On the Block: 1,600 acres of Illinois Farmland Sept. 10

VeraSun Energy will auction approximately 1,600 acres of Illinois farmland on Sept. 10 with Schrader and Westchester auction companies managing the sale.

The land, located in Montgomery, Madison, and Vermilion counties, consists primarily of high-quality tillable farmland, including some located in areas that offer potential for industrial and commercial development.

The sale is being conducted as part of VeraSun’s efforts to maximize the return for its creditors as part of its Chapter 11 reorganization. The company had acquired the land over the years in support of its ethanol-related businesses.

“Because of the stability of farmland prices relative to prices of other assets in recent months, owners have been reluctant to sell their land. As a result, there have been fewer opportunities to obtain high-quality tillable land. By selling it in tracts, we will enable smaller bidders to participate on an equal footing with larger ones. In fact, 15 of the 25 tracts are 50 acres or less, and no tract is larger than 250 acres,” said Rex Schrader, president of Schrader Real Estate & Auction Company.

Properties to be sold include:

• Approximately 487 acres in Litchfield, in Montgomery County. The property, which is primarily tillable farmland,  will sell in 11 tracts ranging from approximately two acres to approximately 83 acres. It is primarily tillable farmland.
• Approximately 380 acres in Granite City, selling in eight tracts ranging from approximately 1.2 acres to approximately 230 acres. The tracts, located two miles from I-270, include two homes and have rail access.  The tracts include land near a new Lowe’s and Wal-Mart.
• Approximately 733 acres in Danville, selling in six tracts ranging from approximately 35 acres to approximately 250 acres.

The auctions will be held in two sessions. At 9 a.m., the Montgomery and Madison county properties will be sold at Staunton Knights of Columbus Hall in Staunton, Ill. The Vermilion County land will be sold at 6 p.m. at Beef House restaurant near Covington, Ind.

Individuals seeking additional information can visit www.schraderauction.com or call 800-451-2709.

170 Acres on the Block Saturday in Illinois

Update: The complete tract of land went unsold during the brief auction. The first tract at 50 acres was passed on at $120,000, the second tract at 40 acres was unsold at $96,000 and the third tract at 80 acres was unsold at $192,000. A combination of all three tracts was passed on as well.

170 acres, broken up into three tracts of 50, 40 and 80 acres, goes on the block Saturday in Marion County, IL. The land can be used both for hunting and CRP income. Buy A Farm Land and Auction Co. will host the bidding.

The minimum opening bids on the property start at $2,400 an acre.

Located on Blackburn Road, 15 minutes from I-57 in Centralia, the property could be a solid buy if you happened to scoop up all three parcels. Each has a decent CRP income; they total about $6,500 per year. According to the listing, deer abound on the property.

This would make a nice long weekend retreat for hunters in St. Louis or Chicago.

Bids will be taken at the Iuka Grade School or online. 10% down is required at the end of the auction with the balance at closing.

Sold! “Nicest Lakefront Property in East Tennessee”

Update: According to Chip Miller of NAI Knoxville, the Fort Loudon Lake property sold Saturday morning for $26.5 million to Bryan Testerman of Testerman Construction. That’s $54,000 per acre. Additional details to follow.

Original Post: Nearly 500 acres just outside Knoxville on Tennessee’s Fort Loudon Lake is up for absolute auction this weekend. As long as someone shows up with the $100,000 cashiers check required to bid, there will be a new owner for what tax rolls call the Al Kraemer Farm.

This pristine piece of farmland sits on a peninsula overlooking the popular lake, which sees an estimated two million visitors per year. There are three buildings on the farm. One dates back to 1910, but a newer 3,700-square-foot residence was built in 1983 and has four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The structures are irrelevant, however; the land is prime for development.

“It is the nicest piece of lakefront property in East Tennessee,” says Chip Miller of NAI Knoxville. “It’s in one of the highest growth areas and the demographics of the surrounding area are great.” Miller says he expects “only a handful” of people to make bids on the property. Will the land be sold for development? “Most certainly,” Miller said. The price though is the biggest question mark.

“It could go for $10 million or $40 million. It’s arguably worth $40 million,” Miller said, which equates to roughly $80,000 an acre.

Sold! 1,789 Acres of Kansas Farmland for $765 Per Acre

Nebraska’s York College sold off a 1,789-acre bequest in Ellis County, Kansas. The college got $1.369 million ($765 per acre) at the January auction and retained the mineral rights. Read more

Sold! $50 Million of Recreational Land at Midwest Auction

These days investing in the stock market is not for the faint of heart, and in markets from coast to coast thousands of developer-owned condos now sit vacant. But when it comes to land, there’s no shortage of motivated buyers. That’s the takeaway from a three-day auction of hunting and recreational tracts that grossed more than $50 million earlier this month. Read more