5
Properties Real Estate. "Cities have many modern
conveniences, but rural living and the pursuit of
recreational opportunities have become more
attractive to a sizeable cross section of the
population in recent years," he said.
Bates said the rural land market has continued
to trend upward despite the more volatile
traditional real estate industry, which is more
closely tied to interest rates and other market
issues. "Most of our rural land buyers are
financially capable individuals, and factors like
interest rates and inflation won't stop them from
fulfilling their lifestyle dream or capitalizing on
the opportunity for one of the most consistent
and reliable investments you can make."
"As a national leader in connecting buyers and
sellers of farm, recreational, country homes
D
espite positive economic growth in 2023,
the U.S. housing market continued to be
negatively impacted by higher mortgage
rates, rising prices and low inventory, which made
home ownership unattainable for many Americans.
The National Association of Realtors reported
that existing U.S. home sales sank in 2023 to a
nearly 30-year low, declining 18.7% compared to
2022. That was the weakest performance since
1995 and the biggest annual decline since 2007.
1
During 2023, more than 60,000 traditional real
estate agents exited the industry.
2
In stark contrast to this slump, the rural land
market has remained vibrant, according to Dan
Bates, national education director for Whitetail
