How to Sell Nebraska Land Held in a Trust in 2026

Selling Nebraska land that’s held in a trust can be a smart move—but it requires more than choosing a price and signing a deed. Today’s buyers expect clean documentation, clear authority to sell, and accurate, current market data. Trustees also have a legal duty to act in the best interests of the beneficiaries, which means your process needs to be organized, defensible, and well-documented.

Nebraska land values have been volatile in recent years, so timing and pricing matter. Farmland values hit a record $4,015 per acre in 2024 (up 5% from 2023), according to the Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey. In 2025, Nebraska’s average agricultural land value declined 2% to $3,935 per acre, according to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey. Meanwhile, the USDA reported Nebraska farm real estate averaged $4,080 per acre in 2024 (up 6.8% from 2023), according to USDA Farm Real Estate Values.

Those are statewide averages—local markets can be dramatically different. For example, Sarpy County farmland averaged $13,349 per acre in Q1 2025, according to the Growers Edge Farmland Value Index Q1 2025. The takeaway: if you’re selling land out of a trust, you need both legal clarity and hyper-local pricing support.

What a Land Trust Means for a Nebraska Land Sale

A trust is a legal ownership structure where a trustee holds and manages property for beneficiaries under a written trust agreement. In practical terms, the trust—not an individual—owns the land, and the trustee signs the sale documents (as trustee) if the trust authorizes the sale.

People commonly use land trusts in Nebraska to:

• Streamline inheritance and keep farmland in the family
• Reduce probate exposure and improve continuity of management
• Protect privacy and consolidate decision-making
• Coordinate long-term investment or conservation goals

When you sell trust-owned land, the “extra layer” is not optional: buyers and title companies will want proof that the trustee has authority to sell and that the transaction matches the trust’s requirements.

Step-by-Step: How to Sell Nebraska Land Held in a Trust

1) Review the trust agreement and confirm authority to sell

Start with the trust document. Trustees should confirm:

• Whether the trust explicitly permits selling real property
• Whether co-trustees must act together or sign together
• Whether beneficiary notice or consent is required
• How proceeds must be handled (distribution vs. reinvestment)

If anything is unclear, a Nebraska attorney who handles trusts and real estate can interpret the trust language and help you avoid delays at closing.

2) Price the property using current Nebraska land data and a land-specific appraisal

Online estimates rarely capture what actually drives rural value: soil productivity, water access, improvements, lease income, and local buyer demand. A qualified land appraiser (and often a land-focused broker) can help you set a price that’s defensible to beneficiaries and realistic in the market.

Use recent benchmarks to frame expectations:

• Nebraska average agricultural land value was $3,935 per acre in 2025 (down 2%), per the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey.
• Nebraska farmland reached $4,015 per acre in 2024 (up 5% from 2023), per the Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey.
• Nebraska farm real estate averaged $4,080 per acre in 2024 (up 6.8% from 2023), per USDA Farm Real Estate Values.

Also anchor your pricing to the land type, because “Nebraska land” isn’t one market:

• Statewide dryland cropland (no irrigation potential) averaged $4,155 per acre in 2025 (down 2%), according to the Nebraska Farm Real Estate Report.
• Statewide grazing land (tillable) averaged $3,015 per acre in 2025 (up 5%), according to the Nebraska Farm Real Estate Report.

Finally, sanity-check your numbers against local indicators. Sarpy County farmland averaged $13,349 per acre in Q1 2025, according to the Growers Edge Farmland Value Index Q1 2025, showing how much location can outweigh statewide averages.

3) Document income potential (rent, hunting leases, and other revenue)

Modern land buyers often underwrite purchases like an investment—especially when interest rates and input costs pressure margins. If the land produces income, document it with leases, payment history, and renewal terms.

Relevant Nebraska benchmarks include:

• Center pivot irrigated cropland cash rental rates averaged $345 per month in 2025 (down 3%), per the Nebraska Farm Real Estate Report.
• Pasture cash rental rates averaged $66 per month in 2025 (up 2%), per the Nebraska Farm Real Estate Report.
• 62% of hunting leases in Nebraska generate up to $2,499 per year, per the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey.

If your trust-owned property has hunting income, a current lease and clear access terms can remove buyer uncertainty and support your price.

