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Ranchland Report: Texas Leads Recent Sales as Rising Land Values Fuel Property Tax Relief Push

Genevieve Collins from Americans for Prosperity discusses rising Texas property taxes, potential relief, and impacts on farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.

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Granite Water Ranch
Llano, Texas | Llano County | 817 Acres
Broker(s): Robb Van Pelt, Zurick Labrier
Call Agent: 1-806-680-3729

DALLAS, TEXAS (RFD NEWS) — Today’s farmland real estate market is broad-based, but it is not moving the same way in every region. According to proprietary data collected by the Land Broker Co-op, records of 2,662 sold properties across 42 states over the past six months have uncovered a few trends.

The South posted the most volume in the dataset, with 1,464 records and about $1.26 billion in listed value. The West had fewer transactions, but those deals represented far more land — about 2.26 million acres — and carried the highest regional median list price at $742,000.

The Midwest sat between those two profiles, showing 557 records, about $425.8 million in listed value, and a median list price of $350,000. The Northeast was the smallest segment in the sample, with 154 records, lower acreage totals, and a median list price of $127,450.

Farm-Level Takeaway: Land Broker Co-op data suggest that rural land demand is broad-based, but market behavior still varies significantly by region.
Tony St. James, RFD News Markets Specialist

State-level activity was also spread widely. Texas led the field with 416 sold records, followed by Mississippi, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Missouri. That mix suggests the active rural land market is stretching across the South, Plains, and Mountain West rather than clustering in one single region.

Bart Miller with Land Broker Co-op says the data should be viewed as a directional snapshot, not a full census. Even so, the pattern is clear: rural land sales are active nationwide, but acreage, price, and deal size still vary sharply by region.

LEARN MORE: www.landbrokercoop.com

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Regional Spotlight: Texas Land Values Spark Tax-Relief Effort

Efforts are underway to bring property tax relief to rural Texas as rising land appraisals continue to drive up tax bills, raising concerns about whether farms and ranches can remain in family hands.

Texas State Director Genevieve Collins with Americans for Prosperity joined us on Wednesday’s Market Day Report with the latest on the proposed relief plan.

In her interview with RFD News, Collins discussed why property taxes are increasing for rural Texans and what is at stake for landowners facing higher valuations. She also addressed how rising land values are impacting tax burdens and whether voter approval may be required for certain changes.

Finally, Collins explained how the proposed relief plan could impact farmers, ranchers, and small-town homeowners, and whether the effort will be driven at the local level or require broader legislative action.

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Tony St. James joined the RFD-TV talent team in August 2024, bringing a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to RFD-TV and Rural Radio Channel 147 Sirius XM. In addition to his role as Market Specialist (collaborating with Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady to provide radio and TV audiences with the latest updates on ag commodity markets), he hosts “Rural America Live” and serves as talent for trade shows.

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