Buy & Sell FAQs
Everything buyers and sellers need to know about purchasing and selling Saskatchewan farmland through ExtrAcre — answered clearly.
Finding Farmland to Buy
How to find available farmland for sale through ExtrAcre, whether you're a farmer looking to own land or an investor seeking agricultural assets.
Browse current listings at auction.extracre.com under the Listings section. You can also sign up for alerts to be notified when new farmland matching your target area becomes available.
For off-market opportunities or personalized searches, contact Qing Zhang directly at (306) 684-0136 — he has access to the full MLS® database and a network of farmland sellers across Saskatchewan.
- Grain / Cropland — cultivated quarter sections and larger parcels
- Hay Land — native and tame hay producing properties
- Pasture / Ranch Land — grazing operations of all sizes
- Mixed Farms — combinations of grain, hay, and pasture
- Acreages with improvements — properties with houses, bins, or other buildings
Coverage spans all of Saskatchewan — every RM and crop district.
Yes. All farmland for sale through ExtrAcre is listed on the MLS® system by Qing Zhang at Royal LePage Next Level — giving your search access to all publicly marketed Saskatchewan farmland. Listings also appear on auction.extracre.com and REALTOR.ca.
Yes. Use the Advanced Search on auction.extracre.com to filter listings by location, land type, and size. For a more tailored search, contact Qing directly — he can identify properties matching your specific criteria, including off-market opportunities.
You are not legally required to have a buyer's agent, but it is strongly recommended when purchasing farmland. Farmland transactions involve SAMA assessments, surface rights, mineral rights, lease obligations, and complex title considerations — having an experienced Realtor like Qing Zhang on your side ensures you understand exactly what you're buying and at what price.
Yes — and many buyers prefer this. Tenanted farmland means immediate rental income from day one. The existing lease transfers to you as the new owner, and the tenant continues farming under the same terms.
ExtrAcre can provide a free rental appraisal on any tenanted land you're considering, confirming whether the current rental rate reflects market value.
The Buying Process
Step-by-step guidance through making an offer, conditions, financing, and closing your farmland purchase.
- 1Find land through ExtrAcre listings, MLS®, or contact Qing Zhang directly.
- 2Request a free sale appraisal to confirm the land's market value before making an offer.
- 3Make a written offer through Qing — typically with conditions (financing, inspection, tenant review, etc.).
- 4Negotiate and reach acceptance — Qing manages all offer negotiations on your behalf.
- 5Satisfy conditions — arrange financing, review title, complete any agreed inspections or appraisals.
- 6Close the transaction — title transfers and you become the landowner.
Yes — and this is a powerful strategy ExtrAcre specializes in.
This allows you to acquire Saskatchewan farmland with guaranteed rental income confirmed before closing — eliminating the risk of buying vacant land.
Common conditions for farmland purchases include:
- Financing condition — time to arrange and confirm your mortgage or financing
- Tenant condition — conditional on securing a satisfactory rental lease (via ExtrAcre auction)
- Title review — review of title for encumbrances, easements, surface lease obligations, or Crown mineral rights
- Environmental condition — for properties with bins, fuel storage, or intensive livestock history
- Lease review — if buying tenanted land, review of existing lease terms
Qing Zhang will guide you on which conditions are appropriate for the specific property.
Common financing options for Saskatchewan farmland include:
- Farm Credit Canada (FCC) — Canada's largest agricultural lender, specializing in farmland loans
- Commercial banks — most major Canadian banks offer agricultural lending programs
- Credit unions — local credit unions often provide competitive farmland financing
- Vendor financing — in some cases, sellers may offer financing directly
- Cash purchase — common among investors and farmers with existing equity
ExtrAcre's free rental appraisal provides the rental income data lenders need to assess your loan application.
- Land Transfer Tax — Saskatchewan charges a small land title transfer fee
- Legal fees — lawyer fees for title search, title insurance, and transfer registration
- Survey costs — if a new survey is required (rare for quarter sections with existing legal descriptions)
- Financing costs — appraisal fee if required by your lender, and mortgage registration fee
- Home inspection / environmental assessment — if applicable to the property
There is no buyer's commission payable to ExtrAcre on purchase transactions — Qing Zhang's commission is paid by the seller.
No. As a buyer, you pay no commission to ExtrAcre or to Qing Zhang. The Realtor commission on farmland sales is paid by the seller as part of the transaction. This means you have access to professional buyer representation at no cost to you.
