Cropland Values in North Dakota Follow Grain Prices - Buyers and renters should not be blinded by the many positives and ignore potential negative outcomes that could occur. A strong uptrend in North Dakota cropland values and rents started in 2004 and accelerated with higher grain prices starting in 2007. Grain prices peaked in 2008. Farm profit was the highest in a generation, and land values increased 20 percent that year. (Source: The Cattle Business Weekly - April 6, 2011)

Cash Crops, Buying Farmland for Income (November 2010) -Investors nervous about the stock market and in search of better returns than a money-market fund might consider plowing cash into farmland, say some financial planners. By acquiring and renting out high-quality acreage, investors can book a 3% to 5% annual return from rental income and, over time, might rack up an additional 5% or so per year in appreciation, says R. Dennis Moon, managing director of specialty asset management at U.S. Trust, a unit of Bank of America Corp. (Source: Wall Street Journal - June 19,2010)

2010 Dakota Properties Annual Meeting (October 2010) - Dakota Properties held it’s annual conference on October 7th and 8th at the Spearfish Canyon Lodge in beautiful Spearfish Canyon. Some of the timely topics discussed at the conference were enhancements to our website, including our new 3D mapping program for all properties, how to use IRA funds to purchase, own and manage your investment portfolio, updating our marketing plans to better respond to the changing real estate market in South Dakota, and update our brokers on what’s happening at Cabela’s Trophy Properties in Sidney, NE.

CRP Opens Enrollment For First Time in 4 Years (August 2010) - U.S. Department of Agriculture officials are making good on a winter promise to open up the Conservation Reserve Program for a new general signup – the first open enrollment since 2006. Officials also pledged to make CRP payments, which in the past have averaged about $51 a acre, comparable to current rental rates farmers and ranchers can receive to plow up the land for crop production. The idea is to set aside marginal acres for conservation and wildlife production. And in South Dakota, that means pheasants.                       

One of America's Top Auction Houses (June 2010) - Spearfish, South Dakota - Dakota Properties Real Estate has been named one of the Top 25 Auction Houses in the United States by The Land Report. The editors of The Land Report: The Magazine of the American Landowner, have compiled a list of Americas top auction houses as ranked by land sales. With $11.7 million in auction sales, Dakota Properties Real Estate comes in at number 18 on this prestigious list. 

What is a Right of First Refusal (February 2010) - A right of first refusal (RFR) in a real-estate contract is typically a mechanism that gives to a specific party the right to be the first allowed to purchase a particular property if its offered for sale. The holder has the right to refuse to buy the property. It can be a confusing concept. An RFR is a future right, and it is contingent on the property being put on the market.

1031 Tax Deferred Exchange (December 2009) - Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code enables any real property owner who sells property, to reinvest the proceeds of the sale in ownership of like-kind property, and defer paying capital gains tax on the proceeds.

CTP's Fall 2009 Newsletter (December 2009) - Read about the exciting year at Cabela's Trophy Properties in 2009.

Volumes, Values and Emerging Trends (November 2009) - Read more about the past, present and future land market in the Midwest.

Dakota Properties Annual Meeting (October 2009) - Dakota Properties recently held its annual meeting at the Spearfish Canyon Lodge near Spearfish, South Dakota. Results from the past year were reviewed and strategic plans were developed for the next year.

What is Cabela's Trophy Properties (October 2009) - Cabela's Trophy Properties, LLC, is a landowner service arm of Cabela's, the World's Foremost Outfitter of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear. You don't have to be buying or selling property to benefit from what we offer. CTP is a broad-based network of landowner services, including recreational property listings, habitat and aquatic services and property mapping.

How a Land Agent Earns His Money (October 2009) - “Why in the world would I pay you a commission to help me sell my land?” This is a fair question for a landowner to ask. Let’s consider a few points, from a land agent’s perspective, on why an agent can be worth the money.

Market Update (July 2009) - Since Wall Street's plunge, DakotaProperties.com visitor traffic has increased by 42.5 percent as potential buyers actively scour the site in search of farm land, hunting land, ranches, horse farms, waterfront lots and other potentially lucrative types of land for sale with investment potential.

Farmland Forecast (July 2009) -  The land in South Dakota is still gaining value. A recent study by South Dakota State University revealed that South Dakota agricultural land values have risen 7.7% over the last year.

The Power of the Self-Directed IRA (April 2009) - Do you think that your only retirement investment option is the stock market or low-yielding CDs? Imagine investing in a piece of property just down the street - a tangible asset! Most real estate investors aren't aware that they can use their retirement savings, such as IRAs, 401(k) and other qualified plans to invest in real estate.

Why Invest in Farmland (April 2009) - We believe that over the long-term, farmland will provide a steady stream of income and capital gains due to the increasing global demand for agricultural commodities, driven by the rising world population, rapid growth in emerging markets, and continued demand for ethanol and bio-fuels.

Market Value (October 2008) - This type of return on investment is priceless and can not be affected by swings in the market. Some of the best rates of return can not be measured in dollars and cents, but in memories created and shared.  If you have a desire to start your own family legacy or expand the one you already have, now is a great time to invest in land.

Land Values Continue Upward Climb (October 2008) - South Dakota farm real estate value, including land and buildings, averaged $990 per acre on January 1, 2008, up 21 percent from 2007, according to the South Dakota office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Double Digit Increases in Cropland Values & Cash Rents (June 2008) - Increases in South Dakota cropland values and cash rental rates are the highest they’ve been in the 18 years that two SDSU researchers have tracked ag real estate.

Dakota Properties Receives Award (June 2008) -  During the 2008 Cabela's Trophy Properties conference held in Reno, NV, Dakota Properties received the national "Bulls Eye" award for being the best administratively run Territory in the Cabela's Trophy Properties worldwide marketing system.

Moving to the Country (April 2008) - Many people moving to the country do not realize how much different life can be when they are used to city services and city ways. The following represent some items people moving outside city limits need to consider. Some times, people already living in the country need to be reminded of these items as well.