57% more land marketed but don't get too excited as last year was a historic low and the market is returning to more normal conditions. 2Q2013 update  (1 April to 30 June 2013).

Over 50% more land was marketed this Spring compared with 2012 in what is traditionally the busiest period for farmland market activity.

"Compared with last year the increase in supply looks dramatic.  However if we look back further it is clear that it is more a case of supply returning to normality.  In six of the last seven years, 50 – 60,000 acres were marketed in the second quarter.  The 35,800 acres in 2012 was an exception." says Dr Jason Beedell, Head of Research at Smiths Gore.

"The resurgence in supply can be attributed to landowners keen to take advantage of last year's strong prices and low supply."

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Giles Wordsworth, National Head of Farms and Estates Agency, comments: "In our last update, the statistics indicated that supply would continue to be limited in 2013, however market activity picked up rapidly in late May and early June and at the end of the quarter supply has been comparable with levels seen in the period from 2007 to 2011."

"The area of equipped land marketed has increased 67%, compared with a 16% increase for bare land. In response to demand for commercial arable acres, there are more equipped holdings coming to market where the farmhouse has been retained and only the land and modern buildings are being offered for sale."

"There are also fewer large farms being sold and you can see the real scarcity when you try looking for a particular type and size of farm.  For example, there were only five arable farms over 750 acres marketed in the whole of England and only seven livestock and mixed farms."

There are large differences between the regions.  The most active regions are South Central England and the West Midlands, compared with the least active South East and North West.

Values continue to rise

Farmland values in England rose by 4% in the second quarter, mainly due to equipped land prices rising (+4%) compared with bare land (+1%).

The 'all land' average value is £9,500 per acre with equipped farms averaging £10,200 and bare land at £7,100.


All farms

293 farms and parcels of land over 50 acres were marketed in 2Q2013, which is higher than the number marketed during the same period of 2012 (159 properties) and 2011 (260 properties).

The total amount of land for sale in 2Q2013 was significantly higher than in 2012.  56,100 acres were marketed in 2013 compared with 35,800 acres in 2012. However, there was slightly less land available in 2013 than in 2011 when 57,000 acres were marketed in this period.

Equipped farms (Farms with buildings)

215 equipped farms were marketed in 2Q2013, compared with 120 in 2012 and 214 properties in 2011.

The area of land marketed during 2Q2013 was 48,200 acres, 67% higher than in 2012 (28,900 acres) and 2% lower than in 2011 (49,200 acres).

Bare land

78 parcels of bare land were marketed in 2Q2013, compared with 39 in 2012 and 46 in 2011.

7,900 acres were marketed, a 16% increase on 2012 (6,900 acres) and equal to 2011 (7,900 acres).

These figures from Smiths Gore's Research department are based on all sales of publicly marketed farmland in England over 50 acres and exclude sales where the residential value of the sale is greater than 50% of the total.