How to Sell Land in Georgia Held in a Trust in 2026

Georgia still earns its “Peach State” reputation for hospitality and scenery—but in 2025, it’s also a state where land values and buyer demand can move fast. If you’re trying to sell Georgia land held in a trust, you need two things: a clean legal path to sell and a pricing strategy grounded in today’s market data.

To set the baseline, Georgia farm real estate value averaged $4,150 per acre in 2025, up 3.8% from 2024, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Nationally, U.S. farm real estate averaged $4,350 per acre in 2025, up $180 per acre (4.3%) from 2024, per USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

These averages matter, but trust-held land often sells based on local use cases—development, recreation, timber, agriculture, or long-term holds. In the Atlanta metro, urban land averages $35,500 per acre in 2025, while rural Georgia land averages $5,950 per acre in 2025, according to Prime Land Buyers. County-level movement can be even more dramatic: Fulton County recorded 45% annual land value appreciation in 2025, per Prime Land Buyers, while Fannin County shows 11.5% land appreciation with an 81.4% turnover ratio at $23,871 per acre in 2025, also reported by Prime Land Buyers.

Against that backdrop, selling land from a trust is absolutely doable—but you’ll get the best result when you treat it like a legal process first and a marketing process second.

The trust-land basics: what “land in a trust” means in a sale

A trust is a legal arrangement where a trustee holds and manages property for the benefit of one or more beneficiaries. When the trust owns Georgia land, the trustee typically has the authority (and responsibility) to sell it—if the trust terms allow it.

Trust sales can feel more complex than a standard land sale because the trustee must follow the trust document, meet fiduciary duties, and document decisions carefully. The upside: when handled correctly, a trust sale can be clean, defensible, and efficient.

Step-by-step: how to sell Georgia land held in a trust

1) Confirm your role: trustee vs. beneficiary

• If you’re the trustee: You manage the sale process, sign documents (as trustee), and must act in the beneficiaries’ best interests.
• If you’re a beneficiary: You usually can’t sell the land directly, but you can request information, raise concerns, and (depending on the trust) approve or object to major actions.

2) Review the trust document for sale authority and constraints

Use the trust agreement as your operating manual. Look for:

• Authority to sell (and whether it requires a triggering event)
• Consent requirements (beneficiary approval, co-trustee approval, or third-party approval)
• Distribution language (how proceeds must be handled and when)
• Restrictions (hold periods, purchase options, or limitations tied to the grantor’s intent)

3) Price the land with current market context (not guesswork)

Land pricing is highly sensitive to location, access, zoning, utilities, timber value, soil quality, and potential highest-and-best use. Start with a professional appraisal or a land-focused comparative market analysis.

Use broad data as a reality check. For example, Georgia farm real estate averaged $4,150 per acre in 2025 (up 3.8% from 2024) per USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), while the U.S. average farm real estate value was $4,350 per acre in 2025 (up $180 per acre, 4.3%) per USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

If your tract is agricultural, land type also matters at the national level: U.S. pastureland averaged $1,920 per acre in 2025, up 5% from 2024, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. U.S. cropland rose by $260 per acre year over year to approximately $5,570 per acre in 2025, also reported by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

For Georgia-specific price ranges that reflect development pressure, Prime Land Buyers reports $35,500 per acre for urban land in the Atlanta metro (2025) and $5,950 per acre for rural land statewide (2025). And if your trust land sits in a fast-moving county, local appreciation data can shape timing and negotiation posture—like Fulton County’s 45% annual land value appreciation in 2025 (Prime Land Buyers) or Fannin County’s 11.5% appreciation with an 81.4% turnover ratio at $23,871 per acre in 2025 (Prime Land Buyers).

4) Prepare the property to reduce buyer friction

Land buyers tend to pay more—and move faster—when uncertainty is low. Before listing, consider:

• Clearing key access points and removing obvious debris
• Confirming boundary lines (survey if needed)
• Verifying legal access and easements
• Gathering documents buyers ask for: prior surveys, soil reports, timber info, zoning notes, and any environmental considerations

5) Market the land to the right buyer pool

Land is not a one-size-fits-all listing. Target your marketing based on the land’s best use:

• Land-focused listing sites and MLS options where appropriate
• Local agents who specialize in acreage, farms, timber, or development tracts
• Outreach to builders, investors, farmers, and recreation buyers depending on the parcel
• Clear visuals: maps, boundary overlays, topography, road frontage, and utility proximity

6) Handle negotiations and trust-specific legal requirements

Once you receive offers, the trustee should negotiate with two goals in mind: maximize value and reduce risk. Trust sales often require extra attention to:

• Who has authority to accept an offer (trustee vs. co-trustee, and whether beneficiaries must consent)
• How you document the decision-making process (to support fiduciary duty)
• Contract language that correctly identifies the seller as the trust (and the signer as trustee)

In many cases, working with a Georgia real estate attorney who understands trusts can prevent delays and protect the trustee.

7) Close the sale and distribute proceeds correctly

Land closings often involve different due diligence items than residential deals, but the outcome is the same: deed transfer, funds disbursed, and records updated. For a practical overview of land sale closings, see closing on a land sale.

After closing, the trustee must follow the trust document for handling proceeds, reserving amounts for taxes/expenses as appropriate, and distributing funds on the required timeline.

Trustee-specific considerations (fiduciary duty, documentation, and taxes)

• Fiduciary duty: The trustee must act prudently and in the beneficiaries’ best interests. That typically means pursuing fair market value, avoiding conflicts, and keeping beneficiaries reasonably informed.
• Documentation: Keep a clear paper trail—appraisals, broker opinions, marketing steps, offers received, and reasons for acceptance.
• Tax implications: Trust taxation and beneficiary tax outcomes can vary. A tax professional can help you plan for capital gains, basis issues, and reporting requirements.

The “easy button”: selling trust-held Georgia land to a land buying company

If speed and simplicity matter more than maximizing price, a direct sale to a land buying company can reduce uncertainty. Companies like Land Boss buy land directly from owners—including trusts—often with fewer contingencies and faster timelines.

This option can help when the trust wants to liquidate quickly, beneficiaries disagree on strategy, the land needs cleanup, or the parcel is hard to finance. The trade-off is that direct buyers typically purchase at a discount in exchange for speed and convenience.

Final thoughts: sell with a plan, not pressure

Selling Georgia land held in a trust can feel technical, but the path is straightforward: confirm authority, price using current market signals, market to the right buyers, document decisions, and close with proper trust compliance.

Land values and buyer activity continue to evolve nationwide—U.S. farm real estate averaged $4,350 per acre in 2025 (up 4.3%) per USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)—even as the footprint of U.S. farmland shifts. Total land in U.S. farms was 876,460,000 acres in 2024, down 2,100,000 acres from 2023, according to USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

If you want additional Georgia-specific guidance on selling land, see Selling Georgia land. With the right professionals and a process you can defend, you can turn trust-held acreage into a clean closing—and a smart outcome for the people the trust is meant to serve.