Ty Hunter - Arrowhead Land Company

09/02/2026

SEPTEMBER LANDOWNER CHECKLIST

A few practical things worth checking this month:

☐ Count your hay and plan for winter
☐ Check pasture condition and remaining forage
☐ Soil test before planting fall forage
☐ Walk fences, gates and livestock water systems
☐ Make culling and weaning decisions
☐ Check roads, culverts and drainage before wet weather
☐ Prep hunting areas, trails, feeders and stands
☐ Make a list of fall and winter land improvement projects

September is a good month to get ahead of problems before colder weather arrives.

Good land management doesn’t just improve productivity. It helps protect the long-term value of your property.

08/27/2026

Oklahoma Hunting Dates 👇🏻👇🏻

08/26/2026

This property spent some time on the market, but we never let the marketing go stale. We stayed consistent, kept the presentation fresh, continued putting it in front of qualified buyers, and remained patient until the right one came along.

Selling land isn’t always about finding a buyer quickly. Sometimes it’s about having a strategy, staying engaged, and making sure the property is positioned correctly when the right buyer enters the market.

08/18/2026

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF A “DRAWER DEED”?

For years, some landowners used what is commonly called a dresser drawer deed as a simple estate-planning strategy.

The basic idea was pretty straightforward: a property owner would sign a deed conveying land to a child or other heir, but instead of immediately recording it at the courthouse, the deed might be kept with important papers with the intention of having it recorded later.

The goal?

Keep the property from having to go through probate.

But there can be a big problem with this strategy.

Simply signing a deed and sticking it in a drawer does not necessarily mean the property was legally transferred. Questions involving delivery, intent, ownership and recording can create title problems after the owner’s death.

Fortunately, Oklahoma has a much cleaner option today: the Transfer-on-Death Deed.

A properly prepared and recorded Transfer-on-Death Deed allows a landowner to name who will receive the property when the owner dies, while the owner keeps full ownership and control during his or her lifetime.

The owner can still sell the property, mortgage it, or change the beneficiary. Ownership does not transfer to the beneficiary until the owner’s death.

When handled correctly, this can allow that real estate to pass directly to the beneficiary without going through probate. Oklahoma law does require the beneficiary to complete certain steps after the owner’s death, including recording the required affidavit and death certificate within the statutory timeframe. (Oklahoma Senate⁠)

For families who have owned farms, ranches and other land for generations, something as simple as how the property is titled can make a major difference when it’s eventually passed to the next generation.

Good estate planning isn’t just about deciding who gets the land. It’s about making sure they can actually receive it as efficiently as possible.

This is something worth discussing with a qualified Oklahoma estate-planning or real-estate attorney before putting any deed strategy in place.

08/18/2026

YOUR LAND ISN’T WORTH WHAT THE NEIGHBOR’S LAND SOLD FOR

Comparable sales matter, but they’re only part of the picture.

Two rural properties can sit across the road from each other, have the same number of acres, and still have very different values.

Why?

Access. Water. Topography. Soil. Pasture quality. Timber. Utilities. Fencing. Improvements. Hunting potential. Minerals. Development potential. Location. Even the shape and layout of the property can make a difference.

A nearby sale gives us a reference point, but it doesn’t automatically determine what another property is worth.

Land is worth what its own characteristics, potential uses, and the current market support.

That’s why properly valuing rural property takes more than looking at what the neighbors sold for.

So, whether you’re thinking about buying, considering selling, or simply curious what your land might bring on the open market, a rural real estate expert should be one of the first people you call.

08/18/2026

PASTURELAND IS QUIETLY BECOMING MORE VALUABLE

The newest USDA land-value numbers were just released, and there’s an interesting trend developing in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma pastureland values increased 4.8% over the last year, compared with a 3.1% increase in overall farm real estate.

Even more impressive — Oklahoma pasture values are now roughly 52% higher than they were in 2020.

That’s worth paying attention to.

Good grazing land isn’t just being valued for how many cows it can carry anymore. Buyers are also looking at water, location, access, hunting and recreation, homesite potential, privacy and long-term land ownership.

A piece of rural property can have several different sources of value stacked on top of the same acre.

And in many parts of Oklahoma, quality land is becoming harder to replace.

If you own pasture or ranch land, it may be worth knowing what the market actually says it’s worth today.

08/17/2026

08/13/2026

This nice property is on its way to new ownership. Rural land is in high demand. 

07/03/2026

Could your property qualify for grants?

Many Oklahoma landowners are surprised to learn there are grant and cost-share programs that can help pay for improvements to farms, ranches, and recreational properties.

Depending on your property and the program, funding may be available for:
• Cross fencing
• Water wells and livestock water systems
• Pond construction or rehabilitation
• Brush and cedar removal
• Rotational grazing infrastructure
• Wildlife habitat improvements
• Native grass restoration
• Erosion control
• Energy-efficient agricultural upgrades

Some programs can cover a substantial portion of approved project costs, making improvements far more affordable than many landowners realize.

The best part? Many people never apply simply because they don’t know these opportunities exist.

Before you spend thousands of dollars on your next ranch improvement project, visit your local USDA NRCS office or conservation district to see what programs your property may qualify for. A quick conversation could save you a significant amount of money while increasing the productivity and long-term value of your land.

If you’re considering buying, improving, or selling rural property, understanding these programs can make a real difference.

— Ty Hunter
Rural Real Estate Specialist
Arrowhead Land Company