Coronavirus impacts on the Montana land market

By Montana Land Source, 4/2020

In such times of economic uncertainly people often gravitate towards tangible investments such as gold and land.  Given the health fears and social distancing caused by this crisis, land in rural western states like Montana have a particular appeal.  In addition to historically being a stable and lucrative investment, land in Montana provides a physical place where owners can take refuge from the rest of the world, whether that’s global pandemics or social unrest.  For years Montana land has been sought out for these reasons.  The shock and uncertainty of this crisis may well lead to increased demand for physical and economic refuge in the form of investment in rural land.

The ultimate impact of the coronavirus on the Montana land market will largely depend on the length of the crisis and the depth of its economic impact.  If the crisis is short-lived and the economic impact minor, we don’t expect the impact on the Montana land market to be substantial.

The slower moving land market may not have a chance to react before the crisis has largely passed.  Additionally, the drive towards more stable and tangible assets that crises like this create may offset negative impacts.  However, if the crisis is prolonged and if the economic impacts are severe, we will expect to see impacts on the Montana land market.  Montana Land Source has the most comprehensive data tracking of Montana land listings and sales, and we look forward to reporting on actual market impacts as the year progresses.  Stay tuned.

Read more about the Montana land market here…