Peoples Company Expands Land Market Share with Addition of Dirt Dealer Jeffrey T. Obrecht

CLIVE, Iowa, April 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Jeffrey T. Obrecht, a top real estate sales agent known as The Dirt Dealer, has joined Peoples Company, a leading Midwest land brokerage firm with a diversified offering of agricultural real estate investment and land management services in eight states.

Obrecht is a licensed real estate broker associate in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota – states in which Peoples Company already holds brokerage licenses – and adds to the firm more than 35 years of additional experience in land sales, land auctions and the appraisal of farmland.

From 1981 to 2003, Obrecht owned and operated Mid-Iowa Real Estate and Auction in Iowa Falls. Prior to joining Peoples Company, he was a broker associate and auctioneer with Farmers National Company and established himself as a major producer with real estate sales exceeding $250 million over the past seven years.

"Both our clients and our entire team will benefit from Jeffrey's valuable long-term perspective on land sales," said Peoples Company President Steve Bruere. "To have someone of Jeffrey's caliber combined with the energy and excitement of our agents enhances the ability of Peoples Company to offer innovative, technology driven solutions. His addition strengthens our position as one of the leading land brokerage firms in Iowa in terms of total market share."

The Realtors Land Institute has recognized The Dirt Dealer – a moniker adopted by Obrecht to signify his commitment to engaging with and responding to the needs of landowners – as Iowa's chief real estate agent in regards to volume and number of acres sold. In 2011 and 2012, Obrecht's expertise with Midwest farmland auctions was highlighted on national and international news programs, including appearances on CNN Money, Rock Center with Brian Williams and the CBS Evening News.

Obrecht worked as a loan officer with Farm Credit Services for five years after graduating with a degree in industrial administration from Iowa State University, and earned an auctioneering certificate from Reisch Auction School in 1984. He is a native of North Central Iowa and was the youngest of seven children raised on a dairy farm south of Clear Lake. Obrecht and his wife, Becky, own and reside on a 240-acre property with a custom farming operation in Eastern Polk County. The Dirt Dealer will continue to operate out of his office in Iowa Falls.

"One reason I looked at Peoples Company is its effective use of marketing, technology and social media to share information and build connections within the land and ag communities," Obrecht said. "The Dirt Dealer is now linked to a progressive, growth-oriented company that invests in the development of its professionals and is primed for serious growth."

About Peoples Company
Peoples Company is a leading provider of agricultural land brokerage, land management and land investing services in the Midwest. The Clive, Iowa-based land company's innovative approach includes participation in a wide range of land leasing workshops, land development seminars and networking opportunities, including the presentation of its annual Land Investment Expo in West Des Moines. The Peoples Company real estate brokerage operation is licensed in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. For more information, visit www.PeoplesCompany.com.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140407/CG99290-a  
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140407/CG99290LOGO-b     
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140407/CG99290LOGO-c         

SOURCE Peoples Company