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Learn why the team at Arc Properties is the top option to sell your family farm.
Selling land that's been in your family for generations isn't just a real estate transaction—it's an emotional journey that requires balancing legacy, financial needs, and future possibilities. After more than 35 years of helping South Metro families navigate this exact decision, Arc Properties has learned that the families who feel best about their choices are those who understand all their options before committing to a path.
Whether your family farm sits in Scott County, Rice County, or the surrounding South Metro area, this comprehensive guide shares insights from three-and-a-half decades of land development experience. We'll explore your options, the emotional considerations, the financial implications, and how to make decisions that honor both your family's past and their future.
Before diving into options and processes, let's acknowledge what makes selling family land so uniquely challenging.
Your family's land represents:
Generational Connection: Perhaps your grandparents homesteaded this property. Maybe you grew up playing in those woods or helping with harvests. The land holds memories that transcend its market value.
Family Identity: For many families, "the farm" is part of their identity. It's where reunions happen, where multiple generations have built their lives, where your family name has meaning in the community.
Stewardship Responsibility: You may feel you're not just deciding for yourself—you're making a choice that affects siblings, children, grandchildren, and family members not yet born.
Practical Complexity: The land may have been affordable to acquire generations ago, but property taxes, maintenance, and opportunity costs have changed dramatically. What was once a manageable holding may now be a financial burden—even as its value has increased exponentially.
Arc Properties has guided hundreds of families through this process, and we've learned that the emotional weight comes from several sources:
Guilt: Many people feel they're "giving up" on family legacy or tradition.
Uncertainty: Without understanding all the options, the decision feels like a leap into the unknown.
Family Dynamics: Siblings or extended family may have different opinions, needs, or emotional attachments to the property.
Financial Pressure: The land may represent significant value, but accessing that value requires making major decisions.
Fear of Regret: What if you sell and then wish you hadn't? What if you hold on and miss important opportunities?
The good news: understanding your options dramatically reduces this anxiety. When you know what's possible, you can make informed decisions that align with your family's actual needs rather than reacting to pressure or uncertainty.
One critical lesson from 35+ years of land development: there's rarely just one "right" answer for family land. The best choice depends on your specific situation, goals, and family dynamics.
How It Works: You sell your entire property to a developer or land buyer who will handle all future development, subdivision, or resale activities.
Financial Outcome:
Who This Works Best For:
Emotional Considerations:
How It Works: You maintain ownership through the development process, working with Arc Properties and other experts to create subdivided lots, install infrastructure, and sell individual parcels over time.
Financial Outcome:
Who This Works Best For:
Emotional Considerations:
How It Works: Sell a portion of your property while retaining some acreage for family use, future development, or simply keeping a piece of your legacy intact.
Financial Outcome:
Who This Works Best For:
Emotional Considerations:
How It Works: You maintain ownership but place restrictions on development, often receiving tax benefits or payments from conservation organizations.
Financial Outcome:
Who This Works Best For:
Emotional Considerations:
How It Works: Transfer ownership to next generation, either as gift or structured sale.
Financial Outcome:
Who This Works Best For:
Emotional Considerations:
Based on more than 35 years of guiding families through these decisions, Arc Properties has developed a clear process that respects both the emotional and financial complexity of family land decisions.
What Happens: You'll meet with Arc Properties' experienced team for an informal, personalized session. This isn't a high-pressure sales meeting—it's a conversation about your situation, goals, and concerns.
What We'll Discuss:
What You'll Learn:
Key Insight from 35+ Years: The families who make the best decisions are those who feel heard and understood before anyone starts talking about contracts or valuations. This step is about building trust and understanding your unique situation.
What Happens: If you decide to move forward, Arc Properties works with you to explore your chosen path in detail. This might involve:
For Development Options:
For As-Is Sales:
For Partial Sales or Hybrid Approaches:
What You'll Learn:
Key Insight from 35+ Years: This phase often reveals options families didn't know existed. The process of exploring possibilities frequently leads to creative solutions that serve family needs better than the initial plan.
What Happens: Once you've committed to a path, Arc Properties guides you through execution, ensuring maximum value and minimum stress.
For Families Choosing Development:
For Families Choosing As-Is Sale:
What You'll Experience:
Key Insight from 35+ Years: The "return on investment" isn't just financial—it's also about feeling good about the process and outcome. Families who work with Arc Properties consistently report that they felt supported, informed, and confident in their decisions.
Beyond the structured process, Arc Properties has learned invaluable lessons that help families navigate these decisions successfully.
