iowa exchange: Iowa Land Investment Expo—a Most Excellent Event - 02/19/08 12:35 PM
The first Iowa Land Investment Expo was held in West Des Moines, Iowa, last Friday, February 15, 2008, at the West Des Moines Marriott. The event brought together a diverse group of investors, farmers, exhibitors and others.
The day started off with a discussion between Don DeWaay of DeWaay Capital Management and Moe Russell of Russell Consulting Group on the future of land prices. Both were essentially bullish on the prospects of continued escalation in the value of agricultural land, although both felt that any increases will be muted somewhat in comparison with the past couple of years. Mr. DeWaay was … (7 comments)

iowa exchange: Today’s Farm Bill / Section 1031 Update - 02/15/08 12:39 PM
Today’s Farm Bill / Section 1031 update has to do with comments made today at the Iowa Land Investment Expo by Elizabeth Williams of DTN. Her assignment, as one of the keynote speakers, was to update the attendees on the Farm Bill. I expected her to discuss subsidies, pricing issues, and so forth, hoping that she might touch on Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges at least a little. Instead, she led off with quite a few comments about Section 1031 exchanges!
Her comments left me feeling even more unsure of the status of the like-kind definition changes contained (or not contained) in … (2 comments)

iowa exchange: Once Again on the Farm Bill - 02/13/08 07:52 AM
One more time on the Farm Bill… I reported in my blog Would You Like Some Good News? Success Regarding Like-Kind Status in the Farm Bill on January 25, 2008, that the provision in the Senate version of the bill that had sought to re-define like-kind status as it pertains to subsidized agricultural land (see earlier blog The Next Verse… Today’s Update on the Farm Bill and others) had been pulled from the bill in conference committee. While I believe that remains true, a letter I received yesterday from Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) raises a question or two in my mind.
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iowa exchange: Omaha1 Real Estate Investment Association Meeting - 02/13/08 03:33 AM
You are invited to the Omaha1 Real Estate Investment Association meeting to be held on Monday, February 18, 2008, at the Westside Community Conference Center, 3534 South 108th Street, Omaha, Nebraska, and beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Come hear Ken Tharp from IOWA EQUITY EXCHANGE speak on the subject of Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges. Ken will present the basics of the Section 1031 process and get into some of the more sophisticated applications as well. Bring your questions and your particular situation. Take-home materials will be available at the meeting.
Come visit with Ken, learn about tax-deferred exchanges, and see why … (0 comments)

iowa exchange: Iowa Land Investment Expo - 02/13/08 02:56 AM
The first Iowa Land Investment Expo will be held in Des Moines, Iowa, this Friday, February 15, 2008, at the West Des Moines Marriott, 1250 Jordan Creek Parkway, West Des Moines, Iowa.
IOWA EQUITY EXCHANGE is pleased to be an Exhibitor at this great event. Ken Tharp will be present all day to answer your questions about Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges and how they might be utilized in your situation. Take-home materials will be available, and there will even be a drawing at the IOWA EQUITY EXCHANGE booth at the end of the day for a $50.00 gift certificate to Fire … (2 comments)

iowa exchange: Commercial Revenues Up At One Firm During 2007 - 02/06/08 04:20 AM
Commercial revenues were up at one firm during 2007, according to an article in the Commercial Real Estate Weekly email publication of Business Publications Corporation in Des Moines, Iowa.
The Quad City Times reports that NAI Ruhl & Ruhl Commercial Company set a sales record for the firm in 2007, eclipsing $260 million in sales and closed transactions. That figure is up 4% from sales volume in 2006. Ruhl & Ruhl is based in the Quad Cities, which is a conglomeration of cities on both sides of the Mississippi River in Iowa and Illinois, the largest of which is Davenport, Iowa. … (0 comments)

iowa exchange: Land, India, Crop Prices, and Hershey’s Chocolates - 02/01/08 07:08 AM
What possible connection could land, India, crop prices, and Hershey’s chocolates have to one another? This may take a few minutes…
Three recent articles have driven home to me the reasons that the public is unusually uncertain about what is going on in our economy. First was an article online at cattlenetwork.com. It compared what is happening today with commodity prices and land values with what happened in the mid-nineties. In 1996, new-crop corn on the futures market rose as high as $3.83 per bushel in July, after which the price began a five-year decline—the following year’s pricing never rose above … (3 comments)