Sometimes, out here in more rural America, we have properties to sell that you can’t just drive up to in the Lexus and click off the security system to show. I usually have a property or two a year that are a bit more challenging and immensely more fun to work with and show.
Saturday, I took a several hours to view a new listing. In that time, I only saw bits of it. This particular property is pretty big, 1 mile by ½ mile for 346 acres. It has 16 individual tax parcels and is mostly undeveloped. It is surrounded by forest and has over 2000 feet of elevation change across it. It does have power, a well and amenities. Access to part of it is via a dirt road. Other parts also have dirt roads that go near or into the property. While this property is spectacular wilderness, it only takes 20 minutes to get to the edge of it from town or my own home. This is a fun property!
I was reminded of a conversation at Unchained one evening about good real estate agent cars. While I can often use a sedan, maneuvering around boulders on a narrow road cut into the side of a cliff just isn’t what a Lexus is made for! Things are a bit less civilized on a listing like this! I’ve used SUVs, pickups, jeeps, ORVs and even snowmobiles to show my most fun listings. No worries though, I’ve never seen nor heard dueling banjos at any of these remote properties.
Part of the fun in selling one of these ranch or acreage types of properties is to figure out the best way to show it to clients and explain how to show it to other agents. I also like to be able to talk to clients before a showing and make sure they have an expectation on what we’ll be doing. If they have height concerns, I might avoid a narrow path cut into a cliff and just show that part from the bottom of the hill. If we’re hiking, I try to make sure that they are capable of the walk, we have water, supplies, a GPS to show where we are on the property and whatever we need so that clients don’t feel like they might be lunch for a bear or cougar. This type of real estate attracts some real interesting characters.
Like other parts of marketing real estate, the agent who can market properties to prospective clients to their best advantage wins. Yes, we have beautiful homes that I can drive a comfortable sedan or sports car to. But, sometimes it is just a blast to have a property to show that really gets me out in nature! Some days are just about the smiles since I can’t put their names into the CRM system until I have cell coverage anyway!
Richard Stabile says:
I have showed some big properties, but nothing so vast and outragious as this. We are in a suburban metro area of New York City. If I drive out 50 -60 miles I have shown some 100 acre to 200 acre properties, but nothing like your description. I guess using a helicoper would make sense for you!
May 27, 2009 — 7:21 pm
Brian Brady says:
The pictures for that property are splendid. Black bear, grouse, deer, and lizards! Truly, a “Presidential Ranch” for a helluva price.
May 27, 2009 — 10:09 pm
Doug Allen says:
That does look nice. Makes me think about leaving the Bay Area and heading for the hills! Can’t believe the prices, looks pretty attractive after just showing 10 acres for $3,000,000. Nice job on the http://www.joecreekretreat.com website too! Kudos!
May 28, 2009 — 9:36 am