Head of Farm Agency George Alder discusses the potential benefits of selling off-market.
One of the best and most prudent ways to find the true value of any property is to offer it for sale on the open market to the widest possible audience. Stags Farm Agency has used this tried and tested method to great effect and in most circumstances, we continue to recommend our clients to do so, however some of our clients prefer to offer their farm or land for sale more discreetly.
Increasingly there has been a preference from a number of our clients to explore a private sale prior to going to the open market and this has resulted in some positive sales in 2019 including a 220-acre livestock farm in West Devon, a 70-acre residential farm in West Dorset, 85 acres of productive arable land in South Devon and a number of parcels of land.
Going down the route of a private, off-market sale does require careful consideration. In particular the agent needs to be confident on their pricing advice and must know the right buyers to approach. This comes from a combination of good knowledge of the local area and experience in conducting sales throughout the West Country.
We are well placed to undertake off-market sales as we have an extensive database of previous sale evidence for farms and land throughout Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset so we understand specific local and regional trends. Having regular contact with potential buyers through our open market sales and excellent local geographic knowledge by working alongside out network of 21 offices puts us in a prime position to find the right buyer at the right price.
In the first instance we would usually recommend that a farm or land lot is offered for sale on the open market but this isn’t necessarily the right thing to do for everyone.
If you are considering the private sale route as the best solution for marketing your farm or land, we would be pleased to discuss this with you and provide honest advice as to whether this is the right way forward for you or not.
