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The value of plantation lands
varies significantly depending on a variety of tangible and
intangible factors such as size, location, land types,
improvements, timber value, beauty, history, game populations and
so forth. Sales prices, therefore, reflect a wide range of
attributes, but are less influenced by extraneous factors such as
the stock market or interest rates. Plantations rarely come on the
market, and they are usually highly sought after.
Recent sales handled by
Plantation Services include:
South Carolina
Paul and Dalton Plantation
2300 acres $8,000,000
Mansfield Plantation
930 acres $6,000,000
Annandale Plantation
3300 acres $9,000,000
Georgia
Chickasawhatchee Plantation
13,000 acres $26,000,000
Knollwood Plantation
6,300 acres $14,350,000
Barrett Plantation
850 acres $4,900,000
Tahlequah Farms
520 acres $3,000,000
(Approx. acres and
prices)
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Farms
There has been limited turnover of
farming operations in recent years and this trend continued in
2005. However, this market dynamic could change for several
reasons. Farmers are being hit hard by recent significant
increases in energy prices. Farm operations use large amounts of
various types of fuel, and many farm chemicals are petroleum
based.
Farms are generally capital-
intensive businesses. Recent increases in short-term interest
rates will add to borrowing costs and contribute to reduced
operating margins. Generally favorable weather conditions in the
early summer of 2005 led to a good corn crop in most areas of
South Carolina and Georgia, but dry weather patterns in late
summer will likely reduce yields of cotton, peanuts, soybeans and
hay.
Except for livestock and poultry,
prices for many agricultural commodities have not kept pace with
the higher costs of farm inputs. Even with government payments
rising somewhat to offset lower commodity prices, net farm income
for 2005 will almost certainly be lower compared to recent years.
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