Surface rights give you ownership of the land's surface — the right to farm, build, and lease the land. Mineral rights relate to what is below the surface (oil, gas, potash, etc.).
In Saskatchewan, most mineral rights are owned by the Crown (Saskatchewan government) — meaning most farmland sales transfer surface rights only. Occasionally, privately-held mineral rights are included in a sale — this will be clearly indicated in the listing and title. Your lawyer will confirm exactly what is included in the transfer.
Farmland as an Investment
Understanding Saskatchewan farmland as a long-term asset class — returns, risks, and how ExtrAcre maximizes rental income for investor-owners.
Saskatchewan farmland has historically been one of Canada's most resilient asset classes, combining two return streams:
- Annual rental income — steady cash flow from leasing to local farmers
- Capital appreciation — farmland values have risen consistently over the past two decades, driven by global food demand, limited supply of prime agricultural land, and Saskatchewan's position as a major grain and oilseed exporter
Unlike stocks or REITs, farmland provides a tangible, inflation-hedging asset with low volatility and no correlation to equity markets.
Rental yields on Saskatchewan farmland typically range from 2% to 5% per year based on the purchase price, depending on soil class, location, and current market rental rates. ExtrAcre's rental auctions consistently achieve market-leading rates — typically 10–30% higher than informal private arrangements.
For a precise yield estimate on a specific property, request a Free Rental Appraisal — this gives you the rental income number before you make a purchase offer.
The most effective strategy is to make your purchase conditional on ExtrAcre conducting a rental auction first. This means:
- Competitive bidding drives the rent to true market value
- You know your rental income before closing — not after
- A binding lease agreement is executed immediately upon purchase
- You avoid the gap period of vacant land with no income
Contact Robin Liu at (306) 690-6786 to arrange a pre-purchase rental auction.
Absolutely. Many Saskatchewan farmland investors are based in other provinces, other countries, or major Canadian cities. ExtrAcre's full service — purchase, rental auction, lease execution, and ongoing land management — can be handled completely remotely. You never need to visit the land to own and earn from it.
Saskatchewan's Saskatchewan Farm Security Act places restrictions on non-resident and non-Canadian ownership of farmland. Key points:
- Canadian citizens and permanent residents can generally purchase farmland freely
- Non-residents (foreign nationals) face restrictions — they may own up to 10 acres of Saskatchewan farmland
- Canadian corporations with foreign ownership above certain thresholds may also face restrictions
If you are a non-resident or have complex ownership structures, consult a Saskatchewan lawyer before purchasing. Qing Zhang can refer you to appropriate legal counsel.
Tax considerations for farmland ownership include:
- Rental income is generally taxable as business or property income
- Capital gains on sale may be partially offset by the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption (LCGE) if you qualify as a farming business
- Property taxes — as the landowner, you are responsible for annual property taxes (your tenant does not pay these in standard ExtrAcre leases)
- Depreciation / CCA — buildings and improvements on the property may be depreciable
Consult a qualified Canadian tax accountant for advice specific to your situation. ExtrAcre does not provide tax advice.
The Selling Process
How ExtrAcre lists and sells your farmland through the MLS® system — from appraisal to closing.
No. ExtrAcre's auction platform is exclusively for rental auctions — finding tenants for farmland lease. All farmland sales are handled by Qing Zhang, our licensed Realtor at Royal LePage Next Level, via the MLS® system.
Qing is ranked #2 among all Royal LePage Saskatchewan agents (2021–2023) and specializes in farm, ranch, commercial, and residential real estate across the entire province.
📞 (306) 684-0136 · WeChat: L6840136
- 1Free Sale Appraisal — Qing Zhang assesses your land's current market value based on comparable sales, SAMA data, and rental income potential.
- 22Sign a brokerage agreement with Royal LePage Next Level.
- 3Professional MLS® listing — your land is marketed on MLS®, REALTOR.ca, and auction.extracre.com with professional photography and description.
- 4Receive and review offers — Qing manages all buyer inquiries and presents offers to you.
- 5Negotiate and accept — Qing negotiates on your behalf to achieve the best possible price and terms.
- 6Close the sale — from accepted offer to title transfer, Qing manages the full closing process.
Timeframes vary by location, price, and market conditions. Well-priced farmland in sought-after regions of Saskatchewan can sell in weeks to a few months. More remote or specialized properties may take longer. Qing Zhang's province-wide network and MLS® reach maximizes exposure to the broadest pool of qualified buyers.
Listing in the spring — ahead of the farming season — typically generates the most interest from farmer-buyers.