4) Prep the property and eliminate preventable closing issues

Land sales fall apart most often because of avoidable surprises. Before listing, trustees should:

• Order a survey or confirm legal descriptions and boundaries
• Compile access documentation (public road frontage, recorded easements, gate locations)
• Gather records on wells, irrigation equipment, fencing, and improvements
• Collect mineral, water, and lease documentation (including any hunting lease terms)
• Address title concerns early (old liens, estate issues, missing releases)

This preparation also helps trustees demonstrate diligence and protect beneficiaries if questions arise later.

5) Choose the right selling method for a trust: listing, auction, or direct sale

Your selling strategy should match the trust’s goals and timeline.

• Traditional listing: Works well when you want maximum exposure and time to negotiate.
• Auction: Useful when you need a defined sale date and competitive bidding.
• Direct sale to a land buyer: Can reduce uncertainty and speed up closing when the trust prioritizes simplicity over top-of-market pricing.

Whatever route you choose, the trustee should document why the method serves the beneficiaries’ best interests.

6) Market to today’s land buyers with clear, verifiable facts

Land listings perform better when they read like an investment memo: precise acreage, soils, productivity, lease income, improvements, and maps. Buyers also expect digital materials—GIS maps, drone photos, and clean PDF lease packets.

Because Nebraska values vary by land type and region, include relevant context in your marketing. For example, you can cite the 2025 dryland cropland average of $4,155 per acre (down 2%) and the 2025 tillable grazing land average of $3,015 per acre (up 5%) from the Nebraska Farm Real Estate Report to help buyers understand how you’re positioning the property.

7) Negotiate and accept an offer consistent with trustee duties

When offers come in, trustees should negotiate with a fiduciary mindset. Focus on:

• Net proceeds after commissions, taxes, and closing costs
• Contingencies (financing, inspections, lease assignments, water/irrigation items)
• Closing timeline and possession terms
• What stays and what goes (equipment, improvements, personal property)

Keep beneficiaries informed according to the trust requirements. Clear communication reduces friction and helps the sale move faster.

8) Close the sale and handle proceeds exactly as the trust requires

After closing, the trustee must follow the trust’s instructions for proceeds. That typically includes:

• Paying authorized expenses, liens, and closing costs
• Depositing proceeds into the correct trust account
• Distributing or reinvesting funds as directed by the trust
• Maintaining records for beneficiaries and tax reporting

Common Challenges When Selling Nebraska Trust-Owned Land

• Market shifts: Nebraska land values can change quickly. Values rose to $4,015 per acre in 2024 per the Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey, then the average agricultural land value fell 2% to $3,935 per acre in 2025 per the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey.
• Pricing by land type: Dryland, irrigated, and grazing assets trade differently. The Nebraska Farm Real Estate Report shows dryland cropland averaged $4,155 per acre in 2025 and tillable grazing land averaged $3,015 per acre in 2025.
• Income verification: Buyers often want leases documented, and rents change over time. For instance, center pivot irrigated cropland rent averaged $345 per month in 2025 and pasture rent averaged $66 per month in 2025, per the Nebraska Farm Real Estate Report.
• Local price gaps: County-level values can dwarf state averages—like Sarpy County’s $13,349 per acre in Q1 2025 per the Growers Edge Farmland Value Index Q1 2025.
• Multiple stakeholders: Trustees must balance beneficiary expectations with real buyer behavior and legal constraints.

Who to Bring In (and Why It Matters)

Trust land sales run smoother when you build a specialized team:

• Trust and real estate attorney: Confirms authority, drafts or reviews documents, and resolves title/closing issues.
• Land appraiser: Supports defensible pricing and helps trustees document reasonable decision-making.
• Land-focused real estate agent or auctioneer: Reaches the right buyer pool and markets acreage effectively.
• Tax professional: Plans for potential capital gains, trust taxation, and reporting requirements.

Final Thoughts

Selling Nebraska land held in a trust is absolutely doable, but it demands a process that stands up to scrutiny. Use current market signals—like the $4,015 per acre record in 2024 per the Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey and the 2% decline to $3,935 per acre in 2025 per the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey—and then narrow that data to your county, land type, and income profile.

When trustees pair solid legal authority with clean documentation and realistic pricing, they protect beneficiaries and attract serious buyers. Whether you choose a traditional listing, an auction, or a faster direct sale, the best results come from being transparent, prepared, and disciplined from day one.