The race for ranches: How the No. 1 ranch division in North Texas has helped shape a red-hot land market

DALLAS, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty announces that its specialized Ranch and Land Division was No. 1 in ranch sales in North Texas in 2021, with a full 32 percent of the market, the latter according to land.com. In the entire state of Texas, the group was No. 3 for the year, at a total sales volume of $371 million. "That volume is on par with ranch brokerages twice the size," says Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty CEO Robbie Briggs.

Ranch sales in Texas have nearly doubled between the second quarter of 2021 and the previous year, according to the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University. During that same quarter, there were more than 9,000 land sales in the state, according to the San Antonio Report. That's a healthy increase of 13 percent compared to the same period in 2020. "Statewide, prices ballooned," says the Report, with the price-per-acre increasing almost 18 percent in the last year.

The Ranch and Land Division at Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty is a world-class group of both teams and individuals who specialize in land, farm, recreation and rural properties. They sell in Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico, Mexico and the rest of the world. Because these specialized agents are a part of Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty, they are also part of the $204 billion Sotheby's International Realty network of 25,000 agents in 1,000 offices in 79 countries and territories. The relationships that the Ranch and Land agents build and nurture across Texas and across the world are what separate them from the rest — and keep their businesses exceptionally strong.

A standout sale in a very busy 2021 was Rocosa Ridge Ranch in Clifton, Texas, a superb property of almost 6,000 acres in desirable Bosque County. It was listed for $26,350,000 and represented by Tyler Thomas — who is also the brokerage's top-ranking individual for 2021 across all individuals, teams and divisions.

The Ranch and Land Division sold nine properties in 2021 that were listed for more than $10 million each. Significant sales in 2021 included Sulphur River Ranch in Red River County, Texas, represented by Asher Watkins; the Bob Sandlin Ranch in Mount Vernon, Texas, represented by David Burgher and Harlan Ray; and, in 2020, Gearhart Ranch in Fort Davis, Texas, represented by James Sammons III. Most of the brokerage's Ranch and Land Division is based in Dallas, while ranch agents Eric Painter and Will Woods are based in the Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty office in Fort Worth. The entire division's current offerings are always at briggsfreeman.com/ranch.

It has been a strong seller's market for ranches and land: Demand has been greater than supply, fueled in part by the pandemic and the urge to be away from urban areas. Demand for property within 90 minutes of the Dallas/Fort Worth area has especially skyrocketed. And, many buyers continue to seek avenues for alternative investments while sellers continue to capitalize on record appreciation. The desire for alternative investments that pay in ways other than economic returns — family, fun, recreation, fellowship, time outside — has become even more important.

The experts in the Ranch and Land Division at Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty predict that the market will continue to be strong, especially as more people continue to move to Texas. Inventory will continue to be scarce, because the desire for land and for country living is expected to stay strong — and perhaps increase — as buyers look for tangible assets that are also eminently enjoyable.

That's a point of differentiation about the Ranch and Land Division at Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty: These unique agents can demonstrate that ranches are an ideal way to park wealth, hedge against inflation and enjoy long-term price appreciation. They can also educate about possible tax emptions (for example, if clients raise cattle, crops, sheep, goats or even bees on a ranch) and about the potential for oil, gas, minerals and wildlife. But they also deeply understand the magic of the land — the connection that comes from getting out of big cities and suburbs and getting under bigger skies and bigger thoughts. They know the value of havens with views in every direction; havens that are reachable by car or by plane, anytime; havens that can be enjoyed by every generation of a family — including the ones to come — no matter what is happening in the world.

The current offerings represented by the Ranch and Land Division of Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty are always at briggsfreeman.com/ranch.

SOURCE Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty