Our W2 Profile pieces highlight a diverse array of hunters, anglers, conservationists and outdoor retailers. You can learn much from the stories of our subjects about determination and effort.
For this month’s W2 Profile we caught up with Bill Baker, chief broker for Unity Country Virginia Realty. The Clarksville, Virginia native has made quite a name for himself selling the kinds of properties hunters and anglers enjoy. You’ll find a bunch of his special listings in our Destination section each month. Recently, Baker has been differentiating United Country Hunting Properties from regular United Country Listings and we wanted to find out the difference.
“UC Hunting properties is an ‘opt in’ marketing program aimed at assisting our agents to offer enhance marketing to the sellers of properties that have significant hunting opportunities. It includes specialty websites, digital video marketing and social media marketing with the sole purpose of providing broader exposure for these properties,” Baker told W2.
The next question that begged to be asked: What makes Baker’s team so interested in hunting properties?
“The hunting industry is huge! The economic impact of hunting has been significant over the last 20 years. Hunters are realizing the value having a place of their own to manage and grow game. Deer, turkey and waterfowl hunters are the most significant purchasing group we market to. Bird dog trainers have also been inclined to buy hunting properties. Our team members are avid outdoorsmen, we are a true example of working in what you love.”
Baker’s teammate, broker Curt Headington added,” Hunting is truly a lifestyle, it’s not a season or hobby for our agents. Our agents live this lifestyle and work in real estate that’s heavily predicated on hunting and recreational properties, this allows them to do what they love and help their clients realize their dreams of acquiring and managing a hunting property. On the flip side, if someone owns land that has hunting value, but they don’t fully understand the appeal, our agents help them market the property properly to outdoor and hunting enthusiasts and ultimately get the true market value for the property.”
We asked Baker how important to overall mental health is hunting in his opinion?
“Hunting is the act of pursuing game and fowl; not to be confused with killing or harvesting the game. In fact, some of my personal best hunts never resulted in a harvest, My most cherished moments afield often include friends and family, a loyal dog, but most of all a quiet time with the Lord and His great creation. Hunting can be the very best mental therapy for whatever may ail you!”
Said Headington: “To the folks that hunt this isn’t even an option, many of us use hunting as our mental vacation away from the hustle and bustle of life. Sitting in nature and enjoying a slower pace is truly something we all need to do more of. In addition, hunting traditions go hand in hand with creating memories with friends and memories. Anyone that hunts can share stories of hunting with loved ones and those memories of Dad, Grandpa, Aunt, Uncle, etc. are priceless. Owning a piece of land that allows people to enjoy nature and create memories is what it’s all about. Our tag line at UC Hunting Properties is ‘Stand on your Investment’ for good reason; when’s the last time you created a memory with your family over a stock or investment statement? Buying and owning property is a sound investment and you get to enjoy it as it appreciates over time.”
So, what constitutes a good UC Hunting Property in case someone reading this may want to list theirs and is wondering?
“This is a broad question that requires a broad answer. I’ll give you an example, a landowner may look at their property as a working cattle farm. That may be the case, but that same farm may have hunting appeal far beyond a cattle operation. The cattle pasture and/or timber may be home to some incredible whitetail and turkey habitat. The pond, creek, or river that the cattle water from may have seasonal waterfowl using it. ‘Rough’ ground for agriculture is typically the best ground for hunting. If a client doesn’t live the hunting lifestyle, often times they don’t realize their properties true value and/or potential. Our agents will analyze every potential best use for the property and market it accordingly,” noted Headington.
We asked Baker to look into his real estate crystal ball and share what he sees for the next 12 months for hunting real estate.
“I see steady to upward direction in both demand and price.”
Headington’s response: “Regardless of the economy or what’s happening in the world, folks that hunt are going to hunt… It’s a passion for many that won’t change, regardless of circumstance. That said, hunting and recreational real estate seems to be less prone to be affected by outside factors. Interest rates have slowed the real estate market in general, however, hunting and recreational properties are still trading hands daily. Again, people that live this lifestyle will continue to prioritize what’s important to them. If you’re looking to buy or sell a hunting property, we believe the demand for recreational farms will be strong for the foreseeable future. As the world gets crazier, spending time in rural America on a farm you view as an investment becomes more appealing all the time.”
We also asked Baker within a marketplace that has several other players, what makes the UC team different from other companies pursuing the hunting properties market?
“For United Country our Hunting Properties are a ‘specialty’ within a much larger framework of a rural real estate practice. Our approach is not restricted by one type and in turn, allows us to expose a particular property to many prospects so you receive broader exposure for your listing.”
Headington added, “UC is the nation’s largest rural land brokerage. UC Hunting Properties is our team of true recreational and hunting land experts. UCHP members live and breathe the outdoor lifestyle and have a diverse background and understanding with topics like hunting best practices, land management, agricultural operations, and managing a hunting property.
“UC and UC Hunting Properties has marketing capabilities far beyond other real estate companies, we specialize in rural America. We specialize in farms, land, and recreational properties. Our team is made up of true professionals; we don’t ‘play’ land agent, we are real world land pros. There’s a distinct difference between living the lifestyle and faking it. Our agents are the best in the business and our systematic approach to marketing properties is what sets us apart from the competition. The scope and scale of the UC Hunting Properties network is second to no one.”
Worth noting is that UC Hunting Properties range from Central America to the Arctic Circle!
