Latest Real Estate Figures show December’s farm sales were the best in a single month since mid 2008.

The Real Estate Institute report shows a total of 96 farms changed hands over the month, 30 of them Dairy properties.

REINZ rural market expert Peter McDonald says the sales increase was aided by a lift in the median price to its highest level in more than a year.

“There has been a bit of a price adjustment, where they’ve settled at about 41 dollars a kg.

That works out to about 37,000 a hectare, which is quite a sustainable level, really.”

Peter McDonald says it’s too early to call this a trend, but these signs should certainly give farmers, and banks, a bit more confidence. 

Prices for lifestyle blocks were also up, reaching their highest level since 2009.

You can find the full report here.