BARGAIN SALES

A "Bargain Sale" is a sale of land in fee title for below market value.

Placer Land Trust relies on a qualified appraisal by an MAI-certified appraiser to determine fair market value. The cost of the appraisal is generally borne by the landowner.

Preserving land by selling it to Placer Land Trust in a bargain sale can provide two forms of financial benefits to the seller: cash from the purchase, and tax benefits. A bargain sale also means that Placer Land Trust is able to purchase the property at a reduced price, which is always helpful because we usually need to fundraise for any land acquisition.

Here is an example how a bargain sale can provide multiple financial benefits to a landowner.

Let's say a landowner has his/her land appraised by a qualified appraiser, and the appraised value of the land is $500,000. The landowner sells the land to Placer Land Trust for $300,000. This is a bargain sale because it is for less than the appraised market value. The landowner first receives $300,000 from PLT for the sale of their land. Then, they can also claim $200,000 as a charitable noncash contribution to PLT, making them eligible for tax benefits.

For more information about bargain sales, contact Executive Director Jeff Darlington at (530) 887-9222 or jeff@placerlandtrust.org.

Placer Land Trust 11521 Blocker Drive, Suite 100 Auburn, CA 95603 (530) 887-9222 info@placerlandtrust.org

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