On Saturday, July 31, 2010 552 acres of beautiful land in the heart of Missouri wine country hits the auction block. Offered in four separate blocks of 83 acres, 109 acres, 110 acres, and 262 acres, the brochure for this Ste. Genevieve County property explains that: "this magnificent property is stunning with its beauty, privacy, seclusion, peacefulness, trees and wildlife."

Land sales of this magnitude are typically sold through the auction process. Auction brings interested parties together at a specified date and is the best way to obtain the highest and best bid for a property. Auctions of farm properties may include the home, barns, silos and crops in the tracts split apart for the auction. To obtain the entire property, a bid for all of the tracts is the final act of the auctioneer before any of the previously bid tracts is gaveled. If the final bid for the whole property exceeds the sum of the individual tracts, the property is sold as a whole.

When I see the Southwest Airlines commercial where an individual creates a major snafu and the caption heard is “wanna get away?” I think of the difference in living between Urban and Rural America. I’m certain that living in the city has its benefits; the Muny at Forest Park; the Symphony at Powell Hall; Cardinal Baseball at Busch Stadium; Rams Football at The Edward Jones Dome; Blues Hockey; The Arch; The Brewery; and many other opportunities for entertainment, jobs, and resources. But, you can’t catch many fish in the city unless you go to Red Lobster. In the city, hunting is against the law, is outright dangerous, and the game is limited to an occasional rat or the neighborhood raccoon. In my bailiwick, the stars come out at night; no, not movie stars, the other ones. The moon shines bright, the tree frogs and crickets sing songs to their mates. On my 3-acre tract in Jefferson County, there is a herd of deer grazing in my back yard on any given morning. Turkey toms and hens graze on bugs, their little broods staying close to mom and scampering into the woods at the slightest noise. A little gray fox makes his way into the open on occasion, giving us more than a glimpse as he hunts for food. Ah, life in Rural America; it’s great!

If you’d like to get away, there are several places within 35 to 40 minutes of downtown where land is available in three to five acre tracts. Go a little farther out and find a farm with 110 acres in Potosi, Missouri in Washington County. Find a place in Ste. Genevieve County where you’ll meet the finest people you’ve ever met, or head down to Arcadia, Missouri in Iron County and see where Fort Donaldson was during the Civil War. There is still land available where you can hunt or fish. Some breathtaking homes are hidden amongst the trees, and you might find a place to build your own log home. Wanna get away? Contact Hermann London for information. The difference is, I’m willing to drive to where the land is; from Hannibal to Piedmont; from Ste. Genevieve to Rolla and farther out if necessary. And, if you’re looking for commercial land, we’re a great source for that as well. Hermann London will take the time to ensure that phase one inspections have cleared the way for purchase, limiting your exposure to future liability.