Frequently Asked Questions
What types of ranches are available in California?
According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the state has a huge variety of working ranches. You will find big cattle ranches in the North Coast mountains the Shasta area the Sierra Nevada foothills and the Central Coast. Sheep and goat ranches are a bit less common, but you still see them along the coast. Horse properties are everywhere, especially in Southern California and in the foothills right outside the major cities. The Central Coast is famous for unique properties that mix cattle grazing with vineyards. Up north massive timber properties support the commercial logging industry. Finally, hunting ranches are incredibly popular with people from the coastal cities who want a place to hunt deer, wild pigs and bears.
What does ranch land cost per acre in California?
California ranch land is some of the most expensive in America because water is scarce and demand is high. According to recent data from the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, cattle ranches on the North Coast in Mendocino and Humboldt counties sell for 1500 to 3500 dollars per acre just for the raw land. Central Coast ranches that mix cattle and vineyards in San Luis Obispo, Monterey and Santa Barbara counties regularly sell for 3000 to over 10000 dollars per acre. Up north in Shasta and Tehama counties, things are much cheaper with raw grazing land going for 1000 to 2500 dollars per acre. Prices get pushed up even higher because wealthy buyers from the coast use tax-free exchanges to park their money in land which drives the cost well above what the land is actually worth for farming.
What water rights considerations are specific to California ranches?
California uses a mixed up water system that gives rights to people whose land touches a stream and also to people who divert water away from the source. According to the State Water Resources Control Board the oldest water rights claimed before 1914 are the most powerful and get priority during a drought. The state board manages all this and can legally force newer water users to stop pumping when water levels drop which has happened a lot during recent droughts. Anyone buying a ranch must track down and verify every single water right claim before closing the deal. You need to see the actual water right certificates permits and any historical proof of those powerful pre 1914 rights in the title paperwork.
