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Ray Brownfield shares his views on Illinois land values

More than 70 people attended The Chicago Farmers’ April 9th meeting to hear Ray Brownfield discuss 2017 land values in Illinois. Brownfield, a 40-year member of TCF, is the managing broker/owner of Land Pro, a company composed of professional land real estate specialists that is based in Oswego, Illinois. An accredited land consultant and accredited farm manager, Brownfield recently received the Realtors Land Institute APEX 2017 Top Twenty Producer award. He noted that he and Jason Lestina, also a member of TCF and an Illinois real estate broker and an accredited farm manager with Land Pro, sold $27 million worth of real estate in 2017.

Thanks to the melting of glaciers during the Ice Age, portions of Illinois boast some very fertile soil. As the glaciers receded, they left behind silt and minerals that give the state its Class A soil. “The area that I refer to as the Golden Triangle, in the center of the state, has the largest concentration of Class A soil,” said Brownfield. “This soil, of course, commands the best prices.”

Brownfield noted that buyers usually refer to a farm’s productivity index (PI) to determine the price they are willing to pay for parcels. All farms have a PI, he noted. The PIs are used to quantify yield potential of Illinois soils. The highest PIs are located in east-central, west-central, and northern Illinois. The counties with the lowest PIs are found in the southern part of the state.

“The prices for excellent soil are down about two percent, but there are still some pockets of strength” said Brownfield. “B quality soil prices are down about one percent, while C quality soil prices are down about five percent, which is due to drainage issues and less productivity.”

Brownfield said that the regions of the state that have excellent quality soil are experiencing median prices per acre that range from $9,755 to $10,800. Regarding B quality soil, Brownfield said it is a buyers’ market; people are looking for the best possible soil at a discounted rate. “If buyers can purchase land with lesser quality soil at a discounted price, they are willing to invest another $200 to $300 in improvements, such as drainage tiles,” said Brownfield.

He went on to say that farms with C soils and lower PIs are difficult to sell because they have high clay content, do not drain well and usually are irregular in shape; however, some farmers will purchase these farms if they believe they will fit their needs. Brownfield said that the average quality of soil diminishes as you travel farther south in Illinois.

Regarding properties with less productive soil, Brownfield said that the demand for recreational land has decreased. The larger the parcel of recreational land on the market, the less attractive it is for buyers because they cannot produce enough income from it and still cover costs.

How does farmland rate as an investment? Brownfield noted that the annual growth rate in farmland investments from 2001 to 2017 ranged from 6.19 percent to 10.3 percent, depending on the region. The farms have to be held for at least 10 years to experience these rates, he said.

Regarding 2018, falling commodity prices will affect land prices, said Brownfield. He said that real estate professionals and appraisers don’t expect to see much increase. A December 2017 survey of the group shows that 54 percent believe there could be a one to four percent decrease in land values.

“A lot has happened since December, too,” said Brownfield. “Tariffs, decreasing commodity prices, increases in interest rates, and the possible elimination of the Renewable Fuel Standard are among the factors leading to price declines. On the other hand, higher yields and good economic growth in the United States will lead to price increases.”