Real Estate Auction Roundup

By William Flood

 Illinois

Greene County - On May 18, Halderman Real Estate Services was recognized as part of The Land Report’s “2025 Farmland Deal of the Year” for its marketing and sale of more than 5,700 acres along the Illinois River in western Illinois. The transaction, offered via sealed bid and featured in the Spring 2026 edition of The Land Report, involved the Adwell Greene County Farm, one of the largest and most notable farmland sales of the year. The sale included 5,478 acres purchased by Farmland Reserve, with another 263 acres acquired by Emerald Valley Farms. The deal totaled more than $50 million.

Pocahontas - On May 11, Corey Craig conducted an auction of a 1,584-square-foot home located minutes from I-55. The newly remodeled split-level residence featured four bedrooms, two baths, forced-air heat and central A/C, and a detached garage that was also heated and air-conditioned. The property sat on 12.47+/- acres with a 1.5-acre pond. It sold for $215,600.

Indiana

Auburn - On May 28, Schrader Real Estate and Auction presented 90+/- acres offered in three tracts, with farming rights conveyed in 2027. The land was mainly flat with approximately 70+/- tillable acres, primarily in Pewamo silty clay and Blount loam soils. Tract 1 consisted of 34+/- acres of 100 percent tillable farmland with a driveway off County Road 40A and a potential building site, pending approval from DeKalb County Planning. Tract 2 included 35.5+/- acres of tillable farmland with access off County Road 40A, a fencerow dividing a portion of the tract, and another potential building site pending approval from DeKalb County Planning. Tract 3 was 20.5+/- wooded acres offered as a “swing tract” suitable for purchase by an adjoining owner, featuring a small pond with a dock and maintained grass area surrounding the pond, some mature timber, and an old house trailer, with heavy deer and turkey traffic and trails running throughout the woods. Tracts 1 and 2 sold for $725,000 ($10,432 per acre), while Tract 3 brought $115,000.

Rensselaer - Kraft Auction Service held an online-only auction on May 19 of 29.489+/- acres of productive Jasper County farmland. The gently rolling, 100 percent tillable ground consisted mainly of Oakville fine sand, Mussey mucky sandy loam, Brems loamy sand, and Morocco loamy sand, with a weighted NCCPI of 46.6. It featured approximately 1,000 feet of frontage along W 500 N with multiple access points. The land was leased for the 2026 crop year at $125 per acre, with the buyer receiving the full 2026 rental income; The land sold for $261,000 ($8,851 per acre).

Kentucky

Henderson – On May 14, Herron Auction & Realty concluded an online auction of a 1,356-square-foot, all-brick, 4-bedroom home on a 70-by-150-foot lot near I-69. The property included an attached carport and storage sheds and had been recently renovated with a new roof and A/C. The home sold for $74,500.

Kuttawa - Harris Real Estate & Auction conducted an absolute auction May 12, featuring a 3-bedroom home on 81+/- acres offered in three tracts, ideal for a mini farm, hunting/recreation property, or investment opportunity. Tract 1 consisted of 10.84+/- acres with a well-maintained 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath home, two-car attached garage, and 64-by-40-foot shop building. Tract 2 was 19.77+/- acres of mixed open ground and woods. Tract 3 featured 50.70+/- acres of mixed land, with Cumberland River frontage. Tract 1 sold for $230,000, Tract 2 for $65,000 ($3,288 per acre), and Tract 3 for $195,000 ($3,846 per acre).

Michigan

Benton Harbor - On May 23, Miedema’s LastBid Real Estate held an online auction of a small farm with a 3-bedroom home with outbuildings on 6.4+/- acres. The good condition 1,250-square-foot ranch home featured 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, a finished basement, and a 3-season room. Improvements included a 40-by-80-foot pole barn with multiple horse stalls and 12-foot ceilings, and a second 24-by-40-foot pole barn. The property sold for $297,000.

Sturgis - Bright Star Real Estate Services hosted an online and phone-bid auction May 12 of a country home on 1.88+/- acres on a quiet dirt road just minutes from Sturgis. The property included a 3-bedroom, 2-bath home with a wood-burning fireplace, unfinished basement, and an owned propane tank. Recent updates include triple-pane windows, standing-seam metal roof, new furnace, and new kitchen appliances. The property included a detached 28-by-36-foot garage with three overhead doors and a new metal roof. The auction opened at $165,000 and hammered at $250,000.

Ohio

Bradford - On May 28, Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company offered 5.17+/- acres of commercial real estate in one tract. The property, zoned commercial and commercial-warehouse, sat at Ohio State Route 721 and Deeter Road with high visibility on State Route 721. Improvements included four buildings: a 44-by-30-foot main office with bathrooms, private offices, break area, and large open spaces; an 80-by-48-foot Morton-style building with overhead doors, concrete floor, gas heat and a bathroom; an 8-bay commodity barn (110 by 44 foot) with an attached 44-by-30-foot shop with overhead door; and a metal pole barn with four overhead doors (drive-thru bays) and dry storage, consisting of a 50-by-46-foot section and a 36-by-34-foot drive-thru area. The property also featured a 52-by-22-foot concrete dike previously used for upright fertilizer tank storage and over 4+/- acres of hard gravel surface. It was sold subject to a deed restriction prohibiting, for 20 years, the sale or distribution of agricultural chemicals, seed or fertilizer. It brought $350,000.

Hillsboro - Kaufman Realty & Auctions conducted an onsite/online auction on May 30 of 100.77+/- acres offered in four tracts. The gently rolling farmland was enrolled in the Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV) program and included an older home in need of significant renovation. The farm was along Reno Lane and Smart Road, with city water available from State Route 73, though it would need to be brought to the property at the buyer’s expense. Tract 1 consisted of 28.6+/- acres of open land with a creek bottom, 860 feet of frontage on Reno Lane, and 220 feet on Smart Road, offering a mix of tillable ground and building potential, though portions adjacent to the creek lay in the floodplain. Tract 2 included 28.8+/- acres of open and wooded land with the older home and 860 feet of frontage on Reno Lane, offering multiple potential uses. Tract 3 contained 21.7+/- acres of open and wooded land with 600 feet of frontage on Reno Lane, including approximately 7 acres on the road’s south side. Tract 4 included 21.7+/- acres of open and wooded land with 920 feet of frontage on Reno Lane. The tracts sold combined for $845,000 ($8,385 per acre, not including the value of the house).