Can I Sell My Share of the Farmland?

Top 50 Questions about Farmland

Hey, it's the Iowa Land guy, and here's the top 50 questions that I get asked about farmland. Can I sell if my family doesn't want to? The answer is yes and no. Um, it depends, is the answer a 25% sharehold in Iowa is what you're looking for? If you own more than 25%, um, can you sell your interest without the family if it's easily divide?

Yes, you can. If it's not easily dividable, uh, geographically, then you can file for what's called a partition action. A partition action is a legal action to where it'll go to a court and they'll say, Hey, I want out of this, uh, transaction or out of this relationship. I'd like to cash out, um, but maybe my siblings do.

or maybe the rest of my family does not. Uh, can you force their hands? You can. But realize the court is going to try to judge fairly in that, uh, size, shape, cost, farm ability. They, they want to make it equitable for everyone in the transaction. Um, I have seen 'em where they go all the way and they're like, Nope, we're gonna auction it.

It's easier to split dollar bills than it is to split acres. Can I, uh, force my family to sell? Yes. Might, uh, have a conversation with 'em before that you never know. They might just want to buy your share out.

David Whitaker | Iowa Land Guy