[USER]

We have a beautiful 5500 Sq Ft home on just over 100 acres in Montana, with a large shop and a few outbuildings.

It is completely off-grid, extremely private (but not isolated: lots of large ranches nearby, 20 minutes to town, an hour from a large city) with 360° views, high speed fiber optic internet, and water rights.

We have tried to sell it off and on over the past few years with no luck.

We are having trouble with realtors/agents dropping the ball, various levels of incompetence, and a lack of marketing skills (partially due to the property being off – grid, partially because the size of the property is small by Montana standards – not really “ranch” size).

Winters can be tough there and, because the house is off-grid, it cannot be left unattended for the winter.

We have tried to bring in bigger brokerages and other experienced agents to consult or work with the Montana agents (either at their request or with their blessing) to no avail because the Montana agents end up having circles run around them and get their feelings hurt/feel incompetent but they just won’t market to an audience that would be appropriate for this property (higher net worth, second/third home candidates, etc…).

I’m hoping to find a creative solution to get this property sold to either someone with the means and desire to live off-grid or someone who would like to go through the electricity hookup process.

Any ideas or suggestions other than the realtor route? Help, please and thank you!

ETA: there is solar power and a generator.

It appraised for $2M but we last had it listed for $1.6M.

We are looking to list it again but it is not currently listed.

[Kyle]

I’m going to go on a limb here and say you have a price issue more than an incompetence issue.

[Damon]

it may be that you have expectations on the value of the house and the market is telling you something else.

But if you know how to market it, then market it yourself.

You can pick an agent and do some of your own marketing.

[Justin]

If a home isn’t selling it’s almost always a price issue.
Are you or the agent determining the listing price?

[Karen]

Have you had the property professionally appraised? Who is the likely buyer? What was your reason for buying it?

Determine that potential buyer scenario and then hire someone to create a nice video with aerial photos etc.

and then use targeted Facebook marketing for that demographic.

Your buyer is likely not in your state.

What are you asking? Photos or listing?

Have you listed it in a farms and ranch type publication? It’s fun to pick the brains of the hive but it is very hard to brainstorm when we have no idea what type of home you are talking about.

[Cindy]

Not having power I believe is the biggest issue you have. People want to be off the grid, but still have water, power, AC/ Furnance.

[Elizabeth]

My in laws had a similar issue with realtors. I think it was finally Berkshire Hathaway that sold their place.

Off grid and high price are likely the factors against you.

I live in Montana. Where is your place?

[Norah]

We bought in the flathead valley of Montana 6 years ago. We spent 6 weeks here looking and our realtors had never had anyone hire a real estate attorney to review contracts in their 20 years as realtors here.

I was shocked. They also called at my insistence on an inspection.

Those were the second group of realtors we used the first was a joke. The housing market in Montana has been on fire but I know nothing about off grid homes, we live in a 100% sustainable energy home but use hydro electric power.

My advice would go to Bozeman realtors regardless of where you are and see what they may say.

The amount of celebrities and high profile people who want a place like yours is massive where we are.

They want a ranch without a ranch so I am certain there is a market.

I’m sorry you are going through all of this

[Ashley]

So you want to sell your huge off grid house that can’t be left unattended during the winter to someone with a high networth or a 2nd/3rd home, but think the agents feelings are getting hurt?

“Price may not always be the issue but it is always the solution”

[Franci]

First off it is difficult for agents to work with another agent because brokers will not allow it.

If something bad happens it all falls on the broker.

Nitch properties are hard to sell and if the local MLS won’t sell it then it’s probably considered overpriced.

[Barbara]

Either eat the price difference for it to sell or bring in the power. Do the other ranches have power?

Hire a realtor that has the energy that you would hire to do any job, tenacity, someone who can get to the finish line and you have to be willing to follow through as well to the finish line.

I’m hesitant to look at properties that have been listed then not sold multiple times…

I think, yea no power but what else is wrong with it.

[Tikvah]

Just a thought. I can’t see how a perspective buyer could use it as a 2nd/3rd home if it’s needs someone at it full year due to being off the grid.

Sounds like some confusion who would be the potentially buyers.

Also, my 2nd/3rd home would need to have access to electric on top of solar for me to consider it a good investment.

[Desiree]

I don’t have any creative solutions, I’m also in MT, and have a wonderful gal that is amazing at what she does and has buyers waiting from all over … if you’d like her info message me.

[Bill]

It’s not an agent issue, it’s a power issue. Not having grid power severely limits your pool of buyers.

If you want to sell the property for what you think it’s worth, get hooked up to the grid.

[Karla]

Sounds amazing but for me not being able to leave unattended is the killer.

We like to follow the sun in winter.

[Katie]

Wait. You said can’t be left unattended but want it marketed as a second home?

Why not just Airbnb it?

[Leah]

I don’t have a specific rec for you since it’s been a hot minute since I worked at a national RE firm (i was in tech, not sales ) but there are a handful of agents that only deal with high net worth families worldwide that mainly buy vacation and investment properties.

It’s a very closed group that has access to these buyers – your property seems like that type property that needs to be marketed to very specific buyers worldwide – those people are not sitting there on MLS looking, properties are presented to them.

[Author]

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