Here at Property Brokers, we are very proud to present a wonderful collection of quality farms to the market. There is no denying that the last few years have presented some real challenges to the farming sector, and historically, low numbers of farms transacting have reflected this. Several factors have been driving this – high interest rates, increasing farm operating/compliance costs, and uncertainty around payout and schedule prices, to name a few.
However, the signs are that farmer confidence is increasing while interest rates decrease. The early signs are that this may lead to increased levels of activity across the rural real estate market here in Waikato.
Already, our team have been fielding enquiries from existing clients looking to identify opportunities that may be coming forward in the spring; enquiry levels on farms have been steady, and the late winter has seen multiple transactions concluded. Buyers are certainly still very focused on “market value”, and quality properties in sought after locations with good production history and infrastructure are still “preferred” by buyers, but it is certainly promising to see the enquiry and activity as we head into the spring.
Last spring, we saw Property Brokers lead the way across Waikato for dairy farm sales, and once again, this year, our team is bringing a fantastic range of quality dairy farms to the market. These properties present an excellent opportunity for purchasers looking to add to an existing farming portfolio, farmers looking to upsize, or those looking for their first farm opportunity. Our team has a solid background in selling dairy farms and are experts in this field, so if your intentions this spring are to either buy or sell in the dairy sector, then it is imperative you talk to one of our team members. We pride ourselves on being specialists in this field.
We have also seen good levels of activity in the smaller rural holding (20-80ha) side of the market. These smaller grazing/finishing properties have a wide range of potential buyers due to the fact they are being considered either as an addition to an existing farming operation or as a stand-alone block by the “weekend farmers” whose primary source of income is off-farm but who love farming and want to remain involved. This larger buyer pool has seen transaction numbers remain steady, and we expect enquiry on these blocks to continue to rise, especially as interest rates continue to fall.
If you are thinking of rural real estate this spring, please reach out to one of our team. We have a team of specialised and experienced rural real estate professionals who can assist you regardless of your real estate needs. We are proud to be market leaders here in Waikato and look forward to helping you achieve your real estate goals.
