Posted: Tuesday, July 30, 2024
Author: Vinny Delgado, Partner, Ranch Sales | Licensed in MT
Dear Vinny,
As a novice land investor, I’m wondering what the most important infrastructure I should look for when viewing properties. What adds the most value to the property, and what will be the most costly to upgrade and maintain?
Dear Costly,
If you purchase land with irrigated hay meadows, sprinkler systems, as in pivots, preferably, are an incredible value add. I often see clients let these systems lapse and do the minimum to repair them. I recommend always keeping these systems working and repaired properly; they are incredibly expensive to replace, but they also provide top dollar per acre in return when it is time to sell.
If you are not looking at irrigated ground, I suggest regular maintenance on your structures. Being exposed to the elements and mother nature's creatures can cause a lot of damage. If possible, have structures checked regularly to head off any weathering or intruders that can cause a lot of damage if not kept up with.
