Depending on who is talking, reverberations from the pandemic either continue to play out in western ranch sales, or the market has settled into trends similar to what was present before the COVID-19 outbreak.
Fay Ranches brokers Ryan Bramlette and Matt Henningsen said in their Aug. 22 podcast they are seeing more first-time buyers in the market looking for properties with recreational value, close to an airport and good health care — clients that weren’t as common before 2020.
“As opposed to years ago, you were usually showing land to someone that was more educated around that and perhaps was not their first rodeo,” Henningsen said.
In contrast, John Merritt, COO of Live Water Properties in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, said the market “was more balanced and followed historic trends” in 2024.
Andy Rahn, owner of the appraisal company Montana Land Source, said the difference may be a matter of marketing.
Election effect
One dampener of sales in 2024 is …