Commission rates are negotiated and disclosed in the brokerage agreement. Saskatchewan real estate commission is typically a percentage of the final sale price — paid at closing, not upfront. Contact Qing directly for current commission details: (306) 684-0136.
This can be a highly effective strategy. Farmland with a signed lease at market rental rates is more attractive to investor-buyers because it provides immediate, confirmed income from day one. ExtrAcre's rental auction can establish a binding lease before the property is listed for sale — potentially increasing both buyer interest and the sale price.
Contact Robin Liu at (306) 690-6786 to discuss whether a pre-sale rental auction makes sense for your land.
- Farm & Ranch: All of Saskatchewan
- Commercial: Regina, Moose Jaw, Weyburn, Yorkton, Swift Current
- Residential: Regina, Moose Jaw, and surrounding communities
Farmland Valuation
How your farmland is valued, what drives the price, and how to get the most from your sale.
A professional farmland sale valuation considers multiple factors:
- SAMA assessment & soil class — the official baseline for Saskatchewan farmland value
- Recent comparable sales — actual MLS® transaction prices for similar land in your region
- Rental income potential — ExtrAcre's auction data provides real rental rate benchmarks that investors use to calculate returns
- Cultivated vs. waste acres — the proportion of productive land to total acreage
- Improvements — buildings, grain bins, water systems, fencing
- Market conditions — current buyer demand, interest rates, and crop price outlook
Request a Free Sale Appraisal to get Qing's professional assessment.
Rental income is one of the most important value drivers for investor-buyers, who evaluate farmland using a capitalization rate (cap rate) — essentially, annual rent ÷ purchase price. Higher rental income → higher justified sale price.
This is why running an ExtrAcre rental auction before selling — to establish market-rate rent — can directly increase your sale price.
A formal appraisal is not required to list your land for sale, but ExtrAcre's free sale appraisal gives you a solid market value estimate before you commit to a listing price. For transactions involving financing, estate planning, or legal disputes, a certified appraisal from an accredited appraiser (AACI designation) may be required — Qing can refer you to qualified appraisers.
Saskatchewan farmland is generally more affordable per acre than comparable land in Alberta, Ontario, or British Columbia — while offering strong agricultural productivity and steady long-term appreciation. This relative affordability, combined with high-quality grain-producing soils, makes Saskatchewan farmland attractive to both domestic and out-of-province investors.
Key tax considerations when selling farmland include:
- Capital gains tax — 50% of capital gains are included in taxable income (subject to change — consult a tax advisor)
- Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption (LCGE) — if the land qualifies as "qualified farm property," you may be eligible for a substantial capital gains exemption (currently over $1 million)
- GST/HST — sale of farmland may be subject to GST; consult a tax professional
- Principal residence exemption — does not apply to farmland
ExtrAcre does not provide tax advice. Consult a qualified Canadian tax accountant or farm tax specialist before completing your sale.
Selling Land With an Existing Tenant
What happens to your tenant and lease when you sell, and how to use your lease as a selling advantage.
Yes — absolutely. Having a tenant in place does not prevent you from selling. In fact, many buyers — especially investors — prefer tenanted land because it provides immediate rental income from day one of ownership.
The existing lease transfers to the new owner, and the tenant continues farming under the same terms and conditions throughout the remaining lease period.
This depends on the specific terms of your lease agreement. Standard ExtrAcre leases do not include a right of first refusal unless specifically added. Review your lease carefully with your lawyer before listing the property for sale. If a right of first refusal is included, it must be triggered before you can complete a sale to a third party.
There is generally no legal requirement to inform your tenant before listing, unless your lease specifically requires notice. However, as a practical matter, it is advisable to inform the tenant once a sale is pending — they will need to cooperate with showings and the transition to the new owner. Qing Zhang handles all communications regarding showings and the transition professionally.
Potentially yes — and ExtrAcre can help. If your lease is expiring soon or contains a renewal provision, running an ExtrAcre rental auction to re-establish the rent at market rate before selling can directly increase your sale price.
Contact Robin Liu at (306) 690-6786 to discuss whether a rental auction before sale makes sense for your situation.
Rent is typically adjusted at closing based on the possession date. Any rent already collected for periods after the closing date is credited to the buyer. Any rent owing for the period before closing that has not yet been paid remains your entitlement as the seller. The exact adjustment is handled by the lawyers on both sides as part of the closing statement.
Ready to Buy or Sell Farmland?
Contact Qing Zhang for a free sale appraisal, or get a free rental appraisal to maximize your land's income before selling.