A Place in the Country Bill Ziercher

A Place in the Country

BY BILL ZIERCHER

Bill is a Charter Member of the American Tree Farm System and his timber property is ATFS certified. He is a lifetime member of Quail Forever and the National Rifle Association.

Thinking of Selling Your Rural Property? Now Is a Great Time.

ru·ral

Adjective in, relating to, or characteristic of the countryside rather than the city.

If you are someone you know is thinking about selling a rural property now is an excellent time to sell. It is a seller’s market for sure, with prices at an all-time high and available inventory near an all-time low. Selling such an important asset is a major decision for you or your family. Remember that the right agent does not cost, rather they pay, in that the experience and reach will usually net you more money while providing valuable advice. The important questions to consider when picking an agent are: ■ First, can you trust the agent? ■Are they intimately familiar and passionate about your property type, in order to best present your property to buyers? ■ Do they have the right marketing tools in their toolbox? ■Are they a full-time agent with depth of experience in getting deals done? ■Will they provide not only local but region and national reach? The long-term trends have to do with a population of all ages looking to get out of the metropolitan “rat race,” and the greater availability of lifestyle options in smaller towns like interesting restaurants, brew pubs, shops and music/winery venues. The renovation and improvement in rural communities, making them more desirable for suburban and urban residents to relocate or recreate, has been on a steady increase for a long time. There is a sense of nostalgia about small town life that many people remember fondly from their childhoods and that they are now seeking to recapture. Many families are connecting with nature more, and like me, they find it addictive. Working professionals are experiencing more life balance. The decline in time and desire to follow and watch professional sports is one example. It is about addition not subtraction. What I mean it is not decreasing the importance of career, rather increasing importance in other vital areas of life; recreation, family, exercise (hiking) and nature. People who have been thinking about having a place to live or play a little further out are deciding now is the time to make the move. Shifts in work, education, health, entertainment and shopping options have also added to the trend. With expanding broadband, residents in rural areas can work from home as easily as those in metropolitan areas. They can stream the latest and best in entertainment without having theaters nearby and shop from any website in the world with delivery directly to their homes. From a supply/demand perspective Missouri, like most of the country, has extreme contrasts in population densities when you look at population per square mile. The shift in demand from urban/suburbanites has created an inventory imbalance increasing rural property demand, making it a great time for families to sell some or all of their rural property.

BILL ZIERCHER is the founder of Select Properties Real Estate. He has been active in building, buying, selling, and managing rural real estate and income property for over 25 years. His company’s 10-step marketing process offers unmatched exposure for your property on over 500 real estate search sites for the rural real estate market. For a free consultation on marketing your rural property, you can contact Bill at 314-412-3966. And for copies of previous “A Place in the Country” Articles you can email him at ziercher59@gmail.com. ■“Getting Away and Staying Connected” this article addresses how technology makes it easier to live, play, work or raise a family in rural areas ■“Attracting Wildlife to your Rural Property” helpful hints for attracting deer, birds and more ■“Water Features” explores lakes, ponds, streams and springs on rural properties ■“Rural Property is a Great Investment” ■“Selling, Buying and Owning Rural Property” Q&A on buying and selling