Come check out the new blog from NAR's Information Central! "Power Tools for Land Professionals" is no longer being updated, but you'll find plenty of interest in the InfoCentral Blog. The InfoCentral Blog keeps you up-to-date on new and useful information resources for the real estate industry -- websites, research reports, eBooks, news articles, services and databases from NAR's Information Central, and more. Surf on over to http://narblog1.realtors.org/mvtype/infocentral/.

Recently added to NAR's Virtual Library eBooks Collection: Land Use Law for Sustainable Development (Adobe), Green Cities: A Guide for Sustainable Community Development (Mobipocket), and Don't Call it Sprawl (Mobipocket). Also new this month: Negotiating for Dummies (Adobe), Crucial Confrontations (in Adobe and audio formats), and Effective Networking (audio). Check out eBooks.realtor.org for these and other titles. NAR members and association staff can borrow up to 3 eBooks, digital audios, and/or videos for FREE. New to NAR's digital library? Just follow the Quick Start Guide...and have your NRDS number ready!

The New York Times ran a story last Thursday on what one commentator characterized as the "largest intergenerational transfer of forest land in our nation?s history" (Family Forestry by Tanya Mohn, June 14, 2007). Nearly 60 percent of the nation's forestland is in private hands, most of which are owned by individuals and families who are over 55 years old. The children of these landowners don't always live close to the land. Many live far away in larger cities with little idea of what it means to steward forests. Conservationists fear that they are ripe for exploitation by developers, either out of ignorance or the need for money to pay property or inheritance taxes.

For those looking to get closer to nature, the Wall Street Journal (via Proquest, login on realtor.org required) reported last week on a new trend - housing developments on working farms. The article says that the projects can begin either with developers buying land around a farm or by developers buying land and finding tenant farmers to work for them. Regardless, most farms are near major metro areas and attract people who desire to get back to the land. Buyers looking for "the easy country life" or a "little house on the prairie" might want to take a closer look: chicken coops have a distinct odor that can carry and vacant field are often burned in the fall to kill non-native plant species. Still for those who are drawn to views of rolling fields and cows munching on hay, these urban farmsteads offer another alternative.

Almost two years after the Supreme Court decision regarding the ability of local jurisdictions to confiscate land and property for redevelopment, tempers remain heated in New Jersey as the state crafts changes to its policies. While public advocates stress the need to put the burden on the state to prove that land or property is 'blighted', New Jersey Senate Majority Leader Bernard F. Kenny called the proposal a 'litigation nightmare' that would halt development in the state. Other senators have called for a two year eminent domain moratorium in the state.

The Bradenton (FL) Herald republished an article from the Wall Street Journal from late last month on how the super-rich are some of the largest land buyers. The article says the wealthy are buying and investing in land for various reasons, including conservation, vacation and hunting space and to use for other business purposes. Demand has been so strong that farm land prices rose 15 percent from 2005 to 2006 according to the Department of Agriculture. A new magazine, The Land Report, lists the top 100 land owners. Topping the list are Ted Turner (2 million acres), Archie Aldis "Red" Emmerson (1.772 million acres) and the Irving Family (1.2 million acres).

The April issue of Texas REALTOR® discusses water rights and their value to landowners. Unlike oil or gas which have a set value determined by active commodity markets, the value of water depends on multiple variables. According to the article, value depends on four broad factors: location, quality, quantity, and supply vs. demand. The second half of the article discusses different options landowners can use to maximize the return on their water's value - either through a conveyance of water rights or a simple sale of water extracted by the owner. Both buyers and sellers need a clear understanding of their actual rights to the water. Groundwater districts can regulate the use of water in its jurisdiction.

A Wichita, Kansas news station's website reports today that a church has purchase an acre of land across from a local greyhound track and plans to launch an outreach campaign for gambling addicts. Summit Church in Park City will begin construction before the end of the year on its building. The announcement comes a day after state legislators approved the addition of slot machines to the race track's gambling options.

A month after the Indian River County Commission in Florida paid a cattle rancher not to develop his 462-acre ranch into homes, neighbors are looking for a similar deal for their lands. Indian River spent $12 million on a "conservation easement," barring current or future owners of the ranch from developing the property for homes while still allowing them to operate a cattle ranch. The County has agreed to look further into either buying the neighbors' land or creating a new easement.

The Albany NY Times Union reports on the recent uptick in interest in area horse farms by downstate and overseas buyers. Buyers are attracted to the area for its rolling hills, proximity to the major horse racing town of Saratoga, and lower taxes as compared to Long Island. While interest is increasing, the horse farm market remains small and hasn't been impacted by speculators yet. While buyers flush with Wall Street cash bought trophy farms in the 1980s, more recent buyers are more concerned with the profit potential of their acres. However that does not mean the new owners will be living on their spread: ownership from a distance is possible with hired hands, mobile technology and computers.

In a throwback to the land rush that populated the Plains at the end of the 19th Century, Anderson Alaska gave away 26 1.3-acre plots of spruce-covered land on Monday. Those seeking to claim their stake needed a $500 deposit and a promise to build a house of at least 1,000 SF within two years. The lots went quickly on Monday with interest from across the lower 48 states. Located 75 miles from Fairbanks, Anderson has only 300 people. Dwindling prospects for attracting new residents sparked the giveaway.

As reported in today's Daily News from REALTOR® Magazine, as energy prices continue to rise, more and more investors are looking for sites suitable for wind or solar panel farms. Wind farms need sustained winds of 17 MPH with access to transmission lines. Solar arrays are better for more urban areas. Several states also offer incentives.

CNN Money reports that the recent surge in interest over ethanol and alternative energy is finally impacting the farm economy. In addition to creating jobs through the growing number of ethanol plants, the rural economy is also benefiting from rising demand for corn and other fuel sources. Land values for Iowa farms have risen 60 percent since 2000. Compare that to Iowa single-family home values, which have risen at an annual rate of only 4.5 percent.

Land banking has several popular meanings in real estate. Some use the term to refer to communities buying up vacant, blighted or tax-delinquent properties and makes them available for redevelopment. Others use the term to refer to efforts by conservationists to buy land to prevent development. And a third use of the term refers to the practice of developers and investors buying land in the path of future growth hoping to be ready for the next market boom. Relying on this third definition, the February issue of National Real Estate Investor has an interesting article on trends in land banking.

?the REALTORS® Land Institute Conference in April? RLI?s 2007 National Land Conference for Accredited Land Consultants will take place at the Hyatt Regency San Antonio on April 11, 2007. The full-day conference will address a wide variety of topics of interest to land professionals, including due diligence deal killers, online marketing strategies to attract customers and tips on unusual 1031 exchanges. The conference will also examine the latest developments in Dubai, explaining what attracts international investors and how to get them into your market. The discount rate for hotel rooms ends on March 13, so don?t delay. More information on the conference and registration form can be found here. To find out about the REALTORS® Land Institute click here.