Some families feel pressured to decide quickly. Others procrastinate for years. The families who make the best decisions are those who move forward when:
Don't let external pressure force premature decisions, but don't let emotional attachment prevent beneficial action when timing is right.
We've seen families turn down more lucrative options because they caused family conflict, and we've seen families choose less profitable paths because everyone could agree. Family peace is worth something—often worth a lot.
If your family can't align on a path forward, sometimes selling as-is (even at lower return) is better than years of conflict over development decisions.
Many families initially think preserving legacy means never selling. Over time, they realize that:
Your family legacy is larger than any single piece of ground—it's the values, relationships, and opportunities you create.
National developers or distant investors don't understand Scott County, Rice County, and the South Metro like Arc Properties does. After three-and-a-half decades:
Working with local experts who'll still be your neighbors after the transaction matters.
Arc Properties operates with 100% transparency because we've learned that families make better decisions when they:
Our reputation over 35+ years comes from families who felt they were treated honestly and fairly—that matters more to us than any single transaction.
Your property's specific location affects available options and potential values.
Strong Growth Trajectory: Scott County has experienced consistent population growth and development, supporting strong land values.
Established Development Infrastructure: Local municipalities have clear processes for land development, reducing uncertainty.
Desirable South Metro Location: Proximity to Minneapolis-St. Paul while maintaining rural character makes Scott County properties valuable.
Arc Properties Track Record: As one of the largest rural residential land developers in Scott County history, Arc Properties has unmatched experience and relationships here.
Emerging Market: Rice County offers opportunities as development pressure extends further from the core metro.
Agricultural Preservation Balance: Rice County balances development with agricultural preservation, requiring careful navigation.
Lower Competition: Fewer developers active in Rice County can mean better opportunities for families choosing development paths.
Growing Appeal: As Scott County land prices increase, Rice County becomes more attractive to buyers seeking value.
Arc Properties also works in Dakota, Carver, and other surrounding areas where South Metro development extends. Each area has unique characteristics affecting your options.
Not all family land is created equal for development purposes. Here's what affects potential:
High Potential:
Moderate Potential:
Lower Potential (for near-term development):
Important Note: "Lower development potential" doesn't mean "lower value." Sometimes these properties are perfect for agricultural preservation, conservation easements, or simply long-term holds for next generation.
Ideal Development Parcels:
Challenging (But Not Impossible) Parcels:
Each municipality has different:
Arc Properties' 35+ years of experience navigating these requirements means we can give you realistic assessments of what's possible and what it will cost.
If you're considering what to do with your family's land in Scott County, Rice County, or the surrounding South Metro, the first step is simple: a conversation.
Arc Properties offers initial consultations with no obligation, no pressure, and no cost. We'll help you:
Why families choose to talk with Arc Properties:
✓ 35+ Years of Experience: We've guided hundreds of families through this exact decision
✓ Local Knowledge: We live and work in Scott County—we're your neighbors
✓ Proven Track Record: One of the largest rural residential developers in Scott County history
✓ Complete Transparency: We explain everything clearly and honestly
✓ Family-Focused Approach: We understand this isn't just business—it's your family's legacy
✓ Multiple Options: We help you explore all paths, not just the ones that benefit us most
✓ Ongoing Support: Our relationship doesn't end at closing—we're here long-term
Duration: Typically 1-2 hours, depending on your questions and property complexity
Setting: At your property, our office, or wherever you're most comfortable
Who Should Attend: Key family decision-makers (though we can do individual and then group meetings if that works better)
What to Bring: Property tax statements, any surveys or legal descriptions you have, questions you want answered
What You'll Leave With: Clear understanding of options, realistic expectations, and confidence about next steps (whether that's moving forward or simply continuing to consider)
Phone: 952-292-6231
Website: propertiesbyarc.com
Email: Through the contact form at propertiesbyarc.com
Office: Serving Scott County, Rice County, and the entire South Metro Minnesota area
Selling family land—whether farm, acreage, or other property—is deeply personal. There's no universal "right answer," only the answer that's right for your family's unique situation, values, and needs.
What Arc Properties brings to this decision is:
You don't have to make this decision alone. You don't have to figure out every detail before reaching out. You don't have to commit to anything before you're ready.
What you do need is a trusted partner who will give you honest guidance, explain your options clearly, and support whatever decision serves your family best.
That's what Arc Properties has done for hundreds of families over 35+ years. That's what we'd like to do for yours.
When you're ready to have that first conversation—or even if you're just considering whether you're ready—reach out. Let our expertise become your experience as you navigate one of the most significant decisions your family will make.
Your family's land has been part of your legacy. The decision you make about its future will be too. Let's make sure it's a decision you'll feel good about for decades to come.
