly due to the state’s top exports being cattle and calves. The available plots of farm or ranch land average over 2,000 acres in size, leaving you plenty of space to begin your ranching career. Ranchers began raising beef in mining towns in Montana in the 1860s . To say cattle drivers and ranchers are part of the community in this state is a drastic understatement. This is why you see popular TV shows and fi lms like Yellowstone taking place in Montana. The infrastructure for ranching life is so vibrant and set up that it is easy to fi nd fi lming locations.

Sources : worldatlas.com, dnrc.mt.gov, foxweather.com